Oh, Heather

Chapter Eighteen

Leo and Vance were the last two to sit down at the table, nervously glancing around them.

“Are you guys okay?” Miley asked.
“I don’t know. Everyone was giving us weird stares and whispering to each other when we were walking over here.” Vance answered.
“Do you know why?” She asked.
“No.” Leo said. 
“I think I know why.” Heather replied.
“Huh?”
“Oliver. Remember how he said he was going to out you guys?” She said.

“I thought he was just saying that to get me to break up with Leo. He wouldn’t actually do that, would he?” Vance asked.
“A good person wouldn’t, but Oliver is the exact opposite of a good person.” Miley replied.
“Doesn’t he have the same lunch period as us?” Heather asked.
“I think so.” 
“He used to sit with us, so yeah.” Leo answered.
“Where would he be sitting?”
“You aren’t gonna try and talk to him, are you?”

“I am. I need to-”
“Hey Vance.” Taylen Watts, the head cheerleader, interrupted.
“Hi?” He said.
“So me and the other cheerleaders heard something.” She said, looking around at the group.
“Yeah?” He said.
“Is it true that you're dating a guy?” She said, a confused look on her face.

He didn’t answer. He audibly cleared his throat, and gave a nervous look to the group. 

“Uh. Well, yeah.” He whispered, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Oh.”
“That's super cool.” She smiled awkwardly.

She walked off, inaudibly mumbling something to herself. 

“That was kind of strange, no?” Heather said.
“That was really strange.”
“At least it answers our question.”
“But like, why would he out you guys? I know he wants Leo back but he didn’t want to come out either when they dated.” Miley said.
“I don’t know. But it’s stupid.”
“He probably thinks Vance’ll break up with him now.” She said. “You aren’t going to, right?”
“No.” He laughed nervously.

An uncomfortable silence shifted over the table. 

“Did you guys hear about the Valentine’s party that Ryder is hosting?” Miley asked.
“Uh yeah. He told me about it a bit ago.”
“Aren’t his parents like, super strict though?”
“They’re gonna be out of town.”
“Oh okay.”
“Did you get invited?” Heather asked.

“Everyone on the football team did. We were asked to bring whoever we wanted.”
“We should go. I feel like it’ll be fun. Especially after all of, you know.” Heather said, gesturing around the lunchroom.
“I don’t know. I don’t really like parties.” Leo said.
“Don’t be boring.”
“I’m with Heather. Leo, we never get to do anything fun. Your dad always ruins it.”
“Fine.” He said.

“Yay!” She said.
“Hopefully all of this blows over by then.” 
“It’s highschool. Something new happens every week. It should be good.” Heather said.
“Should be, not will be.”

After school, Heather promised her mom she would take Corey to the park. She helped him get changed into a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of space pants she bought for him a year ago. They made it to the park and Corey immediately ran toward the playground. Heather chased him to the jungle gym. 

“Sissy get up here!”
“I can’t buddy. I’m too tall to play on this stuff.”
“Please?” He begged.
“I’ll go down the slide, but only once.”
“Yay!” 

Corey sat at the top of a double slide, swaying his feet as he waited for his sister. She sat on the other slide, waiting for her brother to slide down first.

“You gonna slide down?” She asked.
“You have to count to 3.” He said.
“I have to?”
“Yes.”

She laughed at her brother’s remark, his crossed arms signaled that he was waiting for her to count.

“1, 2, 3.” She counted.

He pushed himself down, holding up his hands in the air. She followed, pushing her feet against the sides to boost herself.

“You didn’t slide well.” Corey said, dusting off the wood chips from his hands.
“I didn’t?” She questioned, putting her hands on her hips.
“Nope. You suck at sliding.” He said.
“Really?” 
“Yep.” 

Heather charged at him as he ran around the jungle gym, trying to avoid her. She eventually got up to him and wrapped him in her arms. She began tickling his sides, refusing to let him go.

“I’m sorry sissy.” He pushed through laughter.
“Youre sorry?”
“Uh-huh.” He laughed.
“I guess I can stop tickling you now, huh?” She said.
“Please.” 

She let go of him, smiling at him as he pouted at her.

“That was mean.”
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Uh-ohhhhhh.