I dragged my lazy legs through the school's front door. Just four more days, then I'll be lounging at the pool with my friends and having the break that I deserve. I walked towards my locker where my best friend was waiting as always, passing waves to other people along the way.
"Hey, how was your weekend? Sorry I couldn't come over yesterday.
I just gave her a look that explained it all. She laughed at my expression as I pulled out my Algebra textbook. "You?"
She didn't get to answer my question as my boyfriend Jace made his way towards us.
"Hey," he pecked my lips softly.
"Hi," I smiled. We've only been together for 4 months but I was sure he was the one.
I looked back at Amy and found her playing with her fingers staring at her sneakers.
I knew that look...
She always had that look on her face when she was hiding something from me, like that one time she threw me a surprise party and she kept avoiding me with that exact look on her face. I knew her too well. Or at least that's what I liked to believe.
I looked back at Jace but he wouldn't catch my eye.
I eyed them suspiciously.
But just before one of us could say anything, the bell signaling the first class rang and I huffed in frustration.
"We'll talk about this later," I gave them a look to show them that I was serious and walked off to class.
Half way through class I felt myself forgetting about the situation in the hall way. Instead I found myself thinking about what my dad told me yesterday instead.
I was sitting on the living room couch, my Kindle in both hands. I was reading a book about some magic circus. Dad was sitting on his arm chair using his iPhone. We were both engrossed on what we were reading. Then he said something that caught my attention.
"This is interesting", he mumbled, the screen of his iPhone reflected on his geeky glasses.
"Hmm?"
"Says here, if you write what you want to dream of on a piece of paper right before you sleep you'll actually dream it."
"Really?"
"Aha..."
"That's so cool... do you think it works?"
"I think so, there's only one way to find out..."
I rolled my eyes at the creepy tone he used and went back to reading.
After a few more endless hours of boring classes, I walked my way towards the cafeteria, impatient to finally catch up with my two best friends. The sound of hungry teenagers filled my ears as I waited in the long line of the cafeteria, my stomach growling in hunger. Soon I was seated between my two best friends, eating an oily cafeteria pizza and slurping down my orange juice. As I listened to Jace explain his 'adventurous' weekend I couldn't help but feel like I forgot something important.
For the rest of lunch period I made small talk and listened to Amy and Jace's excited voices. I still had that nagging feeling at the back of my head but ignored it, guessing it was some homework I was too lazy to complete the other night.
"Hey, where are you going this summer?" Jace turned his attention to me.
"Huh? Just the usual, to that beach cabin...Maybe you could come too?"
He shrugged and continued to focus on what Amy was saying, something about a vampire t.v show.
As the bell rang I kissed Jace goodbye and headed towards class with Amy. The walk was silent, and I decided to start a conversation.
Bad idea. I was always been bad at starting up conversations.
"So what are your plans for the summer?" I asked.
"We might go up north to grandma's as usual, I'm not sure."
"Right..."
So much for making the walk less awkward. It was weird, we were always talking and it was never awkward between us two, there was always something to talk about with Amy and her gossip. I figured she was having a bad day.
The rest of the day went by as normal. I just ignored the awkward tension in the air and acted like everything was just as it always was.
"Ugh!" I groaned as soon as I slammed the front door shut to my two story house. I remembered that tense moment by my locker this morning in school. I forgot to ask Jace and Amy what happened.
I would just have to ask them about it tomorrow, I decided. I walked in the kitchen and inhaled the refreshing scent of vanilla cupcakes my mom was baking in the oven.
"Hi mom", I kissed her cheek as I grabbed a bar of chocolate, shrugging off my backpack.
"Hey honey, change out of your school clothes, the cupcakes will be ready by then and you can help me decorate them."
"'Kay."
I finished eating the chocolate bar and made my way to my room upstairs. I changed into some sweats and a tank top then hopped down the wooden stairs. I walked in the kitchen where the counter was covered in cupcakes ready to be decorated. My mother used to own a cupcake store downtown and I would usually help her when I was free. I pulled my chocolate curls back in a messy bun and made my way around the kitchen counter.
"So how was school?" She asked as I picked up a piping bag.
"It's the last week so nothing big really happens; there might be a party at the end of the week though."
"Are you planning on going with Jace and Amy?"
"I don't know...I mean, you know me, I'm not a big party person." I only went to parties if I was forced to by Jace, or more often Amy.
She just nodded and continued decorating some more cupcakes.
I got tired after a while and headed up to my purple room; I lay on my bed and started on my homework.
Dinner was quiet as always, my parents believed that eating while talking was "inappropriate" and so no one really said anything, unless we had guests over. I sat down on my usual seat, the seat in front of me was empty, as always. My sister Jade never sat down with us during dinner time; she was always out partying with her friends even though she was underaged. She was still a junior but since that was the last week she considered herself a senior already, and anyway, it wouldn't have made a difference since she hung out with the seniors more than the juniors.
