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<17>

I pulled awkwardly on the brackets rattling on my wrists as my parents were trying to make conversation.

We were at a family dinner, since we do one every month. It's a way of showing how we matter and we'll always be there for each other. And I like that-  I like my parents.

"So, Heather," my mom smiled as her pink lipstick popped, "how have you been lately?"

My mom was never really home. She had a job that made her travel a lot, and around the world, too. You can't imagine the amount of pictures I get from her in famous places or doing cool things.

I wish I could do those cool things.

"I've been pretty good," I half-lied, "school's been okay and my friends are cool."

My mom nodded sweetly and turned to the waiter behind her to order her food.

"How are your Heathers friends?" My dad asked me.

It took my all my willpower not to shudder. I hated mentioning them, or having to even say their name.

Too bad my name was also carved in there.

"Actually dad, we're not friends anymore."

My dad looked at me weirdly and out down the wine we was drinking. "What? But you loved those girls."

I lied, dad, couldn't you see?

"I dId, but things just changed."

My dad just nodded, and turned to order his food as my mom wrapped up here.

I don't understand why leaving Heathers was so unbelievable. Veronica did it- well actually, nevermind- she was never really in it in the first place. We recommended it for her and shoved her the title. She never actually wore it.

But I wasn't that attached to being a Heather. Yeah, we had the same outfits in different colors, and played crochet together, and carpooled to parties to get wasted together, and made out with the same guys, and-

Yeah maybe they have a point there.

The waiter came up to me with his notepad in hand.

"And what would you like to order?" He asked.

"I'll take a fettuccini alfredo." I replied. He wrote it down before filling up our glasses of water.

"Thank you!" I squeaked as he started to walk away.

I was trying to learn how to be mannered. As a Heather, we didn't care what others thought- we just did it. We never said please, or thank you, or excused ourselves and stopped anything for anyone. There was no limit to how mean we could really be.

"Very nice, Heather." My dad smiled, glad I finally was getting the hang of manners.

"So mom," I continued the conversation, "how has your most recent trip been?"

She seemed to hold back a gasp of excitement as those words left my mouth.

"Great! I went to Colombia and went to one of those Santa Marta beaches for a business meeting, and it was great! Oh, and before that, I was in Venice! Again!"

"Yeah, we knew the Venice part." My dad chuckled.