I lead Jana up to my room, though I'm sure she remembers where it is. It is the same as it was last year, white walls and carpeting, white furniture, and white bedding with delicate purple flowers on it.
"You haven't changed a thing," she murmurs and wanders inside, looking up my bookcase.
"No, I didn't feel like it," I tell her while sitting down on my bed.
"Sorry about what happened at Knocks, Harrison usually doesn't go there so I thought it would be okay."
I shake my head. "Don't be sorry. How would you have known? Stuff just happens."
The house is quiet, as my mother is at work. She has a job at the local police station, obviously enough she is a police officer. It is silly, actually. Since she is a police officer, I expected her out of everyone to believe me. I was drunk, though, that didn't help.
Jana sits down on my grey bean bag chair, the one I used to sit on every night and cry. I suppose the color suits it. Though, seeing someone as bright as Jana on it makes the bad memories fade. "You know, Hailey, I didn't believe you at first, and I'm sorry for that. I didn't understand back then."
"I didn't know you believed me at all."
"I do know, after seeing him, how he just came up to you, how he called out as we were leaving. I don't know, it seemed off. I believe you, Hailey. I think I have for a while. I should have shown you my support last year. When you told me about it, it frightened me, I didn't think someone like that could go to my high school, you know?"
I nod. "I understand. If I were you I would have acted the same. How could that happen to our town, right? Everything here is supposed to be perfect."
Jana smiles. "Let's talk about something happy. You need cheering up. How was your first day back?"
"Besides Daphne giving me a hard time and a few other students, it was okay. I actually bumped into this guy before you grabbed me, but I didn't recognize him. He was tall, built like a football player but he doesn't seem like one, ridiculously good looking—"
Jana's face changes, as if she knows something I don't know. "Oh, I know who you're talking about."
"Who is it then?"
"That tall drink of water would be Daniel Todd, he moved here last year, after you left oddly enough. All of the girls have crushes on him, it's pretty funny to watch them watch him. You can see the daydreaming in their eyes," she explains. "You know what! Daphne totally went after him, but he showed no interest in her, it was great entertainment to watch her try so hard."
I furrow my brows. "You're no longer close with Daphne?"
"Heck no. After you left we stopped talking as much, and our friendship eventually died. I don't miss her though. She's turned into a sourpuss." Jana combs through her hair with her fingers, brushing it from her face. "She's with some football dumbbell right now. Though I think she's chasing Harrison, since Daniel won't even smile at her she must have moved on. I'm a people watcher."
"You don't say?" I joke and fall back onto my bed. "I don't know how I'm going to survive this year."
Jana scoffs. "Um, you have me?"
"Promise?"
"Like you never left."
The next day I battle through Economics with Daphne, though she doesn't say much. Our communication consists of her giving me dirty looks. Mr. Freeman constantly reminds me of Mr. Russ, which is another problem, and I begin to consider dropping the class.
When I make it to lunch I find Jana, which is much better than yesterday since I spend all of lunch sitting in the library reading a random book on adaptation. I spot her at a table off to the right, and I hurry over. There are two other people sitting down with her, and I grow nervous to approach them.
"Hey, Hailey, this is Taylor and Jordan," Jana introduces me and I smile kindly.
Taylor is incredibly pretty and she is dressed very crisp, her cream sweater compliments her dark skin tone beautifully, and each of her curls are neat and tame. I begin to feel like a slob compared to her.
Jordan sits fairly close to her, and by their body language, I can tell they're a couple. Jordan has a track shirt on, telling me he is on the high school track team.
I sit down beside Jana. "It's nice to meet you."
Jana tells me more, "Jordan is a senior and Taylor is a junior. I met Taylor through Jordan. They've been together since the summer."
"Well, you too look lovely together," I smile again, wondering if I should stop or not. Maybe I look creepy, maybe I look sweet.
"Hailey here just moved back from Florida, and she has already discovered Daniel."
My cheeks flush and I stare at Jana, wondering why on earth she just told them that.
Jana laughs. "Jordan is friends with him."
"Our moms worked together," Jordan explains, "he's a pretty cool dude, but he steals all the girls."
Taylor nudges him.
"Not that I care," he adds. "He's kinda private, that's why no girl gets far with him. They all want a relationship, but he doesn't share. You know, I would really appreciate if you would stop pulling me in on your girly conversations."
Jana's face lights up. "Speaking of the devil."
I follow her eyes and find myself looking at Daniel as he walks coolly into the cafeteria. There is something so effortless about his movements, but he never stumbles or runs into anyone. He heads our way and my heart begins to race.
I turn back around and wait for him to reach us, my leg bouncing up and down.
