No One Has To Know

-1-

Song: August
Artist: Taylor Swift

*~*~*~*~*

Heather woke up to the sound of high-pitched ringing. The alarm had never sounded so obnoxious to her until today. She got up and stretched, then looked at her clothes hanging from her door- a white tank top with a yellow miniskirt and black wedges. She picked out her clothes the night before because her outfit was the most important aspect of starting a new day at school. Her cat, Bruiser, leaped onto her pink comforter. "I know, I'm awake," Heather laughed, scratching behind the feline's ears. It was routine for Bruiser to wake her every morning for school or work. She kissed the cat's head and carefully pulled the blankets off herself so Bruiser wouldn't go flying.

Bruiser mewled and followed his owner to the kitchen. Heather made herself a hot cup of coffee and then sat at her marble bar table. The moment she turned eighteen, her parents bought a nice apartment near the University of Toronto. She was relieved to get away from the memories of her childhood and start fresh. Now, almost four years later, Heather had only contacted her family three times, and she wouldn't have it any other way. She enjoyed her life alone because she was able to focus solely on her studies without any distractions. After she graduated with a Bachelor's in Nursing this year, she was heading to med school to receive her Master's.

Heather finished her coffee and got dressed for the day. She meticulously applied her coral pink lipstick when she was done with the rest of her makeup. "Perfect," she said to herself in the bathroom mirror. Heather went back into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of paw print treats. "Bruiser!" She called, shaking the bag.

The cat scurried into the room, meowing with excitement. Heather took two treats out and let Bruiser eat from the palm of her hand. "Good boy," she cooed. "I'll be back at 4:00."

Heather stepped out of her apartment and locked the door as she always did. She was on the fourth floor -the highest floor- so she walked down the stairs and made her way to her hot red convertible, again, provided by her parents.

She drove about five miles to her bus stop. Heather hated taking the bus, but she was willing to give the luxury of walking to the school up for having a regular apartment by herself. She took out her phone and started scrolling through FaceJournal.

A scrawny figure came running from Heather's left. "Did ya see my status update?!" Cody was grinning from ear to ear, his crooked teeth slightly jutting past his lower lip.

Heather sighed. "No, why?" Cody was Heather's only friend. They had started hanging out during their junior year of High School, and Heather never understood why Cody even bothered. She was hardly ever genuinely nice to him, but he kept following her around. She figured it was just because she was his only protection from his stalker, Sierra. And Sierra was a whole other story.

"My relationship status says it's complicated!" Cody answered.

Heather raised an eyebrow. "And—how exactly is that good?"

"Because it's finally off single!" He squealed.

"Why is it complicated?" Heather crossed her arms with a smirk. There is no way he's changing his status because of Sierra. He can not stoop that low, she thought.

"Because Gwen said hi to me first!"

"Are you serious?" Heather replied. "Cody, you've been chasing after Gwen for almost six years. It may have been cute back in high school; maybe even creepy, but now, it's just sad and pathetic."

"Oh, come on, Heather," Cody said. "Do you think I at least stand a 1% chance?"

"No."

"Why not?"