Part Of The Crowd // Luke Hemmings

.12

Chapter 12

The day after that incredibly stupid stunt I pulled with Dylan, I woke up the with a terrible hangover and some kind of disability to look Dylan in the eye. I decided to spend that entire day talking to my dad at the graveyard, only coming home when I was too hungry to stay there any longer. Lynn noticed how distant I was. It took 3 days of coaxing from her for me to finally tell her what happened and another week for me to finally gather up the courage to speak to Dylan. He acts as if nothing happened that night, but he looks at me differently now. What used to be long stares of admiration has turned into guarded glances. He still likes me, as seems to be the case whenever he offers to drive out to buy me breakfast or sleeps late to help me out with an assignment. But I think now, he realized what a bitch I actually am, and I hate it. 

Right now it's October 31st, Halloween night. Due to the tight budgets of all the college students living in this very apartment, we've decided, for the second year in a row, not to decorate the apartment at all. In fact, they have decided to ditch this apartment completely and go to another frat party.

"Do you really have to go to a party tonight?" I asked, sounding sulky even though I tried my best not to.

"This one is special," April said, "It's specially for Halloween."

So, they've all gone and left me alone here to answer the door and give candy out to annoying children. One boy with fake fangs asked me what my costume was. I simply looked down at my t-shirt and shorts and told him I was dressed as his mom. I don't know what made me say it, but seeing him run away with tears in his eyes made me switch off the living room lights and pretend that I wasn't home. God, why am I such a bitch?

My phone lights up with a phone call from my brother, and although I hate that star wars nerd with every cell of my body, I can't help the smile that comes on my face. Finally, someone who actually cares.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" He yells into my ear. I laugh, despite my protesting eardrums, and glance at the clock on my beside table. 

"It's not even my birthday, yet," I say, "It's only 11:50 here. You're 10 minutes early."

"Damn it," He says, "Of all the things to be early for, it had to be this."

He passes my phone over to my mom, who tells me how much she misses me and gives me a long, impromptu speech about how much she loves me. I tear up at the end of the speech when she tells me how proud my dad would have been. It's my fourth birthday without him and my second birthday away from home. I miss my family. At least they care more than my fucking housemates. Some special Halloween party it must be since it's so much better than seeing their lifelong friend turn 19. 

"Your term break is in three more weeks right?" My brother asks, grabbing the phone from my mom.

"Yeah."

"Are you coming home?"

I pause for a moment. I honestly have no idea. Obviously, I want to go to LA. But Luke hasn't called me since he left about two months ago. I'm starting to think he forgot about me. Scratch that. I know that he forgot about me. 

"Yes," I say, conflicted by my answer. I check the clock to see that it's already 11:59pm. "I gotta go, guys. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"

Both she and my brother say their quick goodbyes and I finally end the call. The clock turns to 12:00am, and I glance at the door. My friends aren't home yet. So much for being best friends. 

I reach for the purple candle on my bedside table, the one Lynn bought me one day when I was sick and she felt bad for me. I haven't lighted it in 3 years, but I do now. The smell of sea salt fills my room. "Happy 19th Birthday, Scarlett," I tell myself, since no one besides my family bothers enough to tell it to me, and blow out the candle.