Halftime

chapter 23

"Well?" I asked.

"You are being serious?" Harley asked me.

Her, Jess, Ophelia and I were all seated on the couches watching a movie together. The Fourth of July was in a few days and I hadn't asked my friends if they wanted to come yet. But Hayden had been bugging me to since Friday night.

After that dinner, I had gone back to Hayden's house, after being invited to watch a game with him and Zack. I'd agreed even though I had no interest in watching a game. I mainly just liked the company of Hayden. And hanging with Zack, Aiden and Ty was always a bonus.

I ended up staying the night there.

"Yes. I'm being serious. Do you want to come or not?"

All my friends had been shocked when I'd asked if they wanted to come with me and Hayden and his friends for the fourth of July. They all knew I didn't care for the holiday. That the holiday was mostly tainted with bad memories.

What I'd told Hayden and Cami about my fourth of July experiences was mostly true. It was just an extremely sugar coated version.

The first fourth of July I spent in America was just after my relationship with Mark got abusive. I still believed at the time that the few times he'd hit me were accidental. That he was just dealing with his anger and he didn't mean it. That he couldn't control himself.

It wasn't until that night that I realised it was more than that, or at least subconsciously realised it. Mark had forced me to come to some stupid college party, and we ended up getting into a fight after I saw some girl throwing herself at him. I ran back to my dorm and he followed, not to apologise, but to beat me.

The year after that was the same. I spent my time crying in a ball as Mark slapped and punched me. After I broke up with him, I usually spent the fourth in a depressed mood and drowning my sorrows with alcohol.

But this year was different. It was going to be.

Ophelia raised her brows, "Vee, you hate the fourth."

"I know. But it will be fun."

"What happened to your tradition of getting wasted?" Harley asked.

Jess nodded, "what about the fact that it's a triggering holiday for you?"

I set my mouth in a hard line, "well it won't be this year. It's different. Please?"

Harley grinned, "of course I'll come."

Ophelia didn't take much more persuasion either, "I'd love to!" she said excitedly.

"Well?" I asked Jess.

"I actually was invited to a party down here," she said, giving an apologetic shrug.

We all pouted at her, "oh come one Jess."

She screwed her face up, "I really want to go to the party."

"Just come for the first three days then," Harley pleaded. "And then we'll drive you back."

"I don't know. It's a five hour drive."

"But we always do the fourth together," Harley frowned.

Jess sighed, "well Vee usually gets smashed, but she's not this year. Traditions change."

I furrowed my brow at her, "ouch?"

She shrugged, "sorry but it's the truth Vee."

"So you really won't come?" Ophelia asked.

Jess shook her head, "no. Sorry guys. Maybe we can do something before?"

We all exchanged disappointed glances but nodded anyway. I guess it was understandable. Jess wasn't exactly close to Hayden, Zack, Aiden or Ty, and she probably wanted to spend her time partying with school friends that she knew. Still, it was a little disheartening. She'd been acting a bit more distanced lately.