Hidden Heart of Mine

Chapter 7

The buzzing of my phone pulled me out of a dream where Blaire and I were at the park swinging on the swing set and singing stupid, but catchy songs. Okay, well that was a strange dream. I got ready leisurely today. My calm mood from last night apparently carried over to today. Despite my sluggish movements, I managed to get ready and go downstairs before my mother even called me for breakfast. I sat at the table and took out my phone as I waited for her to serve me the oatmeal she was making on the electric stove. I casually loaded my text messages and clicked random buttons, just wasting time until my mother lightly placed the bowl in front of me. It still had steam coming from it. She put the pot she had been using in the sink and then left the kitchen, giving me time to eat and her time to drink her coffee on the couch with a newspaper. I ate slowly, careful not to burn my tongue. I hated when that happens. I'd feel it for the next 3 days. I watched the time on the stove's clock as I ate. It was moving so slowly. Well you know what they say, a watched pot doesn't boil. You're right, that had absolutely nothing to do with what I was talking about. My train of thought has a faulty track. 

"Mom! I'm done!" Wow, I sure boss her around a lot. Like my sister she's not a morning person, but after she has her coffee, she's pretty much set. Melodie, on the other hand, stays that way for the rest of the day. I piled into the car and sat silently in the car as my mother started it. Today I decided to see what was going on in radioland and started surfing stations. By the time I found a station that was playing actual music instead of dumb commercials, we were already stopped in front of my school. My mother smirked at me mockingly as she had realized my bad timing. 

"Have a good day."

"Yeah, yeah. You too." I said emotionlessly as I rolled my eyes dramatically. I heard my mother laugh as I shut the door and walked away. When I got to our usual meeting place (which, you should know by now, is the awning) I noticed that Laurelai wasn't there. I worried for a few seconds before Blaire greeted my and pulled me into this long flow of never-ending conversation including Kami and Belle. Why is it that I'm friends with so many (talkative) girls? Everyone was really excited about something. Blaire was searching for something in her backpack. 

"Aha! Here it is!" she exclaimed as she pulled out a red card and what appeared to be a very large bag of heart-shaped chocolate. Oh no. It isn't... "Happy Valentine's Day!" she said happily as she held out the card and a piece of chocolate to me. How did I not remember that it was Valentine's day? She began passing the candy out to the rest of our friends gathered under the awning. I was afraid to read the card in front of her, so I slipped it into my backpack without inconspicuously. I should've gotten Laurelai something! Oh no! I felt so stupid. I realized that Blaire was finished passing out the candy and was now watching me. I should've brought her something too! Might as well tell her the truth so that I don't hurt her feelings. 

"Oh my gosh. I completely forgot it was Valentine's Day!" Blaire's eyes lightened and she laughed as she rolled her eyes. 

"Of course you did. Boys never pay attention to that kind of stuff." 

"Guilty as charged." I raised one hand in surrender. Kami walked up to us and handed me a heart-shaped lollipop. 

"Happy Valentine's Day!"

"Same to you Kami!"

"How are you feeling?" Has this become her only thing to ever ask me?

"I'm...fine. Why?"

"I know it sucks being single on Valentine's Day."

"You're telling me." I laughed. 

"Most of us are single anyway. We're used to it" Blaire added helpfully, but she was looking at the ground instead of at anyone. I noted a mass of heart shaped balloons bobbing towards us, but I assumed that it was just some popular girl. Instead I realized that it was Laurelai. "I said most of us, right?" Blaire added as she saw Laurelai.