Hey There, Sunshine

chapter two

I'd spent the entirety of summer vacation on my bed watching bad rom-coms on Netflix while eating junk food and crying every single chance I got. I had ignored every single text or call I got from Lucas. He had tried to come over a few times over the break, but every time my mother would come to my aid and make an excuse as to why I couldn't see him.

However, today that wouldn't be the case. Today was the first day of school and I had to face him despite spending the entire summer hiding from him.

My summer wasn't entirely pathetic, Emily had come over a few times and we went to the movies, the mall, to the spa, and other places that had made me temporarily forget. I was less hurt by what had happened at the bonfire, instead, I was scared and embarrassed. Scared, because what did this mean for our friendship seeing as I had avoided him all summer due to the humiliation of my actions.

Even Rosa had sent me a cryptic text telling me that Lucas was a d-bag who couldn't see that I was the perfect girl for him. She'd called us the vomit inducing golden couple, and I had just thanked her for the backhanded compliment. It was the best she could really do given her distaste for all things me.

Dylan had tried to help Lucas and I reconcile, but aside from the night of the bonfire we'd never been really close to each other so I'd taken his futile attempts not so seriously. Dylan was just Emily's brother and Lucas' friend, he didn't mean a lot to me.

Someone that I had grown a lot closer to over the break was Veronica. She didn't know anything about Lucas and me, aside from the fact that we were friends. I liked having one person who didn't know me as the dumb airhead who had been rejected by the only guy she ever had a shot with – and the only shot I had with Lucas was if he felt enough pity to go out with a loser like me.

We had spent a good chunk of the summer just hanging out and taking, she'd taken a liking to Ben which wouldn't sit well with Rosa. While Rosa would never get with Ben, it wouldn't fly with her if any other girl tried to date him. He was well and truly off limits where she was concerned, besides Ben wouldn't fool around with anyone because he was so in love with Rosa.

I had come to the realization that Ben was a lot like me, and while Lucas would never be as nasty as Rosa – the rejection had cut deep. Ben and I were both destined to love the people that would never feel the same about us.

I pulled on our school's uniform that consisted of a white polo shirt that fit a little snug and a plaid kilt that we all loved to hike up a little too much. I didn't bother putting on the vest or cardigan because it was still unbearably hot in September and I didn't want to be a sweaty mess along with the total mess that I was already.

I put my dark blue silk ribbon through my hair and added last minute touches to my makeup. As I spritzed myself with the Bath and Body Work's Pink Chiffon perfume, I practiced a fake smile in the mirror. This would be the smile I shot Lucas if he saw me today. I'd tell him that my mother wasn't lying every single time she said I was at my grandparent's house. I'd tell him I was mortified because I'd make such a stupid confession while I was clearly intoxicated. I don't know if Lucas would believe that given I hadn't even had a single sip of anything that night or if he would believe it because it would be easier that way.

"Natalie, if you don't hurry up you're going to miss the bus." My mother stuck her head through my door, a cup of piping hot coffee in her hands as she was still in her pyjamas, "Today's my day off and I'm not going to spend it hauling you to school, so let's go."

"Can I get lunch from the cafeteria?" I asked her as I flung my school bag over one shoulder. I gave her a kicked puppy look and she just rolled her eyes.

"Only today, you know that five dollars in cafeteria money tends to add up to a lot at the end of the month."

"I promise. Plus, I never break my promises." I smiled at her. I felt a little surge of hope and so I promised myself that I would get through this Lucas dilemma with my heart still intact – I owed it to myself.