Book Club

-FLORA-

"Flora!" Someone calls my name.

I don't look away from my book, it's just getting good.

"FLORA!!" The person yells again.

I whip my head around to face the window, only to see my older sister Penny standing there.

You can enter through the windows in our apartment. There's a metallic staircase that passes by every window in the building from the outside.

I open up my window and she crawls through on her hands and knees.

"Happy birthday!!" She squeals and wraps her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Thanks!" I smile at her.

She hands me a wrapped box and I place it on my bed. She beams at me.

"When is the party starting?" She asks sitting down on my window seat.

I shake my head "No party."

"What!! Why not?" She asks, using her hands to talk. I shrug.

To be honest, I didn't have anyone to invite to the party. I've long decided that I was perfectly fine with being alone at school. I was always busy anyway, reading and doing homework. Friends would just be a distraction.

Or at least, that's what I tell myself.

"Flora, your seventeen. You need to have a party." She says as if it was obvious.

"You're here, that's enough." I say and smile.

Penny is in university... in another country. She got a full scholarship that she couldn't turn down. I barely ever see her anymore, since plane tickets are soo expensive. Penny was my only friend, she still is. I miss having her around.

"Well, what do you want to do then?" She asks.

I shrug. "We could go to the library." I suggest.

"Fine." She rolls her eyes and laughs. "Get ready, I'm gonna say hi to mom and dad." She says and leaves the room.

I stand in front of my mirror and examine my appearance.

I'm wearing some black leggings, pretty much the only thing that will fit with my lack of curves, and a knitted sweater with a cat on it. My ginger hair is tied up in a messy bun, and my big glasses are sitting on my nose. I push them up a little, like a nerd in a movie.

"Okay, we can go now." Penny says and we leave the apartment.

Penny drives as I haven't gotten my license yet.

"So tell me the real reason you aren't having a party." She says, not taking her eyes off the road.

Her question surprises me, I don't know what to say.

"You need to make some friends Flora."

"Why!?" I exclaim. "Why is it soo important that I have friends? Hmm, why?"

"Because you're lonely!" She yells, making me jump.

"I'm sorry-" She whispers but I cut her off.

"No you're right. I do need friends. But it's kinda too late, you know? Everyone already has their own group." I say sadly.

"It's never too late. You just need an idea, that's all."

***