Paper Hearts [Book I: Homecoming]

s i x

c h a p t e r  s i x

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IT IS SATURDAY, AND TIMOTHY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY IS WHERE I AM HEADED TO. Now, Timothy is not necessarily a good friend of mine and I wasn't considering going but in the end, I did, because of two reasons. First, there would be booze and I needed some to clear my head, and second, Jeremiah was going to be there.

I liked him. I just didn't know if I liked him as a best friend or did I want to be more than friends with him. I loved being around him and now that we were meeting more than ever, I started noticing every stomach flip whenever he kept his hand on my knee or the butterflies that came around whenever he was inches away from me. But I was afraid. Just like every other boy, he wouldn't like me back too. And I would get my heart broken again for the nth time. I wasn't ready for that.

My whole week had been hectic with cheerleading practice, physics sessions with Jeremiah, other subjects that I had to keep track of, and trying not to fight with my mother which was starting to happen on a daily basis now. I kept an eye out for Jeremiah, as I poured vodka in a cup.

I spot Adelaide standing alone so I decide it's the best chance I have to talk to her without anyone knowing. I go up to her and greet her, and she looks relieved to finally have found someone to keep her company. I start off with some pretty basic conversation, and when the time feels right, I slip in the question that I was initially here for, "So...I heard you talking to a girl in the gym a few days ago. You said you'd visit Elise to see how she's doing...did you go?"

Adelaide nods at me, "Oh yeah, she's doing a lot better now. She is going to be back after homecoming week."

Oh.

"Ah, I text her and all, you know, but I just don't get time to visit her...it's been a hectic week for me, cheerleading practice for hours and all." I lie; I don't want anyone to know we are not friends anymore.

I talk to Adelaide for a bit more time until Ginny comes and I have to excuse myself from her. So Elise won't be here for the homecoming week and I don't even what to feel about that news. I definitely don't feel happy because Elise is missing out on her last homecoming high school but I don't feel sad either. All of this stuff with Elise just makes me depressed. She was my best friend and I thought she'd take a bullet for me, just like I'd take one for her. But I was wrong.

The girl for the hour, Timothy, comes in a pathetic pink dress and all of us wish her a very happy birthday. Whilst Timothy is bathing in all the attention she is getting, I look at everyone. Ginny is now talking to Sawyer, her eyes trained on the door. I also see Alexis talking to Aiden – she's smiling and blushing a lot. I watch Wesley as he talks to Sharon, a junior. He looks quite cozy with her. But Wesley Jameson doesn't see Harper Annenberg get out of the room as soon as she sees them both. Harper walks out the main door and I go after her. On my way, I clash into Tobias and I smile at him. He gives me a small smile back and leaves to join his friends at the table.

I make my way outside the house and I see Harper sitting alone on the porch.

I can see Harper really made an effort to look pretty today. Her dark brown hair is curled, neatly resting on her shoulders and she's even put on makeup, something she doesn't do very often. Her black dress compliments her perfectly but this sudden interest in looking pretty is not for Timothy, obviously.

"Harper." I look at her, expecting to break down in front of me and tell me that she did all this for Wesley, but it hurt her to look at him with Sharon.

But she doesn't. Instead she smiles at me, like nothing is wrong with her – like she isn't hurt.

When she says nothing, I continue, "I know you saw Wesley and Sharon."