You Belong With Me

23

Thursday, April 29, 2021

The skin on my body burned into my bones as I stood in front of a big 2 story white house that stood directly in the middle of West Hollywood.
"Woah." My friend said breathlessly, as she came to stand by me. Her shoulder brushed mine as I took a step away from her.
"It's really big." I say exactly what she was thinking.
"Yeah, it's like a castle." She jokes.
"Are you just going to stand there or are you coming in?" My mom said as she walked towards as placing her hand around my shoulders hugging me.
"It's perfect." She whispers in my ear as my body goes cold. Holding my breath I let my mom lead me into the house which was hard because for some reason I forgot how my legs worked. As we entered the front door a big empty living room came into my view and it was breathtaking. The back door was glass and you can see over the mountains perfectly. There was nothing blocking the view. It was so lonely so quiet and empty. My mind goes dizzy as the arm around my shoulder, started sliding down my back. Feeling light headed I finally came to my senses as I take a step forward, my mom dropped her hand to her side, it finally leaving my body. I take my hand placing it on my right shoulder where hers once laid. Feeling sick I had to get out of here.
"Where's my room?" I say as I turn to face my mom taking another step away from her.
"Up stairs second room to the left, go check it out." She said like it was the coolest thing ever.
"Let's go." I say to my friend nodding towards the white staircase. My hand met with the staircase railing as I slowly walked up the steps.
"This place is HUGE!" My best friend whispered shouted at me.
"Yeah it is." I laugh shaking my head.
"I can't believe you're going to live here."
"Same." I agree nodding as I make it to the top of the stairs. Turning to the left I count 1 door before finding my room.
"I can't believe you're leaving me for this place!" Ariana smiles as I open my new bedroom door.
"Same, sucks to be me." I smile as I take a step into the huge empty room.
"Woah." Ariana says again.
"Yeah." I say looking around quickly before making my way to the huge double doors that sat at the end of my room. Quickly, unlocking the doors, I slide one open as I step out into my balcony that overviewed the backyard.
"This is crazy." I whispered to myself.
"Margo you got your own bathroom too!" Ariana giggle as she made her way to the outside balcony with me.
"This is pretty." She smiled.
"Yeah it really is." I agree with her.
"Don't forget about me okay?" She laughs as she leans her elbows on the railing of the balcony looking into the distance. My eyes find her side profile.
"I could never." I say, as I turn, so my back is leaning onto the railing, my eyes never leaving her side profile. She was so pretty. Her jawline was perfectly straight as her wavy hair hung around her ears pushed back into two messy braids. Her smile spread so wildly across her face. She looked so young, so free. It's like in that moment nothing mattered to her.
"Trust me it's gonna be hard not to forget about me living here." She laughs as for the first time since we picked her up our eyes meet. A soft took over her lips replacing the wide when she just had. She face looked more relaxed and comforting this way.
"Trust me, I couldn't forget about you. Never." I say, my eyes leaving hers as the eye contact becomes too much to hold.
"Not all the times I dropped you during cheer or the times we literally almost passed out after doing suicides." I laugh now looking into the field of grass in front of me.
"It's all in here." I finish my thoughts as I tap my fingers on the temple of my head.
"Promise." She whispers so quietly, I can only hear it.
"Yeah, I promise." I laugh.
"We are cheer trauma bonded for life." I add as a knock echo through the empty room. I quickly turn going back inside my room as I feel Ariana follow me I lower my head looking at my feet as I walk.
"Girls! The U-Haul trucks will be here in 1 hour till then we have pizza waiting down stairs!" My mom burst into my room, smiling bigger than a two-year-old on her birthday.
"Okay." I smile back at her.
"Thank you Miss.Rodrigo." My best says mirroring my mom smile.
"Of course Darling you're always Welcomed here after we are all moved in!" My mom smiles as she goes to hug my best friend making my blood run cold. Not because I was jealous of my mom hugging my best friend, but because my mom didn't ask to touch my best friend. It's just a hug, calm down. I tell myself as I take a deep breath. If Ariana felt uncomfortable, she would've said something. After a two second hug, my mom turns on her heels to lead us towards the kitchen. I let my mom catch the lead as I trail behind with Ariana.
"You okay?" I ask just under a whisper so only she can hear.
"Of course! You?" She asks back in my same tone.
"Always." I speak a little louder with a smile nodding my head hoping that I'd believe myself more than her.

