A Graveyard of Stars

Chapter Twelve

MERRY CHRISTMAS! ♡

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His screams filled the neighborhood

I wake up with a jolt, my heart plummeting as I stare heavy-eyed at the white ceiling above me.

The ceiling?

The light blue walls and Shia LaBeouf GQ magazine poster help conform that I'm in my bedroom, tucked comfortably under the covers on my bed.

Sunshine spills into the room from my window and enlightens everything around me. Sitting up and pushing the covers away from my body is a lot harder than it sounds. It feels like a marching band is holding practice inside my brain. I let my legs dangle off the side of the bed, my toes playing with the soft carpet. I see I'm still in my lovely dress from last night.

I step into the bathroom, cringing from the cold tiles. When I get in front of the mirror, I realize why I feel so bad. I look worse.

My hair is frizzy and wild. My blue eyes make me look like someone who has lived a thousand years, rather than seventeen. But the best part of my whole appearance are the gashes on my left cheek bone. I lightly trace my fingers over them, coming to the conclusion that they're not deep enough for stitches. There's no blood around them either, meaning someone must've cleaned me up.

The events from last night begin swimming back to me. My Mom, the banquet, Richelle, the tree house. Finally breaking down and feeling like I couldn't pick myself back up.

How did I end up back here though?

I change out of the dress, into some soft sweatpants and a t-shirt before returning to my spot under the covers, cross-legged. Ten minutes go by of watching specks of dust float effortlessly throw the sunlight till there's a knock on my door.

I grunt, and the door cracks open. Will Conway pokes his head in. "Breakfast?" He asks. His hand comes into view, holding a breakfast muffin.

I chuckle and nod.

Will sits on the edge of my bed and hands me the muffin. I begin unfolding the wrapper.

"Banana Nut?" I ask just to have something to say.

He nods.

The room is quiet as I chip off pieces of muffin and pop them into my mouth. I eventually remember something from last night that I know has to be true. "Thank you," I say abruptly and look at him.

He glances at the muffin. "Your Mom's the one who bought them. She said they were your fav-"

I shake my head and squash a piece of Banana Nut muffin between my fingers. "No, not for the muffin. I meant for....helping me last night."

He shrugs. His eyes shift slightly and I feel the pressure of his gaze on the cuts under my eye. "A little too late."

"How did you even find me?"

"I found your heels at the end of the block, than I saw you in that tree house, heard the crash."

Mortified. Humiliated. Embarrassed. Call it what you want. That's what I'm feeling.

"Actually, I came here first," he continues, looking away as he recalls the events. "But your Mom said you took off. She was..." Will struggles for words, causing me to grow more curious. "She was pretty worried about you."

I try imagine my Mom kicking everyone out of the house and having Will help search for me. Than cleaning me up when I'm found and tucking me into bed.