Love Is...

-20-

Song: "Gimmie Love" by Carly Rae Jepsen

**

Heather's mom knocked on her bedroom door the following day. When Heather didn't respond, she hit harder.

Heather slowly blinked her eyes open. "What?" She groaned. She looked at her pink alarm clock. "Mom, it's 8:00 in the morning!" Heather had hardly gotten any rest last night. She kept replaying herself running out of Alejandro's house. Guilt and pain overtook her heart, making it hard for her to fall asleep.

Her mother opened her door. "I don't care. Some sad romantic dropped these by the door," she hissed, tossing a bouquet of red roses onto the floor.

"Oh sure, treat me like shit right when I come back!" Heather rolled her eyes.

"You're not telling us why you disappeared for so long, so this is the treatment you get." She slammed the door.

Heather glared, then got out of bed. She bent down and grabbed the bouquet. There was a small note attached to one of the stems. It read:

Heather,
          I sincerely apologize for any discomfort I caused you yesterday. This note would be longer, but they did not give me much space on this card.

                                                     Love, Alejandro

Heather couldn't help but laugh at his note while tears gathered in her eyes. He dropped these off before 8:00 in the morning? It's not even a school day. She blushed at the red roses. How does he always seem to know what I like? There is no way this guy is that perfect! Ugh! She wiped her tears, smiling like an idiot. And now, he thinks he did something wrong. He doesn't deserve that.

Heather gathered the roses and laid them on her bed. Then, she grabbed an empty flower vase from her bathroom and filled it with sink water. She placed the roses in the vase on her nightstand. Heather plopped onto her mattress, observing the flowers. The ends of their delicate petals slightly drooped downward, making them look all the more beautiful.

Heather took a single rose from the vase and stared at it. Red roses are the best way of showing romantic love. Obviously, he likes me romantically. That's no secret, especially after yesterday. She twirled the stem. And it hurts because I feel the same way about him. It hurts to be with him. She squeezed her eyes shut to ease the pain in her mind.

She held the rose tightly to her chest. Her heart pounded relentlessly. Heather could almost hear it over her own thoughts. This was all so new and scary for her. It was exciting and treacherous. Daring and indefinite. She could either walk away and try to get over him, or she could run to him and pray that he never breaks her heart. Both options were unbearable.

But, she decided, living without him is more excruciating.

Heather opened her eyes. She stared at the pastel pink wall ahead of her. She felt her pulse in her throat and butterflies in her stomach. I need to talk to him. It will be hard, but not having him in my life will be harder. Heather dropped the rose back into the water, her hand shaking. I slept better in that guest room than at my parents' house. I had more fun at Alejandro's house than I do here. She walked out of her bedroom and went downstairs. Every step was a step closer to him. A step closer to where she wanted to be—where she needed to be.

Her mother was drinking tea in the kitchen when she saw her at the end of the stairway in her pajamas. Heather kept walking with her gaze focused on the front door. "Skipping out on breakfast again?" Her mom retorted. "Heather, you're going to starve yourself. You're already skinny enough." Heather ignored her comment and slid on her sandals by the Welcome mat. "Heather! Are you listening to me?! What the hell are you doing?! I hope you know you'll freeze in this winter weather with that tank top on!" Heather took her dad's car keys from the kitchen countertop. Her mother gasped. "Excuse me?! No, you are not driving, young lady! Not after the shit you pulled yesterday! You don't just get to move out and move back in like you own the place!"