Heart on my Sleeve ✓

Willie was your typical rich kid who came from old money. He enjoyed learning things; sciences, languages, history. But the thing he loved most was music. He enjoyed playing the drums, guitar, violin, piano, and his personal favorite, the clarinet. He enjoyed learning about his favorite composers, Bach, Chopin, Spohr, and the theory of music. He also enjoyed writing music, but that wasn't something he proudly shared with others. He enjoyed listening to music of all kinds, especially singer/songwriters like Ed Sheeran and John Mayer. But he was just like every other child who came from a home with a lot of money that had been in the family for generations. At least that's what he told himself whenever he was invited to a party, and he would sit in the corner by a plant, hiding. He was just like all the other kids who were drinking and dancing the night away, grinding up on somebody they barely knew. While he was stuck seated firmly on a stool by the half-dying plant, send half-waves to drunk friends and sipping on the now lukewarm beer that was handed to him when he first got here at 10 like he was supposed to. He, Wilfred Aldridge, was just like everybody else.

Another Friday night always meant another party. Luckily for Willie, it was a birthday party, which meant they not only started later, but there was also food. Typically, this was catered food, the best of the best, shrimp rolls and artichoke dip, and little chocolate desserts that he could never correctly pronounce. He parked his car down the street and grabbed the gift he felt obliged to bring. Willie knew that if he parked his car farther down, it would take him a while to walk up to the house, and hopefully, he wouldn't be too on-time. His need for being exactly on-time was a hard thing to just ignore. Checking the old, worn-out brown strap on his wrist, he smiled to himself. It read 11:31. He wasn't on-time. Trying to ignore the unease in his stomach, he slowly made his way to the large house. He could hear the music and was thankful because it meant he wasn't the first one to arrive. Willie approached the front door. He rechecked his watch, 11:35, right on time.

He rings the bell, smiling as the loud chimes overpower the thumping bass of the music. A somber man in a suit opens the door.

"Good evening, sir. I am Willie, here for Rosalind's birthday party." He smiles, straightening his back like his father always told him to.

The man looks unamused as he steps out of the way, allowing Willie to enter.

"Where should I place the gift?" Willie looks around, playing with the string of the bow on the wrapped gift.

The man sighs, rolling his eyes. He dashes towards the back of the house without another word. Willie follows, looking around him, trying to memorize the path, so he doesn't get lost trying to find his way back. He looks back up at the man to find he is gone. He stops, scanning the hallway and seeing no one. Willie sighs, looking at his watch 11:37. At least another hour before it would be socially acceptable for him to leave. Wandering back to the front door, his grip on the gift tightens, causing a rip to sound. Willie looks down, scared of what he might find. A giant tear causes a rift between the green stripes and the gift underneath to show.

"Well, there's no use giving her a gift with ripped wrapping paper," he rips the rest of the paper off and grabs the hardcover, "Might as well." Willie walks into the crowded living room, tossing the wrapping paper into a nearby pile of trash. He tries to stay on the edges of the crowd, careful not to get too close.

"Hey Wilfred, my man, you made it!" a voice thumps him on the back, causing him to almost drop the book.

"It's Willie." he turns around to see who it was, "Man."

The voice belonged to his long-time neighbor, Jason. "Aww, lighten up!" He hands him the drink from his hand, "Listen, they got some great punch here, has a great fizz and kick to it if you know what I mean." Jason laughs at his joke, leaning into Willie and causing them both to almost tip over.