Honey (Editing/Rewriting)

Chapter 10

Honey
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Sitting on her park blanket, Honey felt the cool breeze gently tousling her hair. For the past hour, she had been immersed in completing homework assignments and studying for tests. It was one of those days when she sought seclusion, needing time alone to gather her thoughts. She consciously kept her distance from everyone, including Kai, as thoughts of that night consumed her mind. The initial crush she had on him had deepened after their kiss, evoking emotions she struggled to put into words. She couldn't fathom how she could feel so strongly for someone she barely knew.

And Asha.

Poor Asha.

Guilt weighed heavily on Honey, hardly able to look Asha in her eyes at school today. Despite Asha's earnest efforts to establish a friendship, Honey's remorse made it difficult for her to reciprocate wholeheartedly.

Honey sighed.

With homecoming and her eighteenth birthday coinciding tonight, Honey realized she couldn't continue avoiding her friends. The expectation was to be at home, busily preparing for the festivities, but the temptation to sit this one out nagged at her thoughts. Isaac, Brielle, Asha, and Autumn had bombarded her phone with calls and messages, desperately trying to reach her, yet she remained steadfast in her decision to ignore them.

Honey closed her notebook, its pages filled with scribbled notes and doodles. She took a moment to savor the weight of the moment. This is her final year of high school, a chapter of her life about to come to a close. Determined to create unforgettable memories, she made a mental checklist: homecoming, prom, and all the other milestones she couldn't afford to miss.

Glancing at her phone, it was already five o'clock. She had a mere three hours to get herself ready. Tonight, she would be going with Isaac, who, like her, lacked a romantic date. Well, he did have a date, but he was still keeping it a secret from Kai.

Excitement bubbled within her about homecoming, but there was one thing that worried her, Kai being their driver.

Snapping her notebook shut, Honey hastily packed her essentials into her backpack. Slipping it over her shoulder, she strode down the quiet street, the evening air carrying a hint of hopefulness. Her phone buzzed incessantly with messages in the group chat. This time, she decided to respond, letting them know she was on her way home to retrieve her belongings. It had slipped her mind that they had agreed to get ready at Kai's place, adding another layer of hesitation to her decision.

Eventually, Honey pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. As she stepped through the front door, she was greeted by the comforting aroma of Sarah's cooking and her father who lay sprawled on the sofa in the living room, engrossed in the blaring television. Momentarily Loren crossed her mind. She rarely saw her these days, suspecting that Loren had taken on extra shifts at work to avoid their difficult father. It was a choice Honey fully understood and respected. She would be grateful if she had the same choice.

As a car horn blared outside, Honey gathered her belongings and made her way to the living room. Her father, now on his feet, stood by the window, his gaze fixed on something beyond the glass.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his tone carrying curiosity and disapproval.

"I already told you. It's homecoming tonight," Honey replied.