The Opposite Of You Part II

Chapter 15

"You look so beautiful, your parents would be so proud," Ester says as I step out of the room. Curls in my hair, both my lips and dress match. "You're my mom too, I'm sure you're proud." I laugh.

Ding dong!

"I'll get it." Ester says, "it's not my date because I don't have one." She rolls her eyes before opening the door. "Who is it...oh."-

I pause as I get this urge to punch this person. "Isaac." He smirks, "hey, you think I was gonna miss my daughter's first prom?"

"You missed everything else," I mumble. "I deserve that. But you look beautiful, exactly like your mother." Ester blushes of red, I nudge her shoulder. "I mean that's nice." Isaac sighs, "can I talk to Aria for a moment?"

"No, I have to go have fun...be myself. I don't need."-

"Aria sit your ass down and listen." I close my mouth. "Thank you. I know I was wrong about the wife situation but I do care about you and Ester and I want to be a family and I can't do that if you keep pushing us away." I shrug, "Aria we love you and this isn't healthy." I roll my eyes. "For me it is. You're lucky I'm even talking to you."-

"You're not angry at me are you?" I look away. "It's that boy." I walk past him and exit the house.

Nick, Sara, Jake, and Vanessa stand across the street taking group pictures. Lucky sons of bitches. I lift my head up high, "have fun." Isaac yells standing in the middle of the doorway. "Oh, I will." I pick up my dress and continue to my car.

"She looks cute." Vanessa snarls, "oh stop being a bitch. You're just mad because Aria's managed to have two guys one of them being your ex to be in love with her." Sara says. "Why aren't you upset?" Sara shrugs, "I don't care. I just have my son. That's all I care about." Vanessa, "and it would be a shame to have your friend sleep with your ex and then to have her find out the boy she loves doesn't remember her." Sara smiles, "shut up and smile bitch." Sara pinched Vanessa's arm.

Once arriving at the dance I walked out into the hall digging through my purse, searching for a piece of gum. Gum helps me relax- controls my hunger.

Crash!

My forehead hits collides with this hard brick-like wall and I step back trying not to face this wall. "Sorry." The guy bends down and picks up my purse. "It's fine...It was my fault...what's your name."- he pauses as both he and I make contact. "Aria." Grabbing my purse, the movement of his lips turns into chatter of nothing. Simply different, you know that tongue-tied moment in the movies where the guy looks at the girl...the way she's always wanted to be looked at. He makes me blush as he tries to come up with words to say and then that blush turns into frustration. God, I hate him--how could I, love him? Even if he doesn't remember us it hurts...because it's always going to be one-sided.

"Well, I'm gonna go, thanks again."- he grabs me. "Aria you still didn't tell me what I did to you."

"It doesn't matter anymore. I'm over it." He wipes his face, containing his laughter, "obviously not, since, you clearly brought it back up."
"No you did but I'm not gonna say anything." Snatching my hand back I slap him. "Wow..did that make you feel better?" I take a deep breath. "Let it go."

"No! You know me! I want to know!"

"You didn't care then so why now?! Huh? I was dying inside and you weren't there! You didn't care! I was crying and hurting...and you ignored me. And yes, it bothered me because that's who I am. But you didn't fight for me. You let me go, all for your pathetic reputation! And it wasn't your fault I did this to me! I did that because I felt guilty for my parents' death and Sara who made the last couple of months at school a living hell! And oh did it hurt! It hurt like hell...and I wanted it to end. And I just sat there listening to Jake."-

I pause as tears crept up my eyes, "listening and wondering why I couldn't do it! I've already hurt myself! Why couldn't I do it? End my suffering and I."- I wheeze as a lump forms inside my throat, clotting half of my words. "And then I thought about my aunt, you, him, Vanessa. Everyone who ever cared about me...or at least I thought they did and I stepped away. Because I knew that I couldn't leave you all just yet. I was supposed to die that night but I didn't. What happened that night led me to you. A boy who I loved and who broke my damn heart. And I am sick and tired of pretending that everything is okay because it's not...I'm not okay." I swung my fist at him, he allows me to hit him as he sees my pain. Slowly, gently he rests his hands under watch my arms.

"No...don't touch me! I hate you!" I yell. His forehead rest upon mines. "I'm sorry, I hurt you Aria, I really am sorry...but at least now I can say I am so happy you told me." He cups my chin as he wipes my tears. Here comes that cliché line, "because at least I got to fall in love with you again." He pulls me into his arms. "No...I don't believe you. You're telling me what I want to hear. And if lying is what keeps us going I want no part of it. Just let me go so I can move on."

I walk into the ballroom, flashing lights, students pondering about. "Who's that girl?"

As I stepped onto that red carpet I felt different, maybe this is how Marylyn Monroe felt. I smile, I arch my back as I felt someone's hand rest their hand onto my back. "Hey." "Derek." I hug him, "you okay? You look like you were crying." I laugh, "I'm fine. Have a good night." He pecks my cheek and walks away.