just pretend

.27

"We have a trip booked the week after your birthday," mom says when she enters my room.

"With the Medero's?"

"Yes. And no Leo. It's gonna be so nice and warm."

"Why no Leo?"

"Well, Hannalore was telling me he actually wants too. Which was a huge shock. But they told him he can't go unless he doesn't do a whole bunch of things, I don't know they gave him a list. So yeah there's no way he's going."

I frown.

"Anyway. Breakfast is made. Mila came by already to take care of the horses so you don't have to worry about that. I'm off to work," mom says. "Do not be late for school."

"I won't," I say.

She nods her head and leaves my room. A bit later I can hear her engine from her car in the driveway.

I put on my uniform and go downstairs to eat breakfast. Keanu calls me and we chat about boring things. Just school and whatever gossip.

"Apparently Julian and Talia hooked up at the halloween party last week."

"Who told you that?"

"Julia!"

She mutters I'm talking but I don't pay attention. I just mindlessly think and realize Julia is a mix of the names Julian and Talia.

"I'm going to ask her today. Oh my god. Like imagine if that really did happen? Could you imagine Talia with Julian. Next it'd just be Aleks and Julia."

I put my dishes away and head to the door. "Aleks is with Liv."

"Who?"

"Olivia. Leo's friend."

"Oh. The blonde girl that's right. Ugh I don't like her. She'll cheat on him in no time and they'll be done."

I walk out to my car.

"I don't know," I say as I hook my phone up to my car. "Aleks has never really been a sappy kind of guy but he really seems to like her."

"He's a fuck boy and she's a slut, it won't last. They're attractive people dating because they're attractive." I flinch at her choice of words.

"Arguably that's what we were when we started dating."

"Yes but we weren't raised downtown. We have our futures set out. She's a gold digger."

Sometimes I get so exhausted hearing my mom judge others then going to talk to Keanu only to listen to more of it.

"Anyway, your parents tell you about the trip?"

"Yeah. Leo was complaining all night for not going. I'm so surprised. Why the hell does he want to go so bad? It's just Miami, nothing exciting. Bedsides, he hates us all."

"Doesn't he have a list of things he has to do?"

"Yeah but he's not going to. I was already shocked to hear he wanted to come but there's no way in hell he's going to be a good child for a few months just to go."

I sigh. A week in Miami with Leo would be the best. He'd find a way to sneak out just to go swim in the ocean.

A week with Keanu is a week of complaining, talking about drama, her flirting and her talking about celeb news.

Keanu and I chat the whole rest of the way till I pick her up and we drive to school. I didn't save enough time to hangout with friends so I go straight to class.

For once I really don't pay attention. I keep getting distracted imagining Leo coming on the trip. It's still months away though.

I'll be eighteen. I'll be an adult.