Heavy Is The Cost

Pity Party

"Birthday?" She repeated.

"That's... what I said," Jeremy said, an eyebrow raised.

"Today?"

"Yes?"

"Today's your birthday?"

"...Yes?"

Sarah slowly neared him, placing her hands on his shoulders, and then shook him fiercely, "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I just did."

"That's not what I meant!" She groaned.

He leaned back in his chair, "Well, what did you mean, then?"

"You didn't tell me before. I didn't get you anything."

His eyes went wide, "You were gonna get me something?"

"No," she said, "I just said I didn't get you anything."

"But would you of?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe."

"Okay," Jeremy began to fidget with his hands excitedly, "Well I was thinking..."

"You? Thinking? That's surprising."

Louder, "I was thinking, one of the football players-"

"No."

He whined, "You didn't even hear my idea."

"Well, it's taking you forever to spit it out."

"I WAS THINKING. The football player, Rory, I don't know if you know him or not. But he's hosting a party."

Sarah stared at him, unimpressed, "A party?"

"I can't have my own, so we should go."

"Why don't you just go to a school dance?"

"The next one isn't for a while, though," he said.

Sarah sighed, "Parties aren't all that. They'll probably have alcohol and stuff. I don't think we'd be very safe at a stranger's house."

"Whatever, mom. That's the point. I've never done anything like that before."

"Cut it out," She snapped, "I went to one once and it was the worst mistake of my life."

"Like a kid's party or a highschool party?"

"Which do you think?"

Jeremy crossed his arms, "What happened?"

"Like I'm telling you anything," she hissed. Apparently, Jeremy sensed the tension, because he refrained from asking any more questions about it. The teacher at the head of the classroom snapped, struggling to keep the students quiet. Right as the chatter had died down, however, the door opened, and Mike walked in late, causing the class to erupt with noise again. Mike sat down in his seat beside Jeremy and Sarah, who eyed him accusingly.

"What?" He asked innocently, "I got locked outside."

"Don't you have your ID badge?" Sarah asked.

He shrugged, "Dog ate it."

"You don't even have any dogs."

"Well, it's gone, that's the important part." A while passed, and after a short lecture from the teacher, the students were given time to work individually on their assignments. At first, the time passed silently.

Then, Jeremy pressed, "Do you really not want to go to the party?"

"No. I couldn't even if I wanted to. I'm still fighting with my mom."