Senior Year

Chapter Seven

PRETEND
POV: Haven

Monday was different. The girls were talking to me at school and I didn't ignore them. It still wasn't the same, but I tried my bed to be normal. Talk about boys and trends. It all felt like a big facade. My social battery was running out.

The only thing that remained the same was Apollo. We pretended that our conversation in the garden didn't exist. That for a split second we weren't enemies never happened. I wish I could go back to that moment. I never imagined that Apollo and I could relate to something we both hid. I thought that Apollo was perfect. Although I didn't know what he meant by what he said, I could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth.

Even now that I steal quick glances at him, he looks perfect. His hair is messy, but it suits him. It doesn't matter if his hair is sculpted to perfection or roughed up. He makes it work.

"You should come back to dance," Addie says abruptly as we sit around the table eating our lunch.

"I'm not interested," I say suddenly losing my appetite. I haven't been to dance in three months.

After the accident, I got injured. I broke my ankle, arm, and a bad concussion. It took 8 weeks to heal both my ankle and arm, but even after that I could barely walk on it or lift five pounds. I was lucky it was just that. My dad had died on impact. My mom died a few minutes later. My brother had a few scratches and a concussion.

"I think you should reconsider. You were one of the best on the team. We all miss you including Mrs. Moretti." I shrug while Addie wiggles her eyebrows.

Mrs. Moretti is our dance instructor. She's a pain in everyone's ass, but because of that, we were all to the best of our ability. Mrs. Moretti came to the funeral and stopped by my aunt's house a few times. She says we want me to come back, but I tell her I'm done dancing.

"Just come one day, if you don't like it then you don't have to come ever again and I won't ever ask again," Addie says giving me puppy dog eyes.

I debate whether or not it's a good idea. It doesn't seem like the worst idea in the world. I've been getting closer to Addison and maybe it'll be good for me. "Look," I say sighing. "I'll think about it."

The girls erupt in cheers. "Yay, Have," Alexa says squeezing my shoulder. Chloe, Jane, and Tamia all shout hooray. I think they're celebrating too soon.

"I said I'll think about it," I say fiddling with my fingers under the table. I want to be my old self really bad. I'm just not sure that I'll be able to make it happen.

After school is over it's time to attend the thing I've been loathing. Therapy. Mr. Davis emailed me three times to remind me about it. Not that I was able to forget it.

The lady at the front desk smiles at me warmly. "Mr. Bernard is in his office. Just knock," she says pointing down the hallway behind her. I nod before searching the labels outside the door.

I stop outside when the label says, Mr. Bernard. I take a deep breath before knocking. Someone clears their throat before answering. "Come on in," a voice says. I'm welcomed by a smiling man. He's younger than I thought. Possibly in his mid 30's. His hair is black as night and his eyes dark too. Glasses sit on the bridge of his nose. "Welcome, you must be Haven." His teeth are straight and pale white. He stands and sticks his hand out to shake.