You Belong With Me

9

March 27, 2021

As I looked at myself in the mirror in front of me I took a deep breath before my hands trace the sides of my body. The dark blue sparkly dress that ended at my mid thighs, hugged my body tightly as I wished I could have hit the gym a couple more times before today.
"My sister's first homecoming! Are you ready!" My sister said as she peaked around my shoulder so our eyes could meet in the mirror.
"Yup!" I say breathless trying to make myself seem as not nervous as I can.
"You got this, let's go!" my sister, says as she places her hands on my shoulders, shaking me lightly before turning around and walking out of our room. I grab my lip gloss putting a light coat on my lips before following the path my sister once took. My house is really small and honestly, we didn't have the money for school events like this. I don't think I would even be going to homecoming if it wasn't for Liam buying my ticket. I also took extra shifts at the town's mall to afford my dress and if it wasn't for my sister throwing in an extra 20 and my employee discount, I don't think I could've bought it. I looked so fake. My hair was curled perfectly and my make up was applied flawlessly as I wore an expensive dress, you couldn't imagine that I go home every night to a shit hole of an apartment but hey atleast I have a roof over my head right? My dad with his new promotion was hardly ever home and my mom always found herself busy shopping or doing other stuff to keep her mind off where my dad was. We don't really ask my dad about his work. We know he works for an electric company but once you get him started, he'll never shut up so we just leave him be. I close the door to my family's quiet apartment behind me as I ran to get into my sister's new car. My family was never used to being split up. We were always together for the most part but since my dad is now always away for work, he tries to make up for it by buying a stuff for us, like my sister, Alice, at the ripe age of 20 has finally got her own car but that's not it. My dad is constantly trying to buy me new books and find a way I guess to buy my love now that he's not here. I don't mind it. I try to stay away from that. I don't need his money. I haven't talked to him since the night he tried to offer to buy my homecoming dress, it felt like he didn't believe I can do it. I get it. He got his new job. He got his money and he wants to provide for his family, but he doesn't have to walk around like an asshole, pretending he's the only one who can do it. If I wanted to, and I will get out of this shit hole by myself I don't need his help and I don't need anyone else's.
-
After arriving to my high school, I went to meet up with Liam where we took a couple of pictures together before he left me all alone. We haven't talked since our little fight last night. I think it's dumb. I think he's dumb. He's so childish, while we were taking pictures my eyes couldn't leave his black eye. He got from the fight last night at the party. I didn't even want to go. He dragged me there and he left me alone just like he's doing again tonight. As I sit in my chair, my legs crossed in front of me cold as a light breeze hits my shoulder, I look at the full dance floor, before my eyes are met with the table in front of me thats empty, what am I doing I shouldn't be here. This isn't for me. Music screamed in the background, begging to be heard as my phone vibrated in my hand. I turn it over looking at it.

Snapchat • Friend Request - Ariana.Brooks

My lips are quick to form a smile before I'm shaking my head to myself, fucking Ariana. I haven't heard or seen that name since 2019. We used to cheer for the same company, but she just kind of quit shortly after Covid happened and because we were so young, we had no way of communicating with one of other so we kind of just lost touch and that was that. Up until right now I think I forgot the name Ariana Brooks existed. Before I can click on the notification to accept her friend request I'm getting tapped on the shoulder, breaking me out of my trance.
"Hey Mar," the person stops before taking a seat next to me in one of the many empty chairs I'm sat next to. I look up before I'm met with a face I know a little too well.
"Jay!" I say with a smile.
"What's a girl doing alone at a dance?" He says as he reaches in his pocket to grab his pack of cigarettes.
"I'm just waiting for Liam, he's gone to the restroom." I somewhat lie. I knew he wasn't in the restroom, but that's what he told me about an hour ago.
"Mhm." Jay says, as he nods his head reading straight through my lie, he places his cigarette between his lips, lighting it.
"Why are you over here when you should be with your date." I ask changing the subject.
"I can't smoke out in the open can't I?" He says slyly.
"We are out in the open." I bite back.
"That's where you're wrong. We are in a dark corner of this party. You're more hidden than everyone else. Which I don't understand why." He says pulling the cigarette out of his mouth before blowing the smoke towards me.
"I told you I'm waiting for Liam." I say back.
"Anything that makes you feel better Princess." He smiles placing the cigarette back between his lips.
"Can I have one?" I ask nodding towards his cigarette.
"A cigarette?" He questions. I slowly nod my head as my eyes meet him to tell him I'm being serious.
"Okay." He says as he puts his hands up in surrender before his hand is digging back into his pocket and he is pulling a cigarette out for me. I haven't smoked since that one night I took a hit of Andrew's cigarette but that was a one time thing. Yes, Andrew is always offering me cigarettes here and there at my dad parties but I've never said yes. Until right now I never thought of placing a cigarette for myself in between my lips, but that was exactly what was happening as Jay raised his hand, and put the cigarette between my lips before lighting it for me. I take a deep breath as the smoke feels my lungs with a burning sensation I shut my eyes as I placed the cigarette between two of my fingers. Feeling Jay's eyes burn into my head I blow out the smoke, trying everything in me not to cough. To not get any more of Jay's attention I put the cigarette back between my lips as I let it rest there before reaching for my phone and accepting Ariana's friend request.
"Margo Rodrigo smoking at homecoming that's something I never thought would happen." He laughs shaking his head before putting out his cigarette.
"I'll see you later Mar." he smiles before leaving.
-
After about an hour of sitting in the dark corner of my school's homecoming dance, I finally get up and make my way to leave. I should've never came here. Lucky for me my sister was okay with picking me up 4 hours earlier than what she was supposed to. I don't know what I was thinking coming here, my heels click on the floor as the music faded in the background as I got farther making my way towards the exit before I'm met with a familiar pair of brown eyes. Liam stares straight at me as his smile is wiped, clean off his face as my eyes quickly flick to the girl whose lips are sucking on his neck, disgusting. I shake my head before turning on my heels getting out of that place as fast as I could. He didn't do anything. I don't know what I was expecting. It's not like I actually had feelings for him or vice versa. I think we were both kind of dating just because of the standards and it was right, but it did hurt a little. I was just lucky that I didn't have to wait and my sister was already out in the parking lot at the front of the school, I couldn't wait to get home. I needed to get as far as away from here as I could.