The Truth about Heather (gxg)

8 💕

The next morning it rained and it rained non-stop. However, it wasn't an issue at all. On the contrary, the pitter patter of the rain outside the English classroom's window acted as a good background noise to my work.

Abbie came to sit down beside me with a pleasant expression upon her face.

"How are you doing? How's things going with Heather?" she asked me.

"I actually think that there's a chance that the two of us could be friends," I admitted.

I realised that I had been petty before. I didn't want to be petty anymore. As much as I may have wanted to, Drew liking Heather was not a good enough excuse for me to dislike her. I couldn't do it. Perhaps I was too sensitive but I couldn't be that person.

Abbie's eyes glanced over my face for a moment, as though she was making an attempt to read my mind.

"Well, that's a good thing, isn't it? Doesn't it mean that the two of you can be friends now?" Abbie asked me.

I supposed that she probably did have a good point.

Abbie raised one of her toned arms up to rest her head against it for a second. I had known that she had been persevering in the school gym for ages, now. I knew that, a while ago,a guy had made fun of Abbie for having skinny arms. Ever since that day, she had been determined to make him think twice about what he had said. I could admire her level of pettiness. It was just pleasant to know that I wasn't the only one who could be that way.

The teacher soon arrived and gave us a few chapters of The Scarlet Letter to annotate. I managed to keep focused on the text in front of me and made some notes on the main character, Hester Prynne until I felt as though my brain was about to give up.

Luckily for us, the bell soon rang out and Abbie and I made our way out into the hall. Abbie turned to me with a thoughtful expression upon her face. 

"What is it?" I asked her.

"I'm hungry," she said.

"Let's go and get some food then," I replied decisively.

Abbie smiled agreeably and the two of us walked to the cafeteria.

We hadn't been there for long, before I caught sight of Heather at one of the tables. Her eyes locked on mine and she waved me over.

I told Abbie to pick me up a sandwich and I would pay her back.

Once I got to Heather's table, she smiled at me. I smiled back.

"Hey. It's such a rainy day, isn't it? I was going to go for a run around the track field later but I guess that I'm going to have to wait now," Heather said. I could admire the fact that she always seemed to be up to something. She had so many interests and hobbies that it was kind of inspiring.

I looked out the window to observe the silver clouds for a second.

"I like the rain," I said.

"It's nice to find someone that does," Heather asked.

Abbie soon made her way over to the table with two sandwiches. She sat down with us and Heather instantly greeted her.

Of course, Heather knew Abbie. That much should have been obvious. She essentially knew every girl and guy in Redoak school.

"It's good to see the both of you again," Heather said, as a sweet smile appeared upon her face.

"You too, Heather," I replied.

"You're a good friend, Zoe. I know some girls would have been jealous once I started hanging out with Drew but...not you," she said.

Oh, if only she knew. I was trying to move on from it, though. After all, I couldn't allow my heart to hurt forever. My younger brother, Riley, had told me enough times that I needed to move on.

I would be eighteen in several months time. I couldn't waste my energy on worrying about Drew liking another girl. It didn't change the fact that it hurt, though.

"Oh, you know Zoe, she's never jealous," Abbie said. She probably thought that she was helping as I seemed very spaced out but I honestly was concerned that was going to draw Heather's attention to me.

"I admire that," Heather said, as a warmth became evident in her gaze.

I didn't understand why she was so kind to me but I appreciated it regardless. 

"I've always loved fall," Heather said, "It won't be long now until our band gets to play at the autumn dance."

I had almost forgotten about that.

"Who are you going with?" I asked her.

"I'm going as a group with friends. Drew wanted to go with me but I didn't think that would be fair on you guys. You're all important to me and I want to spend the night with all of you," she stated.

"Don't you like Drew, though?" I asked.

Heather's eyebrows crinkled together slightly but before she could begin to answer my question, the bell rang out signalling that it was time for the next lesson.

So, the fact that Heather had been asked out by Drew certainly erased any previous doubts that I may have had that he liked her. It had been strange to me that Heather had turned him down but maybe she had her eyes on someone else. Even if Drew was the most popular boy in school, it didn't instantly make him a chick magnet, even if the slightly arrogant side of him could lead him to believing that he was.

I couldn't help but smile, as we walked back to class. I guessed that the part of me that had cared so much about the Heather and Drew situation was beginning to care a little less. It was a good feeling to have.

We continued to walk on down the hall until we reached our next class and I felt my spirits lifted a little.