The Nameless Boy

4: I could see the stars in his eyes

     I was grounded for two months. I'm not all that mad. I deserved it. My parents didn't know the details of the eventful night, but not answering my phone and spending the night was enough to make them angry.

     I know one thing that I'm never going to do again. Drink.

     I'm not going to lie, I actually had a lot of fun last night. It was a weird type of fun, like being on a roller coaster. I was kind of afraid to go to school on Monday. A lot of people saw a side of me that I never wanted to be shown. For the most part, I had a clean reputation, and that's how I liked it. Hopefully, no one cared enough to notice me or gossip. It might even fade from everyone's mind over the weekend.

     I did my hair and put on a simple outfit; a grey sweater with skinny jeans.

     "Please, mom?" I heard Jamie beg as I walked downstairs.

     "Oh! Your sister can take you!" My mom said.

     "Take her where?"

     "Starbucks."

     "I thought I was grounded. Grounded means I can't leave the house unless it's to school, remember?"

     "Oh, right. We've never really had to ground you before, sweetie. I'm not sure how this works, but there's no harm in you going out with your sister to eat as long as there is no friends." My mom stated. It was true. Overall I was a good kid who never got into trouble. However this past week I felt horrible about myself. We still hadn't discussed college. Every single day I run to the mailbox to check if there's a letter from the college of my dreams.

     "Why can't you take her?" I asked.

     "I have a lot of work to finish up on. Plus, you two could use the sister bonding time." My mother smiled.

     "But-"

     "And please pay, Arabella. I have to save my money to buy groceries later today."

     "Fine. Come on, you little brat." I said to Jamie.

     "No name calling!" My mother yelled as Jamie shut the front door.

    Jamie got into the car and put on her seatbelt. "So what really happened last night that you're not telling mom and dad?"

     "I already told you that I dot want to talk about it."

     "Did you do drugs?" She asked with wide eyes. "What did it feel like?"

     "No! God, no. I would never."

     "Then what?!"

     "I'll tell you another time, okay?"

     "Fine." She crossed her arms. "Be mysterious."

     "One word of advice though; never go to a party hosted by people like Xavier, okay? It's not glamorous in any way. Things go bad."

     "You went to one of his parties?! Everyone says they're crazy! Only the people with siblings of upperclassman get to go from my grade." She sighed.

     "We'll it's not as fun as it seems." I lied. "It can make you do crazy things."

     "Like what?"

     "...like kiss your best friend," I confessed.

     "Wait." She paused.

     "Did you...like..." She raised her eyebrows.

     "I may have kissed Avery, yes."

     "Arabella!" She gushed. "That's so cute!"

     "No, it's not! We're strictly friends. Now things are going to be so awkward."