Unintended Consequences

Chapter 1

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Two years later - May

So oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh
You need to calm down, you're being too loud
And I'm just like oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh oh-oh
You need to just stop
Like can you just not step on my gown?
YOU NEED TO CALM DOWN

I laughed softly at Brit and Kayla while they screeched out T-Swift at the top of their lungs. Instead of joining in, I just tapped my fingers on my steering wheel to the beat. As I looked in my rear-view mirror I could see my cheeks were flushed pink from unwanted attention.

I pulled out of the Senior's parking lot were many many students lulled around. More than a few heads turned towards my car to check out the loud commotion. I ducked my head slightly in embarrassment but I still smiled at my friends. They were crazy together pretty much on a regular basis, but that's why I loved them. Well, that and the fact that they never forced me to partake in the crazy. They were perfectly content to let me sit back pretending I didn't know them every time they started causing too much of a scene.

A small pang of sadness filled my heart as I drove home. Everything was about to change. High school would be over in a month and then the three of us were parting ways. For four years now I had leant on Brit and Kayla more than I probably should have. Despite all my dreams of flourishing like a butterfly after Sophomore year... it never really happened. I just never felt like I could break out of my shy shell.

    I tried so many times to be outgoing like the two girls singing next to me, but it just wasn't possible. I always ended up overthinking what I was saying or doing, and then I'd make a fool of myself by blurting out something awkward. It became easier to float to the background and let Brit and Kayla take the attention away from me.

I honestly appreciated that they were so accepting of my shyness, but now I was worried that I wouldn't be able to survive without them—at least socially. They were always the buffer to take attention away from the fact that I was an awkward little duckling. Without them, I was sure that I would get branded a wackadoo in college.

"Okay, you both need to calm down before my Dad rips the stereo out my car." That was a threat I got pretty often. It was usually around the lines of... Lotty, I love you, but if I hear that shitty pop blasting in my driveway one more time...

"Yeah yeah... Poppa Avery loves us too much to break our hearts like that," Kayla quipped back. I turned the stereo down anyways as I parked the car and shut it off. Streamers peaked through the window at us as we walked up the driveway towards my family's suburban home. Great Mom is going all out for this dinner tonight.

"Family! I am home!" Brit shouted the second we were through the front door.

"Uhhh uh! Nope! We are not your family... Go home ya moochers," My dad shouted back from his office off the foyer.

My mom's voice drifted from the kitchen, "Don't listen to the grump ladies! You know you're always welcome." It was immediately followed by the clang of metal bowls. As I rounded the corner and saw the mess she had made, my heart sunk a little. She is really going all out for this dinner tonight.

"Mom! I told you not to make a big deal about this!"

"Oh Hunny, I'm not! It's just a few decorations and a little cake for dessert."