Stole My Heart - C. Sturniolo

FIVE

♪ bright lights in the big city ♪

"I've got the magic in me." I sang along to Pitch Perfect as Halley and Jane sat there just watching me. Today after school we found an empty classroom and I hooked my phone up to the smartboard. I didn't realize that Halley was on FaceTime with someone until the camera was pointed at me as I used an expo marker as a microphone and pretended to be in an acapella group. "Halley!" I exclaimed, "Who are you on the phone with?" "Matt." She held back a laugh, "And Nick and Chris are there too."

I grew embarrassed immediately and moved to cover Halley's phone camera with my hand. "Hey guys." I chucked nervously and looked at the boys on the FaceTime who were all loosing their shit. "Come on, I know I'm not the only one who performs the entirety of Pitch Perfect when watching it." "Don't worry Val, Nick and Chris hold riff offs in our kitchen to sort out arguments." Matt stated. I suggested, "We should start an acapella group!" Chris and Nick grinned as Halley, Matt, and Jane exclaimed, "No!"

"Too late." I smirked, "We're starting an acapella group." "You three should be home by now!" A teacher barged in and yelled at us. We quickly came up with excuses. "Our parents forgot about us." Jane lied and Halley shrugged, "We're homeless." "We're starting an acapella group." I smiled innocently. The teacher gave us one final glare saying to 'get out' and we grabbed our bags, practically running out of the school.

Halley didn't even realize that Matt and the boys were still sitting on the call. "Oh shit-" She looked down and got ready to hang up, "Uh call you later!" Jane ended up driving Halley and I home. But of course we got side tracked and went to get Dunkin. "Val get off of my phone!" Jane exclaimed and almost crashed the car grabbing her phone out of my hand.

"Who's Elise?" I smirked and Jane's eyes widened, "I- uh, no one!" "Lies." Halley whispered. "Jane is there something you're not telling us?" Halley asked and Jane shrugged, "Meant to tell y'all a long time ago but... I'm gay!" "Jane you came out to us like three times freshman and sophomore year." I rolled my eyes, "Who's Elise." "Just a girl." Jane responded and Halley grinned, "Do you have a girlfriend." "Not yet, but we'll see where this goes." "You better keep us updated." I demanded and hopped out of her car when we reached my house. I shuddered as I looked up to see storm clouds growing in the sky.

a couple hours later

"Jane and Halley are probably asleep." I mumbled to myself, "I don't want to be a bother to them." I hugged my legs to my chest while scrolling through my phone trying to figure out who to call. My breath hitched as thunder boomed again. Then a certain number caught my eye, "Worth a shot."

My phone rang a few times as I held it up to my ear, but then he answered. "Val?" Chris questioned, "What's wrong." "Can you come get me." I sniffled. Chris cleared his throat, "Yeah of course, is everything alright?" "Not really." I smiled weakly, "Please can you come." "On my way right now." Chris reassured me. Silent tears streamed down my face, "Don't hang up, please." "Wasn't planning on it, I'm almost there."

Chris texted me when he arrived and I slowly stepped outside. It was raining hard and at every sound of thunder or lightening I jumped. I ran across my driveway and into Chris's car. He looked at me worriedly, "Hey, hey it's okay." "Thank you Chris." I said through tears, "Thank you so much."

"You got her?" Matt asked as Chris and I stepped through the door. Chris nodded, I guess that he told the other two boys because they were impatiently awaiting our arrival at the kitchen counter of their house. Nick handed me a blanket and I smiled at him. They didn't question why I was so upset or make fun of me for being afraid of a little storm. "Wanna watch a movie?" Chris suggested and I nodded, "I'd love to." Chris led me to the couch and scrolled around, "What do you want to watch?" "Hmm, something Disney." "Tangled?" "You know me so well." I grinned.

Throughout the movie my mood seemed to lighten and I hardly remembered that there was a storm going on outside. Chris and I sang along to the songs in the movie while Matt and Nick laughed and recorded. "You kinda look like Pascal." I told Nick. He threw a handful of popcorn at my face, "What's that supposed to mean?" I hit tried to throw some back at him, but missed and a piece landed in Chris's hair. Luckily the boy was too focused on the movie to notice.

Yet he did notice Nick and I'd laughter and turned around, "What?" "Val if you don't tell me-" The popcorn fell out of his hair and into his lap. "That was a big piece of dandruff Chris, you should get that checked out-" He held up a pillow and I shrieked, "Hey! Chris! No! Attack Nick, not me!" Chris smirked as he approached with the pillow and I shielded my self but the soft surface collided with my body. "That was weaker than I expected." I retorted and threw the pillow back at Chris.

After our pillow fight, Nick decided to go upstairs and Matt was asleep on the floor. Chris and I were both exhausted but decided to finish the movie. I fought to keep my eyes open and Chris yawned next to me. "Is it okay if I do this?" I asked, laying my head on his shoulder. I felt his body tense up but he replied, "Yeah, yes." Soon enough I had fallen asleep peacefully to the rhythm of his heartbeat.