Cross My Heart

Chapter Nine

Chapter Eight- Prom Night

Nate:

I woke up with a huge hangover, and a gigantic headache. My mouth was dry like sandpaper and I felt like crap. I pushed myself up and looked around me, feeling the heat clinging onto my skin. 

Ooooh. I shouldn't have gotten up that fast. Major head rush! I gripped my hands into a fist and rubbed my sleepy eyes. I quickly pulled on the nearest clean boxer under my feet and slipped it on. I don't think Rach would be very happy if I went half naked in her house. 

When I stepped into the hallway, Rachelle was just walking by my room. She also looks like she needs a vacation. Her shiny brown hair was put into a messy bun, with a few wavy strands hanging down. The bags under her eyes looked even bigger than mine, and her eyes were bloodshot and tired looking, those blue gem-like eyes dull and narrowed. I looked at what she was wearing, a huge sweatshirt with dark grey matching pants. 

Surprisingly, she still managed to look drop-dead gorgeous. 

"Morning."I mumbled, looking into her eyes again. If I didn't know Rach well, I would've thought she has a hangover. But clearly, she had been crying. When she cries, her whole face goes red and blotchy, and I'm probably the only one who knows. "Wait...Have you been crying?" I said carefully, examining her face with curiousity. 

"No."She snapped and pursed her lips.With that, she added,"go away!"

Aw, such nice manners.

Rachelle:

  I picked up my coffee and took a big slip, tasting the bitter liquid on my tongue. My eyes were so dry and blurry that I almost put slat in my coffee. Carina, on the other hand, was looking very giddy and bright. Her fire-truck red hair glowing and gleaming in the light. Her makeup was impeccably applied, right down to the detail. At least somebody had slept at night. 

I walked away from her, trying to avoid the fact that Carina totally blew me off yesterday, for Lianna.

"Silent treatment?"Carina cooed, sipping her non-fat mocha without cream. 

I gritted my teeth and ignored her once more. Then turned to leave again. 

"Wait."Carina stood up and ran to me, almost tripping on the family cat, Hershey, who was licking the plate of milk I left that morning. Hershey hissed at Carina. 

"Rach. Look, I'm sorry, okay?"She grabbed my arm and dragged me back, causing my coffee to spill. The burning liquid sent a pain through me as it dropped onto my big toe. Ouch! 

"It's fine, Carina. Just forget about it." I said to her, annoyed, leaning down to rub my toe. Great. I look horrible and I have a sore big toe. 

"Look, sit down Rach."She begged, her big sparkling eyes probing. 

"I'm not mad at you."I answered her, feeling the heat from the outside of the coffee cup. "I just don't get it, Car. You said that you thought Lianna was a bitch for stealing one of your Ralph Lauren photoshoots or whatever. And now you're all cuddly with her." 

Carina sighed, and twisted a strand of her red hair between her fingers. "I let it go. I'm not the kind of person to hold something against someone." The way she looked at me, I knew exactly what she was thinking: 

Unlike me, of course, the bitch who is holding a grudge against her ex-best friend. 

************

I walked up the stairs and into the hallway, quickly dashing through the long, narrow hallway. I looked at the semi-opened door to Christy's bedroom. I wrinkled my nose as a clear scent of Chanel no.19 mixed with whisky hit me and I shuddered. Little sisters, can't deal with them , certainly can't live with them! Last night when I noticed Christy climbing up the fire-escape at 4 am in the morning, her mascara smeared and her hair in a bird nest above her head, I didn't even want to ask her what had happened. I most likely went like this: she broke up with her on-again-off-again boyfriend, James, and is in denial. The fire escape, her route to midnight parting and scandelous hookups, was the only place I'm sure to find my sister after a wild-party.