"𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞"
"𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞"
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Things weren't supposed to be hard, Heather and Edward knew where their future lay. But a shadow from the past begins t...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Sitting at the edge of my seat, perched like a bird awaiting a flight, I wait for the return of Jay. Teresa sits opposite me, keeping herself busy with her valedictorian speech for graduation. Occasionally she glances up at me, offering a smile before returning to her work and I return to the cup of coffee I ordered. Other students come in and out of the new coffee shop, a few greeting us while we wait for a visitor who's always late.
"She has no time management." Teresa finally grumbles when the clock reaches 5:00, "I'm going to order another coffee."
"Alright." I turn my sight to the outside, watching the road for the gray minivan Jay drives.
The coffee leaves me jittery and achy, wishing she'd already arrived, hopeful for tonight when I'd get to unload my burden. When she'd support my uncertainty and tell me what I don't want to hear, with her in the house, the tension between me and Mom would ease up, and become relaxed. The air would become breathable again, I'd find some quiet in the hurricane, freedom from my fears.
As Teresa returns to our table, the headlights of a car beam into the small cafe. A blinding moment before my eyes register the bleach-blonde girl climbing out, excitement takes over me as I hurry out of the coffee shop into the parking lot and throw myself onto her. I'm filled with glee as I squeeze her in a hug, the long-lost friend having returned home.
"Heather, I can't breathe." She chokes out, attempting to pry herself free from my grasp. "I'm happy to see you too, but I won't be here with you if you suffocate me."
"Sorry." I let go as Teresa joins us in the parking lot, giving Jay only a quick hug.
"How come Tess is the only one who looks different?" Jay complains, "It's unfair. I still look sixteen despite being a legal adult now. And Heather, well, you'll always just be Heather."
"Thanks for that." I roll my eyes as we move back inside, allowing Jay to order a drink. "Although, I've considered dying my hair red. Maybe I need a change too."
"There's nothing wrong with looking the same, Heather. If it's not broken, don't fix it." Teresa shrugs as Jay gets her coffee and we crowd around the little table.
"Says the one who changed," I mumble. Maybe it is time to change my appearance and align how I look with how I feel. It feels like a betrayal to my younger self to hold onto her looks but dishonor her with my behavior.
"Is Edward into redheads?" Jay smirks, ignoring my glare.
"It's not Edward's hair, why should he have an opinion on the matter?" I snap, curling my hands into fists.
"Uh oh. Trouble in paradise." Teresa mutters, sharing a glance with Jay.
"No, it's not trouble in paradise, Teresa. I just, I don't know." I admit, smoothing down my hair against my neck. "Things are weird, ever since he came back from LA it's just been different."
"I'm not surprised, Heather. You two didn't end things the best, not that it was your fault, but most people don't get back together easily after something like that, if at all." Jay says, "I mean, it's not too late, you don't have to go to Alaska. I'm sure your mom would be fine with you going to the community college or somewhere else this fall."
If only it were that easy, I'd choose another path if I could. But my hands have been tied, there's no other life waiting for me. Just immortality. Were there another path, I'd be lying to say that I wouldn't choose it, at least strongly consider it. Even if that choice meant leaving Edward behind.
"No, it is. Everything's already paid for and planned for. College and Alaska aren't the problem, I just don't know if I love him anymore." Saying it almost makes me nauseous, the insides of my stomach churning with unease. I'm betraying him and his affection, just mentioning or thinking about it.
"Jesus," Teresa mutters. "But you went all the way to LA for him. You've ignored anything wrong anyone's said about him since his return. Like, you've been sneaking behind your mother's back to see him since she grounded you."
"I know." I squeeze my eyes shut, knowing how two-faced it sounds.
"Shit. You're not going to break up with him, are you?" Jay asks, both worried and curious.
"I don't know." Which isn't the answer to give when I've agreed to an eternity with him, forever a part of Edward's existence. Where he is a thorn that I can't seem to grasp and pull from my side, almost paralyzing my mind.
"Well, if it comes down to it, I'll beat Edward off with a stick." Jay shrugs, and Teresa nods in agreement. "Heather, you don't owe him anything. You know that, right?"
I don't respond, instead, I swallow hard and leave the table to throw away my empty coffee cup. My mind wanders to the struggles, our fights, and his unnerving loyalty toward me. Even if I wanted to leave him, I don't think I could. There's an invisible string that's tethered him to me, like gravity keeping me to Edward.
"Jay, what happened to that guy from the gas station you were talking to?" I ask, trying to turn the subject away from me, moving away from the dangerous line of secrecy. A suffocating line that I'm growing tired of.
"What guy, Jay?" Teresa asks, her eyes practically popping out of her skull.
"It wasn't a big deal, just this cute college student I met filling gas up once." She shrugs, toying with her coffee cup. "Well, I say cute, but the only thing going for him was his hair. Looked like it belonged in a shampoo commercial. What about you, Tess? How's Jared, has he proposed yet?"
"God, ew. If you think I'd one of those girls who gets married right out of high school then you're no longer my friend Joanna Pierce Ronan. Marriage is the last thing I have on my mind, I've got to get through college and then law school. And I'm trying to get Jared to go to college, even if it's just community college, he's making no progress working at the mechanic shop." Teresa states, using her hands to map out the future for her.
"You know, I'm gonna be completely honest, I'm going to miss high school." I struggle to stifle a laugh, receiving a glare from Jay. "Don't give me that, Heather. High school has been easy, and fun. Think of all the crazy shit we did together these past four years, it was the best. And now you're going to Alaska, Tess will be in Seattle, and I'm stuck in Portland for another four years. It'll be hell."
"Yeah, she's right, Heather. We did have a pretty great high school experience, who am I going to spend the holidays with? Who's gonna give me a discount at the Carver Cafe?" Teresa agrees with Jay, adding to the growing nausea. A reminder of the consequences I'll have to face and the relationships I'll leave behind. My vision begins to blur, tears springing free.
