Our Hill Of Stars

nine

WREN THOMAS

My face was in a blank stare as I held a hot coffee in my hands. They were still shaking slightly, the outcome of a few hours ago.

I had a bandage around my wrist, and my hands were still aching from when I plucked the pebbles from the palm of my hand.

I threw my hair into a ponytail, changed into some jeans and managed to put some lipgloss on my lips before I drove to the cafe.

I checked my phone again, hoping to see a text from Garett. But there was none.

Me: hey, we're still on for tonight right?? 

Read, 7:12pm

He read my message. Could that mean he's on his way?

He could just be running late, and I'm just paranoid.

At 7:30, there was still no message from Garett and I decided to wait til 8pm until I left.

I sat in the corner of the cafe with my second mug of coffee and a now cold coffee I bought for Garett that was sitting opposite me.

Me: hey, I'm leaving the cafe. don't bother texting me.

Delivered, 8:01pm

I paid for the coffees I did and didn't drink before fishing for my keys in my pocket. I sighed, wiping away the remnants of dried tears on my face before heading into the dark parking lot.

I shrugged off my denim jacket and stared at the bandage on my wrist.

It was bruised, with finger prints engraved into my skin. A purplish-blue kind of bruise with swelling on the outside. 

My Dad questioned was happened and I told him I fell. He seemed to believe me.

I shivered, opening the backseat of my car and throwing my stuff into it, before climbing into the front seat and turning the key into the ignition. 

+ + + 

"You look like hell." Lacey said as I tried to blink myself awake.

"Thanks, I feel like it, too." I yawned.

After getting a total of three whole hours of sleep last night, that last thing I wanted was to be at school, surrounded by people who hated me.

"I just can't believe him, you know? The nerve of him honestly! I thought he was a good guy!"

Lacey had been talking smack about Garett for the last 15 minutes. After I told her what happened last night, I think she hated him more than me at this point.

"Well, it was inevitable anyway."

Thankfully, Lacey and I had study period before out actual classes, so we didn't have to face anyone just yet, doesn't mean the feeling of humiliation isn't still lingering in my stomach.

"Incoming, 12 o'clock!" Lacey whispered.

I met eyes with Garett, who looked like he hadn't slept a wink either. 

"What do you want?" Lacey interrupted, glaring daggers at Garett face.

"I need to talk to you, please. It's important." Garett said directly to me, ignoring Lacey.

I looked at Lacey who was shaking her head 'no'. I sighed, "Fine. You have two minutes." 

He pulled me behind a bookshelf in the library. I crossed my arms, "Look. I wanted to come last night, I did. I got ready and everything."

"So why didn't you show up then? I sat there for an hour, looking like an idiot." I frowned, feeling my throat tighten.

"Because, they told me not to go." He said guiltly.

"Who?" I questioned, "Who do you think?" 

My mind fell on one person and my blood boiled. "Why did they tell you not to go?"

"They basically threatened me. They said you didn't deserve it and that I was just wasting my time." I growled, "So you decided to stand me up? Why didn't you text me back?" 

"You told me not too!" He said like it was obvious.

I raised my eyebrows, "And, I felt terrible. I didn't know what I was supposed to say, hey, sorry the guy who hates you threatened me and told me not to go?" Garett said sarcastically as I glared at him.

I rubbed my temples as I felt a headache coming on, "You know what, it's fine. Thank you for telling me." 

"Do you think we could try again?" He asked me. 

I paused, "Maybe."

+ + + 

I rounded the corner in a hurry as I was very late to my English class, with a frantic Lacey texting me asking where I was.

I wasn't looking where I was going because I managed to run into someone.

I fell onto my ass again as I picked up my things, "I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No, you weren't. Be careful next time, idiot." I recognised that voice and instantly got annoyed.

"Now that I realise its you, I'm not sorry anymore." I frowned, balancing my books in the crook of my arm again, my shoulders aching from the amount of homework I have to carry.

Sebastian chuckled, "Ouch, don't be so mean." He feigned hurt and placed a hand on his chest.

"Oh please. Your ego is fine. I'll be going now."

Before I could, it spoke again, "I heard you got stood up. That sucks. I guess no one wants to spend time with the resident loser." 

His words caused a flashback in my mind from the day he was arrested and I shook it away, "Yeah, thanks for that by the way. I wasted seventeen dollars on those drinks." I said, annoyed.

"I did warn you. I said that no one would want to go out with a girl like you-"

"Luckily he asked me out again. And I'm going to go out with him. Because unlike some, I give second chances and unlike you, I have a chance."

I walked off after that, not bothering to see his facial expressions as I walked into my English class.

"Where were you?" Lacey said once I had sat down.

"I ran into Sebastian in the hall." I whispered, pulling out my binder, "What? What did he say?"

"Just some stuff about me being stood up." I shook it off, writing down todays notes as I tried to focus on what was on the board.

+ + +