Everyone can believe in the idea of being innocent until proven guilty but when someone holds the evidence to prove your guilt, how long can you continue to run from your inevitable fate?
After moving to America in an attempt to escape her troubled...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Chapter 32:
It's Done
1 year ago, England...
9:00pm.
My finger pushes on the button hard as I stand in the cold waiting for her to answer. Emily's doorbell always had a habit of not working if it wasn't pushed in far enough. Considering she's been my best friend for the past 16 years, that's something I've had to learn almost every time I went to her house.
Pulling my dress down in an attempt to cover at least half of my thighs from the cold November night, Emily swings open the door.
"Lola! Come in!" She shouts over the loud music, moving to one side of the doorway so that I could enter.
"How are you birthday girl?" I ask excitedly, pulling her into a hug.
Emily's mousy brown hair tickles my shoulders as she embraces me. She smells the same way she always does, sickly sweet with the perfume she swears by daily.
"This is a gift from my mum!" I say, handing her two gift bags.
"How's your mum doing? You said that she was talking to you more now, like she used to?" Emily asks, concern written across her face.
My lips form a tight line and I shrug, trying not to give it too much thought. I don't want to tell Emily that my mum wasn't happy that I was going to yet another party tonight, the only reason she let me come was simply because it was Emily whose party it is.
"She'll be fine, eventually." I say; the finalisation of the divorce is the last thing that needs to be on my mind tonight.
Emily takes my hand and the two of us walk into her living room where the party is taking place. This room has always been the heart of Emily's home. The crumbling plaster from the walls and the worn out furniture show that it's been lived in. She's covered the light bulb in red paper which coated the room in a red tint.
Considering she'd invited most of our year from school, the room appeared fairly empty. Then again, we refused to invite the 'popular group', they don't like us in the same way we don't like them. The popular girls are just average, bitchy teenage girls who somehow are seen as royalty by the rest of the school. Our group is fairly wild and outspoken, we don't fit the typical mould which made us the popular group's number one enemy. This meant that we are never invited to their parties or allowed into their crowds. It didn't bother me that much, I love my friendship group. They've had my back this past year and half, we always have the best of times together.
From the other side of the room, I notice Lauren, Max and Jack making their way towards us. Lauren looks her typical self, her half black, half pink hair standing out from everyone else. Max is wearing a long sleeved polo shirt with a cigarette behind his left ear, his dark hair hangs low in front of his face, he's always been the best looking out of the boys in our group. He's hit on me a few times but after watching my parents' failed marriage, I don't even entertain the thought of a relationship.
