Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
SUTTON
“ S utty, are you sure this is a good idea?”
Even through the small screen of my phone, I can see my friend’s uncertainty as she bites her lip.
“Lena, I have to do this. You haven’t been here the last few years, you don’t understand.
The years of torture and bullying. The taunting and ridicule.
If this goes well tonight, it all stops.
This is my senior year, my last chance to make a good impression, and I have finally been invited to a party.
A real party that is going to have drinking and boys that aren’t in theater or band with me.
It’s a chance for me to be normal, Lena.
For one night I can finally just let loose and be normal like everyone else. Can’t you see that?”
There is pleading in my tone, but I don’t care.
If anyone, Lena should understand better than most what this means to me.
I’ve been teased and bullied for most of my childhood and teen years in one form or another.
For being my dad’s shadow in the hockey rink, for my unrequited love for Lena’s older brother, for my appearance and my audacity to dream of a bigger life for myself on the stage in spite of my size, and how it apparently offends most of my classmates.
Hell, I have gone out of my way to try and lose weight over the last two years. Literally broken myself apart and rebuilt my image painstakingly piece by piece, but no one has noticed or cared. Until now.
“Yeah, but Frankie? Really ?” Her tone is dripping with condescension and I pick up the phone to glare at her.
“Can’t you just be happy for me, Lena? For once?”
“But Frankie and Benny used to tease you mercilessly. For years . Why, of all the people, do you have to go to the party with him ? Besides, isn’t he, like, way too old for you?”
Never mind the fact that Frankie is the same age as her brother, whom Lena knows I have pined over since we were kids. Honestly, in the scheme of things, three years really isn’t that much older, right?
“He’s the same age as Callum.” My tone is sharper than I intend, and she grimaces.
“Yeah, but Sutty, he’s twenty . This is a college party. Are you sure this is a good idea? I just worry about you. College guys. . . well, they aren’t like high school boys.”
Oh I know she isn’t trying to comment about my lack of experience. I have dated. She knows I have dated; hell, I’ve even kissed a boy or two.
“Lena, it will be fine. Please just let me have this one night. All I want is one night to let loose and have fun. And for all the issues that Frankie and I had in the past, he has actually been really kind to me the last few weeks since we reconnected. I honestly think it helped that Benny went off to a different school out of state or whatever. I think that he’s grown up a lot and he is definitely not the same as he used to be.
We were all really young when they used to tease me.
They totally backed off after Cal laid into them, anyway.
And besides, we’re not kids anymore, right?
People can change. If I can give him a chance, so can you. ”
Lena’s lips purse in an obvious attempt to bite back her frustration.
I mean, yeah, sure, Frankie and Benny used to give me hell.
More so than I would like to admit. But if I limit my dating selections to only the people who never made fun of me, I don’t think I’d be able to date a single guy in our school.
I guarantee that every single one of them has teased me at one point or another in this illustrious small town, and I meant what I said, I really think Frankie has grown up a lot.
I mean, people can change, right? You see it in rom-coms all the time.
The bad reformed bad boy who gets the girl in the end. It’s popular for a reason.
Lena goes to speak, but I cut her off before she can spew any more negativity in my direction.
“If I’m willing to give him another chance, I don’t see why you aren't willing to do the same.” I soften my tone, giving my best friend the puppy dog eyes I know she can’t resist. “Please, Len. Just be happy for me okay? Just let me have this. All I want is just one night of being a normal high school girl.”
I can almost feel the weight of her eye roll before she shoots me a sheepish grin.
“Alright, alright already. I get it. Go and have your fun. But text me when you get there okay? And don’t do anything stupid.”
“Oh, so you mean don’t do anything that you would do?”
That gets a real smile out of her this time, and she shakes her head at me.
“Yes, mom . I promise I will stick to my curfew and I won’t do anything too risky or embarrassing. Now tell me, what do you think of this outfit?”
Shifting my phone, I point it to face my reflection in the mirror that hangs on the back of my bathroom door.
Nervously, I readjust the strap of my purse that hangs loosely from my shoulder, before glancing up at my date.
Frankie is taller than I remember him being, but just as burly as ever.
His presence fills the space as we walk through the door of the crowded frat house.
Music is blaring on the speakers somewhere in the back, and I’m surprised to see so many of my classmates mingling in the crowd.
When Frankie told me about the party, I assumed it would mostly just be people from the college across town.
Instead, it feels like half of my graduating class is here tonight.
Well, at least the popular kids are here, anyway.
I startle at the feel of Frankie’s hand on my waist. His lips brush against my ear as he yells over the music. “Let’s go get a drink.”
Before I have a chance to nod in agreement, he squeezes my side before pushing me forward into the crowd.