Lend Me Your Heart

Seven

He stood before me, his eyes scanning over my dirty, tattered dance costume while he looking incredibly handsome in a fancy tuxedo. Just the person I didn’t want to see.

“Whoa,” he laughed, “Somebody looks like crap.”

That just made me cry harder, knowing he was perfectly fine and joking around after what had just happened to me and after we hadn’t talked in two days since he said he hated me. Then he inconsiderably kicked my side, making me flinch.

“Hey,” he said, “You alright?”

I didn’t say anything and continued to sob.

“Well, I’d appreciate it if you moved. I have to get down the staircase.”

I didn’t move. I didn’t know what to do or what to feel or what to say…so I didn’t do any of those things and I just sat there and continued to cry.

“I’m going to be late to a party if you don’t move you’re a*s right now.”

Without even thinking to step over me, he continued to say things like:

“I don’t have time for this right now, Layne.”

“Move.”

“I need to walk with my team, Layne! Move!”

“God, you’re so irritable.”

My cries eventually calmed down, but I felt unable to move my aching body.

“I’ll just have to move you, then,” Zach said, his strong arms dragging my body away from the door that led to the stairs and dropping me in front of my door. That’s when my cries picked up again and I shoved my face into my elbow, gasping desperately for a breath of air. Zach still hadn’t moved even though the staircase was blocked.

“L-Leave me alone. G-Go to your s-stupid party,” I choked, my lungs spazzing uncontrollably, “S-Since you hate m-me so m-much.”

“I don’t…I don’t hate you,” he said before opening the staircase door and leaving to go to his s-stupid party.

Four hours later, the sound of footsteps woke me up. I picked my head up and off of the carpeted hallway and looked up at Zach, still looking as handsome as he had before he left for his party. To my surprise, he didn’t reek of sweat or alcohol, making me wonder exactly what kind of party he went to.

“What the- you’re still here?” Zach practically yelled, his blue eyes boring holes into my green ones.

“Not like you care or anything,” I muttered, yawning.

“Layne, you’ve been lying here for the past four hours! Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“No.”

“Well, it’s one in the morning.”

“Awesome.”

“Layne…what happened?”

“I don’t want to tell you.”

“If you didn’t want to tell me, you would’ve gone into your room by now.”

“Not true,” I lied. He was good, that boy.

“I know you, Layne.”

“Yeah, and apparently I don’t know you, Zach, since you hate me and everything.”

“I told you I don’t hate you!” he spat, clenching his fists by his sides.

I sighed. “I really don’t need your attitude right now.”