Aurora (#1)

t w e n t y

"What's up old man?" I said as I slipped into our regular booth with a coffee in my hand.

"Who you calling old man, squirt?" Donny chuckled, the skin beside his eye crinkling.

"You. I don't see any other old men here." I looked around the empty diner dramatically.

"You're in good spirits today." He commented.

"I guess. That's what lack of sleep and a panic attack does to you. It messes with your emotions." I said.

"You had another panic attack!" he cried.

"Relax Donny. It wasn't a big one. Someone helped me." I told him before launching into my story of the events that occurred that day.

"Do you want to go to the party?" Donny asked.

"No! Besides I have a date with you. I'm not going to bail on you." I giggled.

"You're a good kid." He ruffled my hair. "So any plans for tonight or are you going to try and sleep?"

"No I have a few assignments to finish off so I won't be sleeping tonight." I sighed. As much as my body needed to rest I was just as afraid of closing my eyes. I was also running out of medicine which meant a quarter of my money was spent on buying a new inhaler.

I refused to let Donny pay for me and he had soon learned to accept that so instead, every Saturday morning he'd drop by and help me do my laundry.

"Take care squirt. I'll see you back here same time tomorrow?" he asked.

"I'll be there." I winked.

"I hope you won't." He sighed.

"I'll text you if I'm coming." I compromised.

"Fine." He kissed my temple before getting into his cruiser.

"Go catch some baddies." I winked, waving as he drove off.

I got home and started my most urgent assignments. With my all-nighters I didn't have many pending assignments and none were ever late.

The next few days the routine was the same but on Thursday I slept restlessly through the night, catching only a few hours of sleep. My body was too exhausted that I collapsed on to my bed, once I returned from work, without changing my clothes.

Friday came and the whole school was thrumming with excitement. Those who weren't going to the ball were going to the party or vice versa but almost all were about to faint from happiness.

I was also excitement for the weekend, for a different reason. I was texting Donny when I bumped into Christian.

"Who you texting?" he asked

"No one." I replied, stuffing my derelict phone into my blazer pocket.

"Whatever." He shrugged and walked off. I frowned before making my way to my locker.

After homeroom I went to history, my first lesson of the day. I waited on my partner to tell him our grade on the project but he never showed. I sighed, knowing he was probably off getting high behind the sports shed.

"You're going to look amazing Felicity." I said as she showed my a picture of her dress on her phone.

"Yeah, that dress is amazing. I'm so jealous." Jess agreed.

"Why? You're wearing Dior, what's not to like?" Felicity said.

"Mine looks so bland compare to yours. Yours is Versace!" Jess cried. Jess' dress also looked amazing and I had to admit I was a little jealous that they were going. But I had already accepted that wouldn't fit in their circles so I just expressed my happiness for them.