Astoria: Part One

Heather: Chapter Seventeen

Tuesday lingered on much more than most days to Heather.
The dinner she had planned seemed to have slowed the day down, trying to test her nerves.
She was now changing back into her clothes she had worn to school, ready to go home.

She exited the locker-room and waited for the school-bus to arrive.

Heather had had a hard time paying attention in class like she usually did. She couldn't remember what homework Mrs. Adams, her history teacher, had given the class. She would have to text one of her classmates to find out.

The bus pulled up, and several people got on, including Heather.

Heather felt silly for being so distracted, she had told herself she was just going to have fun, and whatever happened would happen. It was 3:27pm and her date was at 6:00pm, she felt very hesitant and nervous.

It had been a year since Heather had been on a date.
A boy named Eric Thomas asked her out, and he was cute, so she said yes. They had gone to see a movie, which one she couldn't remember.
She had been on the brink of sweating through the entire movie, while they held hands.
After the movie, he had parked his dad's car somewhere secluded and tried to get busy.
Heather was not that kind of girl, especially on the first date.
Apparently, unknown to Heather, one guy had been boasting that she was an easy target. He had been doing that to cover his own ass though, because, as it turned out, he was gay.
But Eric believed him and was on Heather like a wolf eating a rabbit.

The rabbit had bit the wolf's tongue when he had tried to shove it down her thoat.

She shook this memory from her head, blushing, hoping the bus would hurry.

Soon, Heather was home, unlocking her front door.

"Hey, dad?" she called, "Beth?"

No answer.

Heather went upstairs and heard a child crying.
She opened her little sister's bedroom door.
Lara was sitting on her floor, by herself surrounded by toys and crying.

"Oh," she said softly, "what's the matter, Lara?"

Heather wiped the tears from Lara's eyes.
Lara, Heather's two-year-old sister, raised her arms, signaling to be held.

"Who's suppose to be watching you, Lara?"
"Rake," she sniffs.

Heather sighed.

"Let's go find him."

Heather walked down the hall to Drake's room and let Lara knock.

No answer.
Heather knocked much harder.
She heard some fumbling and then Drake opened the door.
He looked at Lara, who was wiping her eyes, and then at Heather, who looked pissed.

"Hey," he said guiltily.
"Hey, yourself." Heather said shortly.
"She was asleep when I checked on her ten minutes ago, and I put my headphones on..." he defended.
"Look," Heather said coldly, "I know she's not your sister, and you feel like she's not your responsibility. I get it. But if I come home again and she's by herself, crying, we're gonna have an issue."
"I'm sorry," Drake said looking down, "it won't happen again."
"Good."

Heather stormed off down the hall, with Lara on her hip.

"Why were you crying, baby?" She asked Lara.
"Sally was mean to me."
"Well," she said kindly, "let's put Sally in the corner."

Heather put Lara's doll in a miniature chair facing the corner.

"How's that?" she smiled, wrinkling her nose.
"Yeah," Lara said, giggling.
"Wanna help me get ready?"
"Yes, please." Lara said politely.