It Happened Last Year

Chapter 21

"With a few friends," Jana says.

There is a box of tampons in her hand, and she looks quite miserable. Lounge clothes and a sloppy bun, Daphne's eyes watching me—and even through this she manages to intimidate me. Though, her appearance seems to humanize her.

"Let me guess, Taylor and Jordan. How fun it must be to play third and fourth wheel," Daphne says, "unlike you two, I have people to impress, excuse me."

She pushes past us and walks away, off into the store to get who knows what. Surprised, I glance at Jana and she too looks rather confused. "That's all?" Jana asks. "I thought she would be more of a. . . Well, a bitch."

"She wasn't exactly nice to us."

"She wasn't terrible either. I can live with third and fourth wheel, not having anyone to impress," she mimics her. "Let's just go before she changes her mind and rips our throats out."

I stop and scrunch my face. "Graphic, but we're in agreement. Let's just grab the granola bars."

Once we arrive back at the cabin, Taylor is waiting for us. "What took so long? I'm starving and I can't handle hearing Jordan complain one more time." She peeks into the bags then peers up.

"We ran into Daphne," Jana says.

"Why would she be up here?"

"Her family has a cabin. They come every year," I tell her, "we didn't think we'd actually run into her, though."

"She cause you guys trouble?"

Jana sits down at the kitchen counter. "Surprisingly, no."

As the sun begins to set, I find myself alone in my room, slipping on more comfortable clothes for the hike. Once I am all set, I sit down on the bed and fall back, wondering what everyone is doing at this exact moment. What would Harrison be doing? Throwing another party? Would there be some girl standing in the kitchen, nervous and alone, wanting to leave? He would find her, comfort her, convince her. . . I hate him. I always will.

For a long time, I would sob from frustration. My heart would squeeze, feeling hopeless, feeling as if the world wants to see me fall. The universe hates me, I would think to myself, the universe wants me gone.

If only Harrison wasn't who he is. If he was someone no one cared about, someone irrelevant, then maybe I would get justice, but he's not. I can scream and cry about how unfair it is, but that world is exactly that. Every day someone gets the short end of the stick in life, and that day it was me. There will always be someone who has it worse, there will always be a shorter end.

The sun begins to set and the warm colors are cast on the walls from the large windows across from me. I wish I could lay here forever. No more Daniel, no more Daphne, no more Harrison, or school, or parties, or mothers. Here, I am just a girl laying on a bed, but back at home I am the towns most hated. I never want to leave.

Tomorrow will be our last day, and thinking about it makes me anxious. Hauls creek seems to smooth me, even if I did run into Daphne. This cabin, the lake, the forest—it is a vacation well needed.

The bedroom door opens, letting Jana through. She looks down at me and sighs before laying down herself. "We're leaving soon," she mumbles, trying to get a few minutes of rest. Her eyes close.

"Shouldn't we be up then?" I ask.

"I'm too comfortable now. Just wait a second."

Sitting up, I peer out the window as if I must check something. The forest, yes, it's still there. "I'll go fill water bottles," I say while getting up. Walking into the kitchen, I find Daniel leaning against the counter, facing away from me.

The sunsets warmth has found its way into here as well, causing the white countertops to glow. Daniel does not seem to notice my presence until I grab one of the plastic bottles off the counter, heading to the filter on the fridge. It is Jana's bottle, the purple one with white polka dots, most scratched off. She scratches them with her nail.

"Ready for the hike?" I ask casually, something a normal person would do.

Surprisingly, Daniel does not answer. Instead, he leaves the room, looking to be somewhat bothered.

I watch until he disappears up the staircase.