Separated by a Screen (And Several Hundred Miles)

Chapter Nine

"Heather?"

I was slightly taken aback; I wasn't used to being acknowledged at the dinner table.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Isn't Homecoming this Friday?" she asked, and I died a little bit on the inside.

"Um, yeah.." My thoughts became a volley of PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GO PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GO PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME GO PLEASE DON'T MA-

"Well, then what day do you want to go dress shopping?"

I groaned a little. "Moooommmm," I said in the whiniest voice I could manage. "Can I just not go?"

"Heather, you've asked that every year, and every year you still end up having fun," my dad pointed out.

I was tempted to tell them that every year, when they had asked me how the dance was the next morning, I simply lied and left out the bit where I'd had an inevitable panic attack. Then again, that would require explaining my "little problem" to them, so I decided against it.

"It's your senior year," my mom said. "You'll regret it if you don't go."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine."

My mom smiled. "I get off work early tomorrow; do you want to buy a dress then?"

"Yeah, okay." I plastered a fake smile onto my face, which seemed to be enough for my parents.

"Anyways," my dad said to Mom, "did I tell you what happened at work today? Frank walked into my office..."

I stopped paying attention to the conversation, because I frankly did not care about Frank and whatever he was doing.

~~~

I messaged Luke as soon as I got back up to my room.

@heather_the_feather: r.i.p. me

@luke-warm-coffee: what's wrong?

@heather_the_feather: my parents are forcing me to go to homecoming

@heather_the_feather: like can I not

@luke-warm-coffee: refuse to go

@heather_the_feather: too late

@luke-warm-coffee: I'll kidnap you and hide you away until after homecoming

@heather_the_feather: honestly can you please? Homecoming is no on every level.

@luke-warm-coffee: I know. I'm so glad I don't have to go to dumb high school dances anymore.

@heather_the_feather: lucky bastard.

@luke-warm-coffee: I know :) but you only have a year left I believe in you!!!!1!1!1!1!1!1!!!11!!

@heather_the_feather: I appreciate the vote of confidence, although I'm not sure that's enough for me to survive senior year

@luke-warm-coffee: trust me; it is.

@heather_the_feather: if you insist

@luke-warm-coffee: I do insist.

I tried to think of a way to respond, but failed miserably. So, me being the socially inept person I am, I just didn't respond at all.

After a few minutes, I got a notification.

@luke-warm-coffee: you alright, Heather?

@heather_the_feather: oh, yeah. I'm fine; don't worry.

@luke-warm-coffee: I'll worry as much as I want to, thank you very much.

I rolled my eyes.

@heather_the_feather: wow, so stubborn.

@luke-warm-coffee: seriously, Heather. I do worry about you. I know there's something you're not telling me.

I froze. My hands started shaking, and I did my best to keep my breathing steady.

@luke-warm-coffee: I'm sorry, that sounded a bit rough. You don't have to tell me anything that you don't want to. I'm just saying that I worry quite a bit, and if you ever need to talk about anything to anyone, I'm here.

I was crying before I realized it. No one had ever offered help to me. Ever. Not even my parents. Now someone I'd known for an impossibly short amount of time was offering help. I wasn't ready to accept that help, not yet. But I appreciated it more than I could've imagined.

@heather_the_feather: I can't take you up on that offer yet, but thank you, Luke.

@luke-warm-coffee: I know you can't. I just wish you could.

I didn't respond. I knew that if I did, by the end of the night I would have spilled and told him everything, and I wasn't ready for that. Not yet, at least.

I wished I was.