8
‘so american’
— Olivia Rodrigo
Scott
The next day, I show up to class on time, and Lara isn’t here yet, which is very abnormal. I sit down in our usual spot, drumming my fingers on the wooden desk.
“Can I sit here?” A red-haired girl asks, fidgeting with her fingers, looking very nervous. She’s wearing very heavy makeup, and her hair is curled nicely. She’s even more dressed up than Lara usually is. She’s pretty, but I still shake my head no.
“My friend is sitting here.” She sighs softly then walks away to sit in the back.
“Look who’s popular with the ladies.” My gaze snaps up to look at Lara. She sets her backpack down on the floor, sliding into the seat next to me.
“It’s always been like this, Butterfly.” I shrug.
“Oh yeah, right. Remember when you had a mullet?” I grimace at the memory because yes, yes, I do. Middle school was a time. I thought I was the hottest shit on the block, but now I gag when I look back on the pictures because I was indeed not.
“That was a long time ago.” I huff, I take out my workbook that I actually remembered to bring today.
I write the date in my notebook, December 16th. Winter break starts this weekend, I am so pumped. I can’t wait to sleep in every single day. I look down at Lara’s pink knit sweater. She looks adorable today, just like always.
“Aren’t you cold?” It’s about 45 degrees out by now; it was 30 this morning. It usually warms up by now.
“No, I can handle the cold, Scotty. But nice to see you care,” she teases. I roll my eyes. I would love to see her in my hoodie sometime. She would look so small, considering I have a foot on her. My height comes from my mom, who is way taller than my dad.
“I don’t care,” I reply casually.
“Sure you don’t,” she shrugs. God, it’s like we swapped roles today. Usually, I’m the one who always teases her.
“Isaac is coming to dinner today.” She tells me like I don’t already know.
“I wish he wasn’t,” I grumble, not wanting to talk about him anymore; he’s a fucking dork.
“Why do you hate him so much? You two were best friends as kids.” She has no idea what he has done, and it’s too much. I don’t want to hurt her impression of him, considering she’s liked him forever, but I still really want to tell her.
“You wouldn’t understand.” I know she wouldn’t. I doubt she would even believe me. “I have reasons.”
“What reasons?” Lara asks, I look at her face, her makeup always looking so smooth, she doesn’t need it though. She’s pretty without it.
“It’s not important,” I tell her.
“Get to work, you two.” Mrs. Maggie says.
I nod, then I’m quiet for the rest of the period.
I can tell Lara wants to talk more about the subject, but it’s really not my place to tell her.
I just can’t believe he’d move back in with his mom after what he did.
I can’t face him today; it's going to be too much. Especially seeing him laugh with Lara.
**
I set my tray down on the table with a loud clatter. I plop down on the seat, taking a bite of my sandwich. Axel is here, finally.
“Axel!” I give him a fistbump. He gives a half smile to me but quickly masks it. Whoever hurt him has got him down.
“Hey,” he says, his one-word response telling me he doesn’t want to talk.
“He’s still grumpy,” Ashton says, taking a huge bite of his sandwich. Axel kicks his shin underneath the table, making Ashton choke on his sandwich. He pounds on his chest like a gorilla until his airway is clear.
“Shut it Ashton.” Axel glares at him.
“See, grumpy. Beware.” Ashton says, taking a big sip of his juice box, trying to clear his throat.
“Whatever,” Axel grumbles.
“Jack off, Jackie got arrested.” Danny abruptly says. “I think we should celebrate. I say let's go to Sally’s.” Danny pops a tater tot in his mouth, chewing very aggressively. I love my friends, but they eat (and act) like animals sometimes.
“I can’t, I’m going to dinner at Lara’s.”
Ashton lets out a low whistle.
“Already meeting the parents?” he says, giving me a teasing smile.
“I’ve known her parents since I was born, asshole.”
“Our baby boy is all grown up.” Ashton shakes his head, wiping away a fake tear. I'm not amused.
“I’m older than you by 5 months.” I shoot back, and Danny bursts out laughing.
“It’s seriously not that funny.” I pinch the bridge of my nose, sighing. I look over where Lara usually sits, but the table is just Emma and Landon.
“I’m going to the library,” I tell them. Standing up, taking my tray with me.
“Are you throwing that away?” Ashton asks, and I nod. “Can I please have your tater tots?” He gives me a pleading look. I take a handful of tater tots and toss them on his tray.
“I could kiss you right now,” Ashton says, eating a big handful of tater tots. I grimace as I watch him eat.
“I’d rather not.”
**
I walk into the library, the room is silent except for the sound of keyboards clacking and pages turning. I spot Lara, quietly eating a yogurt cup while reading from a book.
I sit down right across from her, she doesn’t notice at first, but when she does, she rolls her eyes.
