10
‘Heavy’
— The Marias
Scott
I wake up in Lara’s arms, my head pounding like crazy, and barely any memory of last night. My mom’s pregnant, though, so I’m going to have a sibling. God, I am not ready for this. I'd rather my parents announce their divorce.
It’s not that I’m against having a sibling; it’s the fact that I won’t be there when it’s time for my mom to take them home after they are born.
I’ll be in college. Maybe it’s best if they have someone new to take care of while I’m gone, but it’s not easy on me.
The point is, they never told me about it until we were in front of an audience. It’s not fair.
Lara is still asleep. I stare at her face for a few moments, taking in every freckle and her long eyelashes.
Her pretty blonde hair is fanned out over the pillow, making her look delicate like a swan.
I keep watching Lara sleep, even though part of me knows it is creepy.
I count every freckle scattered across her nose just to keep my mind busy.
I check the clock. It is 8 a.m. Maybe I should leave.
Do her parents even know I am here? If I move, I will wake her up.
We need to go to school. I brush the hair out of her eyes lightly and press a soft kiss to her forehead. My lips barely touch her skin, but it still sends a weird feeling through my chest.
“Lara?” I whisper, but she doesn’t stir. “I think I don’t hate you anymore,” I say, knowing I’m talking to myself. I don’t hate her anymore. My friends were so right, I’m so fucked. She starts to move, and then her eyes flutter open. She groans, stretching out like a cat, her eyes fluttering open.
“Good morning, Butterfly,” I say. She rolls her eyes even though she looks exhausted. She turns over and checks the time.
“I’m late,” she says, sitting up fast. She is still wearing her dress from yesterday, her hair messed up from sleeping.
“You don't have to go today. Let’s hang out,” I say. She stares at me like I just said something insane.
“Hang out? As in you and me getting along?” She blinks slowly, then again, then she bursts out laughing. When she notices I am not laughing, she stops.
“Oh, you’re serious.” I nod. She gets out of bed and looks at herself in the mirror with a sigh.
“Your parents left for work already,” I tell her.
She starts rummaging through her closet.
I just realized I’m not wearing a shirt.
Lara glances at me while I sit on her bed watching her.
Her eyes trail over my skin for a second before she quickly looks away and continues searching for clothes.
I watch her pull out a grey sweatshirt and some jeans. Then she turns around and stares at me like she is waiting for something.
“What?” I ask, confused.
“Are you going to leave and let me change or what?” Oh.
I stand up and pause for a second. “What if I don’t want to leave?” I tease.
Her face turns red, and she pushes me out of the room.
She closes the door, and I just stand there in the hallway.
I look around at the pictures on the walls.
I have only been in this hallway a few times.
There are photos of her and her family, school pictures, and vacations.
Stuff I never paid attention to before. Lara walks out of her room a minute later.
She looks beautiful even with a messy bun and a sweatshirt.
She almost always dresses up for school.
It is weird seeing her casual like this.
Maybe she isn’t trying to impress me, or maybe she just doesn’t care.
“You should go home and change,” she says, giving my outfit a nasty look.
“You probably still have my sweatpants and sweatshirt here,” I say. “The ones from last year.”
“Oh yeah.” I follow her back into her room.
She opens her closet and takes out my nicely folded sweats. She actually kept them. In her closet.
I finish getting changed and then follow her downstairs. I wonder what the day will look like coming forward.
5 years later
‘Foolish One’
— Taylor Swift
Lara
“I love your books!” A fan with bright blonde hair says, it’s dyed platinum. She has hazel eyes and is wearing a bright pink T-shirt with my book cover printed on it. I sign her poster, then slide it back to her across the fold-up table they brought me.
“Thank you. It means a lot to know everyone loves my books.”
“I heard you're writing a new one!” It’s Hallowseve, and everywhere is decorated. I'm planning on releasing my romance novel in winter. I haven’t come up with an ending yet, maybe because Scott and I still don’t have our happy ending.
“The ideas about it are all over online. What is it about?”
“It’s a winter romance about two childhood frenemies. That’s all I’m going to say.” Scott was my ‘enemy’ for the longest time until we realized how well we clicked together. I don’t think he was ever my enemy until what he did to me. He is now my true enemy, and he keeps digging the hole deeper.
“I’m so excited!” she says cheerfully, then walks away.
Danny: Heard about what happened. Scott needs to make up his mind.
I read the text, while exiting the book signing, I signed 68 copies. Thank you. I reply, Scott does need to make up his mind. He only wants to be friends, fine with me. (It’s not fine) I’m quite literally going insane. How can we go back to being friends after everything that’s happened?
Scott
“Scott! We have company!” Maggie yells, I groan, my head pounding. It’s not as bad as early this morning. I drank a lot of water to get rid of the pain. Maggie spent the night in my guest bedroom so she could keep an eye on me. Make sure I didn’t do anything stupid.
Danny and Ashton walk through the door, holding grocery bags.
“Why are you guys in New York?” I rub my eyes, trying to make sure I’m not seeing things now.
“Halloween, your mom bought the tickets.” Danny unloads a grocery bag, taking out milk and other things. “Who’s the blue-haired chick? Already moved on, I see.”
“Ahem, I’m a lesbian.” Maggie puts her hands on her hips.
“Cool, I’m gay.” Ashton smiles at her.
“I wouldn't have guessed.” Ashton raises an eyebrow. “I thought you were just a fruity straight,” Lara said the same thing when she found out Ashton was gay.
The same night, I left her standing there in the parking lot, bawling her eyes out. Just because of that one phone call that could’ve changed my whole future.
“It’s Halloween, cheer up, we need to run by Lara’s house though, do you know where that is?” Ashton asks.
I shake my head. “No.”
“I’ll just casually ask,” Danny says, typing on his phone. “Wow, this is just down the street.”
I look up from my phone. “Really?” I ask. Why haven’t I run into her if her apartment is right down the street? I only leave the house for my basketball practice and my games.
“Yeah, Sunset apartment.” Danny puts his phone in his pocket. “It was nice seeing you, Scott.”