-

After we ate the U-Haul truck got here within the hour and Ariana helped me unpack most of my box's the second the men were finished carrying them up to my room. A little after 11pm we were finally parked outside Ariana's house.
"Thank you for helping me." I say once again as I hear her remove her seat belt.
"Anytime!" She giggles.
"See you soon okay?" She says as she opens the door.
"Yes, really soon!" I agree as she steps out of the car.
"Bye Margo!" She smiles.
"Goodbye Ariana!" I smile back as she closes her door before making her way to her house. I feel bad not getting out of the car and walking her. But part of me couldn't I knew if I left my seat she would've wanted to hug me goodbye and I just couldn't. I wave as she closes the door behind herself after she sends me a quick smile. My sister starts the car up as my phone vibrates in my back pocket. I quickly pulled it out, knowing exactly who it was.

Jay • 11:12 PM
I'm here. Text me when u are.

I glance at my phone, returning to face my sister.
"Can we swing by Kelly Park before we go home?" I ask knowing she'll say yes.
"What for." She shoots back like venom. Not the response I thought I was going to get. I knew better than anyone her boyfriend would be there playing basketball. It was an every night type of thing. She snuck out of our room all the time half pass 11 to meet him there.
"I want to say goodbye to a friend." I say back halfway begging she'll say yes.
"Fine but I'm waiting in the car." She says bitchy.
"Thank you!" I reply as a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. Within 5 minutes my sister had her car back in park as I take off my seatbelt and opened the door.
"It'll be 5 minutes no longer I promise." I smile at my sister.
"I'm leaving if you're not back in 5." She says as her eyes burn into mine.
"Okay." I say as I quickly close my door, jogging over to a tree on the opposite side of the park we were parked at. Pulling my phone out of my back pocket I sent a quick text to Jay to tell him I'm here but before I can put my phone away, I'm met with a voice I know a little too while.
"She finally shows her face." Jay said as he comes out from behind the tree I was standing in front of.
"You shouldn't sneak up on people." I say as I turn to face him.
"You shouldn't ditch your friends." He shoots back.
"Yeah, sorry about that." I whisper not wanting to talk about it.
"If it's about the fight no one will bring it up. I promise." He says as he shoots me a smile.
"Yeah something like that." I say back.
"Do you have it?" I say as I meet his eyes.
"I was really surprised when I got the text Little Margo." He laughs as his hands dig into his back pocket.
"Margo texted me for some smokes? Never thought I'd see the time of day." He says as he hands me a pack of cigarettes and some pre-rolls.
"You're a fucking life saver." I say thankfully.
"Have you been an addicted all this time and I'm just finding out?" He asks staring into my soul.
"Me? No but it's never too late to start." I say as I put my items into the front pocket of my hoodie. God knew I needed to start now.
"Be careful Margo. Once you're hooked you've a goner."
"I know. I've just been so stressed with the move. I don't know what to do with myself. Thought these could help you know?" I say feeling helpless.
"Yeah I get you." He nods understanding.
"I got to go, thanks Jay." I say as I hand him a 50.
"It's on me Margo." He says as he shakes his head.
"Jay I can't let you go that."
"Just come to school tomorrow okay? That's all I ask for. It's getting boring without you." He smiles sweetly at me. I look down at the 50 dollar bill in my hands before I tuck it into his hoodie pocket.
"Goodbye Jay." I say as I turn not looking back.