“What are you doing here?” she whispers to me harshly.
“I’m bored,” I tell her, propping my head up with a fist.
“Go be bored elsewhere,” she shoos me away, but I stay. I want to spend time with her. I don’t know why I’ve been so attached to her recently.
“No,” I whisper. The air conditioner is hitting us, the soft breeze making me have goosebumps.
“What are you reading?” I ask her, tilting the book back to get a look at the words. She snatches the book back to me.
“Don’t touch my things.” She tells me, giving me a hard stare. I read the cover, Lies Between Us.
“What is it about?” I ask her.
“It’s about a girl going undercover to an island, to try and figure out more about her sister's death,” She clears her throat. “Until she falls in love with the billionaire whose house she’s staying at.”
“Did he kill her sister?” I ask, curiously.
“I don’t know yet. I’m not that far.”
“How about you put the book down and talk to me.” I grin widely. She closes her book and looks me in the eyes.
“You look nice,” I say.
“Thanks?” she says, confused. She adjusts her hair, tucking two pieces behind her ear.
“You were staring at me a lot in class. Is there something you wanted to say?” I ask, giving her a teasing grin.
“I wanted to tell you there's lettuce in your teeth, but we weren’t allowed to talk,” she snaps at me. “Sorry.”
“Jerk.” The bell rings. “Tell me how that book ends. I'm intrigued.” Then I head back to class.
5 years later
‘The Alcott’
— The National, Taylor Swift
Lara
“I am so excited,” Aurora says in our Uber to the ball.
The dress code was black and white; men wear black, women wear white.
I’m wearing a white ball gown that I bought at a bridal shop.
Aurora is wearing her thrifted an old wedding dress.
My palms are sweaty inside my gloves. No amount of makeup, hairspray, or expensive fabric can hide the fact that I’m terrified—horrified.
Five years later, and the thought of seeing Scott Delgado still has my heart acting like it’s seventeen again, the young, naive teenager who believed Scott and I could be something.
“Me too,” I tell her, we get out of the Uber and head straight into the magnificent building.
Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling, casting soft golden light across the marble floor.
Women in white gowns drift through the room like ghosts, while men in black suits blend into the shadows of the ballroom.
I pull a mask over my face as we walk inside.
My eyes immediately search for Scott. It’s instinct at this point.
Five years can change a lot of things, but apparently not me.
I don’t see him immediately, Aurora drags me over to a table to get champagne.
I take a small sip, letting the substance soak on my tongue.
“Hey,” a deep voice from behind me says, making me jump.
I turn around to see Scott wearing a black suit, his curly hair combed back.
He looks amazing, like straight out of a magazine.
“You look beautiful.” His eyes fall to my neck, where I’m wearing my butterfly necklace.
My white dress is strapless, with gold details swirling around the dress.
I clutch the necklace, trying to hide it from him.
“You still wear it?” His voice is quiet, like he’s afraid of the answer.
“I’m going to go find a date,” Aurora says awkwardly before she walks off. I turn my attention back to Scott. I could tell it was him from a mile away, even with his black masquerade mask.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” I tell him, and the corner of his mouth lifts into a smirk.
“Right. You just happened to keep it?” He teases, I smile, he’s messing with me just like old times.
“Relax, it’s a Butterfly, not a shrine to you.”
“But you're my butterfly.”
“I was.” I correct. I watch his smile fall into a gloomy expression, because it reminds him of 5 years ago, how he was my everything, and now he’s my nothing. For a second, neither of us says anything. The music from the orchestra flows throughout the room, as does the chatter from the other guests.
Scott clears his throat, glancing down at the champagne in my hand. “You still hate champagne?”
I shrug, taking another sip even though the bubbles sting the back of my throat. “People change.”
“Yeah. I noticed.” His eyes flick back up to mine.
“Don’t start.” I roll my eyes.
“Start what?”
“Whatever dramatic speech you’ve been rehearsing in your head for the last five years.” He lets out a quiet laugh.
“You really think I rehearsed something?”
“I mean, you’re Scott Delgado, pro basketball player, ‘best’ charmer.” I wave my hands in sarcastic applause.
“You’re Lara Mae, best-selling author.” He mimics my movement. “But seriously, I’m proud of you.”
“If you were proud of me, you would’ve called to congratulate me.”
His smile disappears once again.
For the first time tonight, Scott doesn’t have anything to say.
“I waited for one, you know?”
“For what?”
“A call. A text. Anything.” I say.
He’s silent again, just staring at me.
“Why did you leave?”
“Can we save this conversation for when we aren’t in public?” he asks.
“I’m never going into private with you again, Scott.” He takes a deep breath.
“Also, I thought you said you don’t want a dramatic speech.”
“Spit it out,” I demand.
“I was scared. The end.”