Burning Water

I fell for a boy

Celeste

It's crazy how predictable people can be. Take my mother for instance.

The moment I stepped back inside, I heard nothing. Not a pin drop. Nobody was home. Just myself.

My mom had a tendency to run out whenever I found out she did something she wasn't supposed to. Guilt was never her thing. It took a while for me to understand why I felt anything but relief when she left. I couldn't seem to figure out why she never could reason with me, instead of drinking her problems away and playing the victim. In the end, it would come back to bite us both.

Like I said, I love my mother, but she never made things easy for me. Despite everything, I look after her - both emotionally and physically. She's my mom after all.

I couldn't help but feel as if I was the adult sometimes. A messed up one indeed, but still partly responsible for her. Although, never the moments she'd scold me for whatever didn't work out in her favour.

I sighed as I marched up to my room, feeling extremely exhausted after a long day.

I was so close to shutting my eyes to get a nap when I heard a little sound coming from my window. I looked over to see a stone hit my glass, once again.

I walked over to push up my window, and the moment I did, a stone hit me right in my eye.

"Oh my gosh! Sorry!"

"What the hell, Isa!" I winced. "What was the purpose of that?"

She peered up at me as she slightly giggled. "You might find this a little funny actually." She waited for my response, but I gave her nothing but a glare. It better be worth getting hit in the eye for.

"Well...I need you to come to Sam's party with me tomorrow." She stated as she looked anywhere but my face.

It took me a moment to process her words. Then out of nowhere, I laughed. I couldn't even explain how funny this was to me. I clutched my stomach and eventually managed to draw a deep breath.

"Okay, miss crazy. I find it quite funny, I admit."

She looked at me blankly, then placed her hand on her head.

"The window stones added a nice touch. Regular people would just text or call or...I don't know, knock on the front door." I grinned.

"Just come down and let me in, will you?"
She sounded serious. A bit too serious. As if she was serious.

I stepped back to close my window and made my way down to the front door - internally hoping she in fact was joking.

The moment I opened the door, Isa walts in and flops down on the couch.

"You were joking...right?" I trailed after her. Yes, I know. She doesn't live here so why does she act like she does? That's Isa for you. Our houses have become each other's second home. Invitation who?

She takes hold of my hand and gave me the cheesiest smile. "Um, no."
I was about to respond that she was definitely out of her mind, when she rushes out, "Please? I know it's not on a Friday, but I'd really appreciate having you there."

I folded my arms and huffed out a sigh. I thought she gave up asking me a long time ago. I was grateful for Sam's cousin - Nadine. Knowing she was Isa's party companion eliminated a lot of guilt for not going with her. Yet, here she is - asking me to go to one...tomorrow.

"Why are you asking me now? Is Nadine not planning on going?"

"Oh she is...but I want my very best friend to be there with me." Isa chirped. I slightly smiled as the memory of the last party we went to danced in my head. Maybe I should go.

"Also I may have heard from Cameron that he wants to see you." She murmurs.

Never mind. My smile instantly dropped. Of course that's what brings her by. It makes sense now.

"Cameron misses you." She quietly continues.

"Cameron sees me everyday?" I didn't mean for it to come out as a question, but whenever it came down to him, the situation was anything but simple.

"You know what I mean." She deadpanned.

I definitely knew what she meant.
We were friends - Cam and I. For a while actually. Way before Sam and Isa confessed their love for each other. But he felt like we were more, and I saw him as my brother. Nothing big happened nor is it awkward anymore. He kissed me, I told him I didn't feel the same, and he found new friends - becoming completely rebranded.

It's been about over a year now. Why am I suddenly being missed? What a joke.

"I know that look..." she sighs.
"I expect you to, Isa. Say I plan on going with you, what does he think is gonna happen?"

That caused her to smile...a little too big.

"He had a glow up." She replied.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
"Almost everything? Come on! He completely changed and the only name in his mouth is yours." She said.

"I get it Cece, you're not into anyone or whatever but when was the last time you ever fell for a boy - other than never?"

I got up and walked over to the kitchen, grabbing a few grapes from the fridge.

"I don't know. Like less than twenty minutes ago?" I replied as I popped a grape into my mouth.

I've never seen her shoot up so fast. She slowly walked over and sat next to me on the bar stool.

"What do you mean...less than twenty minutes ago?" She raised her eyebrow. I knew what was going to happen. I would tell her about my embarrassing time at the park, and she would interrogate me to the max.

"Well not exactly in that sense. It's quite the story, really." I said lowly. "I bumped into this guy and fell on my ass on my way to the park earlier - before you came here."

"Oh, Celeste! Was he cute?" She questioned excitedly. That totally got her attention.

"I-I think so? No big deal really. Definitely hurt my ego though."

"What's his name? Does he go to our school? Is he in our grade?" She pressed as she picked up the last grape from my bowl.

"I have no idea, Isa." I replied calmly.

"You mean...you didn't ask?!" I didn't even get time to react before she threw the grape at me. I swear the next time she throws something at me, I'll tell Sam she was the one who raided his closet last weekend.

"It doesn't matter anyway. He's weird." I got up to put the bowl in the sink, then turned back around to face her. "Let's watch a movie."