Eyes of Blue Flame

Chapter 17 - It's Always Complicated With Ash

Chapter 17 - It's Always Complicated With Ash

It was a couple of days later. I saw sitting in Lucy's room when she brought up a topic I had been hoping to forget about, and thus have an excuse to miss it. The New Years Party.

"I want to go," she said. "I know it's formal and all, but still. Mom and Dad and Dakota can go. It just feels like sometimes they never do anything for me at school other pay the bills and make sure I'm doing all right. I know most people are like, 'Ew, oh my, god! My family at my school? No!' but because we go to a boarding school, I don't get to see them as much as I want, especially since Dakota graduated-and don't take it wrong; I still love you!"

"Thanks, Lucy," I murmured. "I love you too." I started to wonder about the party. What would it be like? Would anyone else go? What about the kids who can't afford to go home? I thought about Ash, Roger, and Kellan. Are they staying? They have no where else to go...besides hell.

"Kate?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah?"

"You were spacing out," she said. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I promised. "Have you told Uncle Jack and Aunt Michelle about it yet?"

"No-but I'm going to right now!" She leaped off her bed to her feet and flew out. "Mom! Dad! Can we go to the New Years party at school? We can eat here and stuff, but later, can we please, please go to the party?"

~

I sighed, gently letting my head falling back against the Salt Lake Boarding High School gym wall. I had a cup of punch in one hand and a pair of heels borrowed from Lucy that Aunt Michelle insisted I wear.

For a while, I had been fine with simply watching my family having a good time. Aunt Michelle and Uncle Jack were talking to the faculty and other parents. Dakota was catching up with one of her friends who was also an alumni from the boarding school. Lucy was with her new friend Gina. They were happy and so I was happy. For a while.

I saw no one I knew besides my aunt, uncles, and two cousins. I didn't really have any friends anyways so I knew I couldn't get angry or be surprised. I knew I shouldn't have expected Ash, Roger, and Kellan to be there. It had been a tiny, stupid, pointless feeling of hope.

I finished the cup of punch before walking across the hard gym floor in bare feet. This time there was no dance floor or dee-jay. There weren't any partying students. In fact, there weren't many people at all. Everyone else was doing the norm for this time of year: on vacation and/or with family.

There was, however, glitter sprinkled all over the snack table under and around the food plates. It had blown everywhere. There were balloons and a few flashing lights. A TV had been set up so we could watch New York on New Years. It was 10:45, and only a few people were watching the TV.

I tossed the cup and strode outside for some fresh air. The gym held my least favorite memories anyways. PE class. The kidnapping. Coach Hector.

I took a deep breath of the cold night air. In a strange way, the chill that went through my body felt amazing. It gave me a sense of being alive without the adrenaline. I was animate yet relaxed.

"You came."

"Oh!" I put my hand over my mouth but it didn't stop the surprised shout from escaping my lips. I looked at Roger as he came up to my side.

Roger looked at the ground, his hands, the trees, the moon, anything but me as he talked. "Listen, I just wanted to apologize about the whole dance thing. It was out of line. I guess I got carried away...again."