After dinner I sat with my father and watched TV with him until I was tired of hearing gunshots every two seconds. I kissed him goodnight then walked through the kitchen arch . "Have you seen Jade today?" My mom asked after I kissed her goodnight.
I shook my head and gave her my most reassuring smile, hoping she wouldn't get too stressed over it.
I walked up to the bathroom and took a shower after I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I pulled on my pajama pants and a pullover; I walked out the bathroom then stopped when I heard the front door slowly open and close. I peeked out from the stairs and watched as my sister sneaked her way up the stairs.
"What are you looking at?"
She was wearing a really short pair of shorts over ripped stockings and a crop top that showed way too much cleavage and her belly button. She had her hair straightened down and was holding her heels in one of her hands.
I shook my head feeling sorry for her and walked away towards my room, my body aching for a good night's sleep.
The next day, I decided to corner both Jace and Amy after school and ask them what was going on. Until then I had to suffer more endless classes and quiet cafeteria sessions.
I was on my way to last period when I bumped into a large figure. I looked up and sighed in frustration. Aaron Lee was smirking down at me.
"Hello there little pussy cat".
I rolled my eyes and shot a disgusted face at him and decided to ignore him as always, so I turned to my left and headed towards my biology class but before I could take my third step , he caught my wrist and pulled me back.
"I'm not helping you with your homework again, Aaron".
He had thick dark hair and dark eyes that were almost hypnotizing, his cheek bones were sharp and his stubble made him look much older than he really was. But I could see right through that fake façade. He was a nightmare, an unbelievably selfish jerk that used people all the time. By now most people with the right brains knew to ignore him and stay out of his way.
"That's not what I wanted, Katrina."
"It's Kat, and I'm not in the mood for your games Aaron just leave me alone, I'm going to be late for class."
He gave me one of his dimpled smiles and said,"I just wanted to warn you."
Warn me? From what? But I shook my head and continued my way to the last period. I was already five minuets late.
After class I dragged Jace and Amy towards the parking lot where I leaned my back against a random blue car. I crossed my arms and leaned closer.
"So?" I looked up at Amy who was staring at the sky behind me. I turned my gaze towards Jace who was playing with the zipper of his jacket. I raised my eyebrows.
"Really guys? What the heck happened? First you're both like 'yeah we're going to party all summer long!' And now you're all quiet and acting strange, What-the-hell-happened?"
It was almost four, a half hour after our last class ended and I was still here with my so called best friends. I really loved them... I did, but I thought we were way past the stage where we kept secretes from each other.
"I don't get it, we haven't been hanging out as much as we used to and we don't text as often as we used to... But apparently you guys don't seem to notice any of that, am I just being paranoid?"
I look at them seriously, but they just looked at each other and sighed. Then I found myself looking at Jace nodding and Amy hesitating before returning the nod.
"Look Kat, we wanted to tell you but just can't find the right words. It's really hard for us, we both care about you. We've been best friends since I moved here in 3rd grade and I want it to stay this way for as long as possible, trust me. And after we tell you this, I'm -we're- scared that you won't want us to stay friends and we would hate that." Jace took my hand in his and squeezed.
"Okay, why do I have a feeling this is more serious than I thought? This isn't about school is it?" I felt like whatever Jace and Amy had to say is going to end up in a big mess. And I was scared.
Terrified, actually.
I didn't want to lose the only best friends that I've ever had . I shared everything with them, my fights with Jane , Mom's business...everything.
"Okay look, we either tell you now or you'll find out on your own, and that would be worse than us telling you."
"Just tell me Jace, for crying out loud! Do you think I'll be too weak to process this- this information? Is that it? Because if it is you're wrong. Or is it that you don't trust me with whatever you have to say? You know you can trust me, even before we got together."
Jace's grip on my hand loosened and he frowned, finally letting go. He glanced at Amy who quickly looked away.
"Hey, kids! What are you doing with my car, eh?!" An old man shouted from across the parking lot and I was guessing it was his car I was leaning on.
I stood up straighter and quickly walked away. I heard Amy and Jace follow behind. I ignored the old man's cries as I turned the corner. A new supermarket came to view and I walked to the back of the building.
The newly painted walls were still wet so I couldn't lean against them, I had this obsession with leaning back then. I crossed my arms again and looked at Jace and Amy expectantly.
"Well?" I asked.
I noticed that Amy hadn't said a word since we met up in the parking space. I focused my gaze on her and tapped my foot impatiently.
I raised my eyebrows at her.
"This is something you have to discuss with Jace, not me." She whispered, looking away as she tucked away a strand of her short blond hair.
I frowned at the comment before I saw something, something that almost made my heart stop.
Jace had his hand entwined with Amy's, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand.