Paper Flowers (Pretty Plastic People) ★

011. Sisters Before Misters

A/N: I known I've shown some of these characters before, but I thought it would be easier to allow you to picture them all at once so...here they are!  

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011. Sisters Before Misters

At Aquino High, memories do more than just stick—they haunt you for the rest of your life.

The next day is Saturday, and I'm relieved because I wake up bleary-eyed and exhausted. Even though I left the party relatively early, helping Allison and getting her settled for the night wore me out. Thinking about anything that happened at the party only makes me more tired, so I try to put my mind on something else as I get dressed.

After I pull on jeans and a sweater, I text Cassidy and Brynn to see if they're up for lunch. Cassidy replies immediately with a yes, but Brynn doesn't answer until I'm downstairs unlocking the front door.

Sure, she types, and that one-word reply in addition to her cold attitude the previous night makes me wonder if there's anything wrong.

I drive about ten minutes to the café that neighbors Aquino High. Usually there's a decent crowd of high school students there after school or even throughout the rest of the day, but when I step inside it's practically empty. I assume everyone is still sleeping off the events of the previous night.

Thinking about the party sends my brain into a spiral of memories. The two most poignant are Taylor's hand on my cheek and Spencer's eyes as he left me in the car with Allison. They're both battling for attention, flashing one after the other in my mind's eye until the effect is dizzying. I squeeze my eyes shut tightly, but that only strengthens the images.

"Erika!"

My eyes snap open and I see Cassidy in front of me, her arms extended for a hug. I stand and let her plant a kiss on my cheek as she says, "We have so much to talk about! You have no idea. Last night was so crazy!" When I don't reply immediately, she asks, "You didn't leave too early, did you? I didn't see you anywhere."

She sits down across from me and I begin fiddling with the silverware on her place setting. "I was with Taylor most of the time," I admit. "We were on the porch talking."

"Just talking, right? Still, no wonder Brynn's angry."

"Brynn's angry?" I ask. I question how she could have even seen me with him. The party was dark and loud, and unless she was actively looking for us she would have never stumbled across us on the porch.

Cassidy shrugs, but at that moment the café door opens at Brynn steps inside. Unlike Cassidy and me, she looks well-rested, but her usually bright and cheerful face has a shadow cast over it.

"I'm going to get coffee and lunch," Cassidy says, standing. "Maybe you guys should talk this out. Want me to get you anything?"

I hand her two tens. "Order whatever."

I'm watching Cassidy approach the barista when Brynn reaches the table. She stands behind her chair for a few seconds, studying me, before she sits down.

"Hey," I say. "You look good today."

I mean it sincerely, but she frowns as if I'm only sucking up to her. "You look tired. Did you party too much last night?"

"I barely partied at all, actually," I say. "I was stuck playing babysitter for Allison. I had to take her home early and she was so drunk I had to get her water and put her in the shower and make sure my dad didn't hear her clunking around upstairs."