Stage Fright

Chapter 3 ~ The Break-In

Heather

"What took you so long?" Zeke asks and I shake my head, trying to shake off the odd encounter in the washroom. I hurried along to the cafeteria after that, ready to forget the whole thing and see my friends.

"I just went to the washroom." I tell him and he nods. "But I'm here now." I whisper and he nods, giving me a quick kiss.

"Move down." Zeke says angrily to Brady, the guy sitting in the chair next to him. He immediately gets up looking for somewhere else to sit and I sigh, feeling guilty.

"I could have just brought a chair over." I mumble and he shakes his head over.

"You're my girl Heather, nobody should be in your way." He insists and I roll my eyes. We were high schoolers not royalty, nobody had to move for me. "My girlfriend doesn't get extra chairs, other people give them up for her." I cringe hearing that, it sounded so aggressive. 

"Well I just......." I fade off when he gives me a warning look and I decide to change my angle. "Why get me another chair when I could sit on your lap?" I whisper and his expression changes instantly. He reaches under the table, putting his hand on my knee and I clear my throat.

"What are you up to tonight?" He whispers.

"N-nothing." I answer, knowing where his mind was going. I tried to avoid moments where Zeke and I were alone together for too long. Sex, he always brought up sex and I was never into it.

"Can I come over?" He asks, moving his thumb back and forth in small circles. "You know, now that daddy's gone on his business trip?"

"Oh.....um, that might not be the best idea. Eleanor's still there-"

"You live in a castle, Heather." He tells me. "She'd never even know I was there."

I start to get uncomfortable. I didn't really fill my shoes as a good girl gone bad, the problem was Zeke and everyone else thought I was much more of a rebel than I really was. I was so desperate to be different and prove myself I gave him the wrong impression. That I was some wild child that he couldn't control. That wasn't me at all, it's all a lie. I'm still nervous and quiet, I just try my best to fit in amongst my loud crowd.

"Heather?" I hear and I look away to see Julia sitting across the table from me.

Julia was one of the only people I could consider a real friend. I could trust her not to tell my secrets and we had a really tight bond. I felt so guilty about not seeing her enough over the summer, I spent so much of it with Zeke.

"Do you have any Advil?" She asks and I nod standing up from Zeke. He reaches out and grabs my arm and I furrow my eyebrows.

"I'll be right back." I mumble and he sighs, but lets me go. I walk around the table and rummage through my bag. "Shit I though I had it-"

"That's alright, I didn't really need it." Julia whispers. "You just looked a little upset and I figured I'd save you from whatever was going on over there."

"Thanks." I whisper and she smiles.

"What was he talking about?" She asks and I lower my voice.

"He wants to come over tonight." I mumble and she raises her eyebrows. 

"Well that sounds like fun." She says and I sigh.

"Yeah, I'm just.....not in the mood." I whisper and she nods.

"I get it." She says putting her hands up. "You need me to cover for you?"

"No, it's alright. I don't want him to think I'm avoiding him." I tell her and she sighs. I look over to see him eating his lunch with a purpose, like he hadn't eaten in years.