Carolina [h.s]

chapter seven

"No, it was my decision." I say giving her a look. "I can make those on my own y'know."

Her expression turns to concern to understanding. "I know, of course I know that." she sighs. "I'm sorry, I just- I always want you to be okay."

We've shared years of friendship, and with that comes shared years of secrets. There wasn't one thing my best friend didn't know about me, and she knows why I'm sometimes reluctant when it comes to things like psychedelic drugs.

"You were right about this summer being ours," I lean into her side, tucking my arm around her. "I've never lived before, and I want to now more than ever." our foreheads touch.

Her eyes on mine, she smiles nodding. "So do I." she promises because it's what we do.

Knowing everything is okay, with the both of us, Juliet goes on about her fight with her boyfriend. "We didn't actually break up, we'd never break up for real." she says with a silly smile for the boy she will always love too much.

We leave the small house when the crowd of people starts to get too loud. Sitting at the end of the driveway, Juliet passes me her lit cigarette as we then watch her boy coming out from inside of the loud house.

When he sees us Zayn moves in our direction. Calmer than the last time I saw him his hair is a thick mess on top of his head. I catch sight of his red doped out eyes as Li stands up in front of him. He's smiling at his girl but he looks distracted.

"Hey," Juliet noticed too. "You okay?"

I try not to eavesdrop on their conversation and when I see Harry's tall figure move out of the party house, Niall and Louis are both behind him. They all move down the driveway behind us, to the familiar white car parked at the other side of the street.

With his boys following close behind, his eyes don't meet mine. I remember our conversation on the beach and know that our secrets were forever because that's what made the most sense.

"I gotta go do this thing with Harry." Zayn's words are low and that's when I start listening in.

"Right now? It's almost three in the morning," Juliet starts.

"It'll only take a few hours, I'll see you tomorrow. You should go home and take V with you." he rushes out before placing a quick kiss on her lips, and then moves across the street to get in the passengers's seat of the white car.

We both watch as Harry drives down the road, windows down and rock music blasting from the inside as they disappear around the corner by the street light. And then it's quiet, the house behind us still alive with chatter and music, but we're left alone without an explanation.

I look at Juliet questioningly who just shrugs. "Sleepover at my house?" she suggests.

Buried in the soft blankets and fluffy pillows, Juliet's king sized bed is bigger than the both of us, and where I'm thankful to be at the moment. The sun is almost up and as my best friend snores quietly, dead to the world, I'm wide awake.

Last night's events still have me too jittery to sleep, and I can't seem to get a certain pair of green eyes out of my head.

Red, blue, and purple lights flash behind my eyelids. Funnel cakes, ferris wheels, and ocean crashing waves are never ending heightened touches and fucked up green eyes are planted in my head as permanently as the tattoos on his skin.

'I stay because I have nowhere left to go,' His voice rings in my head for a millionth time since the beach.

The boy I'm warned to stay away from lingers in secrets I'm meant to keep and deals I'm not supposed to break. But he doesn't want me to get caught up.