Lost in the moment

1| Dearest Amy

I startle awake at the sound of my alarm blaring. I glance out the window. Perfect. I rush into my dad's old flannel and a pair of ripped jeans. A pang of guilt stabs through my broken heart at the thought of my father, but I quickly shrug it off. I grab my professional-grade camera and head on out the door, sprinting to make it to my favorite spot in the woods in time.

I make it there just as the sun begins rising. I sit there, vigilant, as I wait for the perfect time for the shot. I pose my camera and take it. The sun hits the perfect spot right as the picture is captured. I take a quick peek at the result, and put down the camera, trying to remember how to breathe. It was one of those majestic moments that says, 'I am so beautiful you'll forget how to breathe easily'. 

I look at my wristwatch. 6:30. I jog back to the house, getting ready for school. By 7, I'm showered and dressed in a crop-top and some blue jeans. I grab my blue camo converse and braid my hair down  my back.

I take a piece of toast from the table, and kiss my mom goodbye. "Have a good day, sweethart." Mom pauses for a second, and speaks again right before I walk out the door. 

"And Grace honey?"

"Yeah, mom?"

She hesitated. "If you see any bad boys out there, just remember that the walls are not soundproof. Just remember that." She wiggled her eyebrows at me and grinned.

I groan. "Mom..."

She points a finger at me. "Don't you dare miss the bus."

I sigh, and right on cue, the bus pulls up in front of my house and the driver, Ms. Becckah, honks the horn. "C'mon, kiddo!"

"On my way, Miss B!"

----~----

I wake up to feel my shoulder being shaken by Cassie, my bus buddy. Weird. I don't usually fall asleep on the bus. She pulls my arm.

"She up yet?" Calls miss B from the front of the bus. 

"Yeah, I'm up." I say in a rough voice, and feeling sticky stuff on my cheek. Crap. I had been drooling. Again.

I look at Cassie and smile sweetly. "Thank you for waking me up, Cass." I say, and she blushes slightly. 

"Only for the most beautiful girl in high school." Upon seeing the look undoubtedly written all over my face, she paused. "All the guys talk about these days are your curves, your eyes, your hair, and more..." she took in a breath, "disturbing things."

I cringe. "Get off the flippin' bus!"

I startle. "Yes, Miss B!"  I grab Cass' arm and pull her off the bus. When we're off the bus, I head down to the cafeteria to meet up with Amy, my best friend, we've been through so much together...

"GRACE!" Amy screams, running towards me, red curls bouncing. 

"Oh crap, what did I do this time, Amy?" I chuckle as she tackles me. "You saw me yesterday, silly." I tap my chin, portraying a fake confusion. I was best in my drama class. "Though you did seem a little... hungover yesterday, so I doubt you'd remember."

"YOU didn't do anything. It was Audrey. Again. And Jordan. I... I had to, Grace." I embrace her when I see the sadness in her eyes. She broke up with Jordan. Amy and Jordan had been together for what seems like forever, but he was just a pain in the butt. 

She starts sobbing and I rub her back, making soothing sounds. "Shhh, It'll be okay." I pull her face up to look at mine. "I promise."

She sniffles. "Really?"

I nod curtly and put on a serious face. "You know what this means."

Amy's eyes go wide. "W-what?"

My eyes soften a bit. "You gotta throw a party. This weekend. I can send out invitations."

She relaxes and puts on a devilish smile. "Okay, but under one circumstance."

I give her an amused glance. "And what would that be, madam?"

She smirks. "You have to come."

I'm about to deny when she says, "And I'M dressing you and doing your makeup and that jazz."