The Blink of an Eye

Chapter 26

“Just don’t smoke or drink, simple.” He replied dismissively, continuing to walk again. I ran my fingers through my hair, looking around. I can’t be here. I won't be here. I marched furiously back to the van, deciding to just stay in there, and not join. I could hear the loud music basking out from every door and window of the big house. I sat in the van for a long time as it seemed, trying to go to sleep, but couldn’t because of the music, and I couldn’t help but to wonder what Michael may have been doing in that very moment. Grinding on some girl, or whatever.

I closed my eyes, trying to just relax, but I jerked myself back up to sit with my back stiffened, I just couldn’t relax the way I wanted to.

Without thinking, I opened the van car door again and took my first step out of the van, and back onto the quad of the party. Who would party on a Sunday, anyway? On a school night? I’ll tell you, people who don’t go to school anyhow. I cut through the dead looking grass and onto the porch, my hand ready to touch the doorknob, but couldn’t, and just as I was about to open it, Kresten came trotting out. He widened his eyes as he realized it was me.

“Oh, Heather,” He said absentmindedly, shaking his head at times afterwards. He was high.

“Kresten, why is there a party at Vincent’s house?” I questioned, highly curious.

He shrugged as a response, “I couldn’t take it in there. The music is actually too loud for me to handle. And I just couldn’t dance with other girls, that’s all they’re doing in there anyhow.” His face had fallen, probably thinking about Lola all over again.

I cocked an eyebrow, instantly imagining Michael dancing inappropriately on some other chick. “Oh, really?” I asked calmly, pretending that it wouldn’t bother me.

He nodded, “I just…I just really need to chill, you know? I don’t even know why I came here, I would just be thinking about her anyways.” He said in a low voice, referring to Lola. I frowned at the idea of him missing her, I know it’s hard.

“Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be okay. You’ll find a girl, possibly even better than Lola.” It stung me to say this, but it’s true. Lola was never perfect in the relationship anyhow.

“I can’t just stop thinking about her, you know?” He said. I nodded my head in acknowledgement, realizing he overuses ‘you know’ quite a lot when he’s upset. I patted him on the back. “I’m going to chill in the van a bit.” He suddenly said aloud, walking to the van in which I was just in. Just as I was about to walk inside, he turned back around. “Don’t go in there.” He demanded.

I bit my lip, now curious of Michael’s actions and what he was doing.

“Hang out in the van, with me.” He advised, and without another thought, I joined him. He sat in the driver seat while I sat in the passenger seat, we sat in silence. I started fiddling with my fingers as he lighted up a cigarette and started smoking on it, dumping the stray ashes outside the window. He blew out a cloud of smoke out of the window, knowing that it would probably have an effect on me if he blew out the smoke in the van.

I bit my lip, forgetting how relieving it was to smoke, to not have a thought in the world, to be in your own world where nothing makes sense, but at the same time, you wouldn’t have to worry about problems in reality. I sighed, turning away from it, and as much as I wanted it, I knew I couldn’t. I’d just be giving up on myself, and I am not a quitter.

“You know, you’re the only one who understands me at the moment.” He suddenly confirmed, shifting his gaze from the cigarette to me. I studied those green eyes of his, brushing my fingers against the others as an occupation. It seemed like it took forever for him to start talking again, until he finally did, “The guys think I’m weak because I’ve fallen apart ever since Lola admitted to effing around with that Shaun kid. I admit, I haven’t been the same ever since…but I feel lonely now these days, like I lost a part of me. You’re the only one who’s actually keeping me sane at this point.” He admitted softly, his eyes settling into mines. I smiled lightly as a response, satisfied to hear that I wasn’t the one who was causing his weird actions.