I don't remember much after we started drinking the wine. All I know is that I woke up in my bed at 7 AM with my car parked in the driveway, keys on my desk, and phone on the charger.
A wave of nausea sets in, and I run to the bathroom and dry heave until my lungs hurt. I don't know if it was the wine or the realization that I don't remember how I got home.
I brush my teeth and enter the living room to see my parents laughing on the sofa. They see me, and my dad smiles at me with the biggest grin I've ever seen. I look at them with my brows furrowed.
"Did you and Isaac make any special plans for your birthday?" Dad asks me. He's acting like he knows something that I don't. I think about what Ambrosia told me, but shake it out of my head.
She's just some crazy girl.
We talk for a little bit about nothing in particular, before I pull myself away to get ready for school. I pull on a white sweater and a pink pleated skirt. I go to put on my pink converse, but then I see the Valentine edition Doc Martens that Isaac got me last year. I think about Ambrosia's boots on my dash and pull the platform shoes on, noticing that I appear three inches taller in my mirror.
I swing my backpack on my shoulder and walk out to the car, ignoring my mom when she asks if I want to skip school and go get my nails done. Weird. I open the door to my car, and an ornate red envelope rests itself on my dash where Ambrosia's shoes were- the dirt is still there. I think about licking it, but that would be gross.
'Cora: Come to the field during 3rd period.'
She has such a way with words.
I put the envelope and note in my glove box and back out of the driveway.
'She parked crooked,' I think as I get onto the street.
I think about how I got inside last night without my parents knowing.
I think about the idea of her sneaking me into my own room.
I think about her hair fading into silver as I get into the school parking lot.
Just as I'm about to step into the school, an arm cuts between me and the door.
"Wanna hear your birthday plan, babe?" Isaac says, smile present in his voice. I nod and follow him to a bench. I love him. I love him and anything else is a twisted fantasy.
He starts telling me about a giant party. A bonfire. The beach. Everything he mentioned before, but now with a date, time, invitations, and as he says "my greatest birthday present ever".
My mind goes over that a few times. I think about Ambrosia and her dream, but it's ridiculous. It's stupid that I'm even thinking about her. I've met her twice now, each time odd and one time I can't fully remember.
I don't really think about the party too much as I walk to class. My mind wanders to bitten lips and purple lipstick staining my neck. I nearly bang my head into my locker trying to get myself off that train of thought.
It's the second day of senior year and that crippling boredom and fatigue has already struck. While the teacher drones on, I can only think about Ambrosia- Isaac and his present not crossing my mind until people start to mention how "sick" the party'll be.
I think her rings would look beautiful if her hands were interlocked with mine. Her hair would be amazing if it was gripped in my hands, being pulled towards me, so I could get leverage on her. She's so tall. Maybe it's the shoes, but maybe she's just a goddess.
'A goddess. God! Stupid! Your boyfriend is planning you an amazing birthday and all you can think about is some creepy girl!' I think to myself, shaking my head.
Snap. Fingers are in front of my face.
"Cora? Are you paying attention?" The teacher asks. I can hear my classmates whisper and snicker like it's 3rd grade, but I ignore it. I tell her that I am, and she squints her eyes at me and goes back to talking.
People look back at me at my spot near the door. It's like I dyed my hair orange and purple. Sixty eyes looking at me without blinking.
I wish I had those deep brown ones to stare back into. The ones with the heavy eyeliner. Like a void with the prettiest bronze in the center.