It is weird to act like this again. Ever since Harrison, ever since Mr. Russ, I've been turned off by most guys, having no interest at all. I know it is because my incident with Harrison was traumatizing, and my situation with Mr. Russ was wrong on so many levels. After Harrison, I had planned on staying away from boys all together, heck, if they came near me I would freak out. In Florida, I felt like someone else, lying to myself, convincing myself that the guys were cute—something teen-like.
Mr. Russ—well, I don't like talking about it, nor Harrison, but Mr. Russ was an adult. They aren't equal, but they both left a major dent on me.
The crushing thing is, I had no one to talk to. With Harrison, no one believed me. With Mr. Russ, well, I was a minor, and he wasn't. Why did I choose to protect Mr. Russ? Perhaps because our feelings for each other were mutual most of the time. He was rather gentle and soft-spoken, it helped a bit, but not enough.
Like I said before, I'm ashamed of it.
Daniel reaches us and I glance up casually. His eyes pour down to me, he studies me, then he turns to Jordan. "Are you going to Watts' tomorrow?"
"I don't know, why?"
He shrugs. "People keep asking me about it."
Jordan turns to Taylor. "You down to go to Watts'?"
She nods. "Sure, how many people?"
"It's probably a small thing," Daniel tells her, and I watch the conversation with extreme interest. What is Watts'? And why do I suddenly want to be there if Daniel is going to be there?
Taylor looks to Jana. "You wanna go?"
Jana looks to me. "Let's go."
I have no one to look to, and I struggle. "Uh, I—sure?"
Daniel looks to me again, and I don't know why, but I enjoy it. Stupidly, a blush seeps to my cheeks and I turn away before I embarrass myself.
Once Daniel is gone I glance at Jana. "What is Watts'?"
"He's a guy on the football team. He throws these really laid back pool parties."
"Oh, a party."
Jana assures me, "it's really not a party, more of a small kickback."
Lovely.
"Do I have to wear a swimsuit?" I ask Jana as I sit on her bed, waiting for her to come out of the bathroom."Itisa pool party," she calls, "I mean kickback, a pool kickback."I grab one of her pillows and set it on my lap. Jana's room is colorful and cozy, and being in here makes me feel happy. She has plenty of pictures, school merchandise, decorations, things that truly make this room that of high school girls. The last time I saw it, she had a mirror hanging on her door where we used to write in lipstick, only because we thought it made us edgy. Now thinking about it, I laugh a little.Jana comes out in a white bikini, showing plenty. She looks amazing in it, incredibly confident. "Perfect," I call and she waves me off.
The night carries on and thekickbackmoves inside. Those who swam now have towels wrapped around them, and Trent Watts, the host, is now visible. I didn't recognize his name, but I remember him from just one glance. He was not popular, nor unpopular, sort of like me. I suppose he now has these pool parties going for him, it must have put him on the map.Music plays softly in the background as I curl up next to Taylor and Jana. Trent has the fireplace going, and I wonder where his parents are. We are in the living room, and soon enough Jordan comes in with Trent himself and Daniel. My posture lifts up a bid at the sight of him."What you up to?" Jordan asks Taylor and she shrugs, almost falling asleep against my arm."She's worn out," Jana murmurs and throws her head
I walk into the cafeteria with my backpack hanging from one shoulder, ready to fall off. I catch a glimpse of Jana, Taylor, Jordan, surprisingly Trent, and even Daniel sitting at the lunch table today. In my head, I thank God for it. I like to look at him, which seems stalkerish, but I can't help it. They are schoolgirl thoughts, it's a schoolgirl crush, and it will never happen."Hailey Fonte, you just won't give up, will you?"My eyes freeze at a spot on the floor, it is tiled, white with black speckles. I know that high voice all too well, and I know better than to flee. The cafeteria is silenced by her.Glancing up, slowly, I see her long platinum hair. Her hand is on her hip and her white t-shirt glows with the words: Coldgrove Dance Team.
As I lay on my bed, my phone rings. It's Jana. I answer and hold the device to my ear. "Hello?""Finally," she groans, "you should really answer my texts. Talking on the phone freaks me out.""It freaks you out?"She ignores me. "Something happened between Harrison and Daniel—""What," I interrupt her and swiftly sit up."Should have answered the texts, you would have known about this much sooner," she scolds me, but I could care less at the moment."Just tell me what happened."I hear her take a deep breath. "Jordan heard from Bradley that Daniel confronted Harrison in the l
The sixth-period bell rings, releasing us from the classroom. Everyone shuffles out, eager to move onto the last class of the day. Mrs. Hilliard, my English teacher, says her short goodbyes to the students passing her desk. They chime in my ear as I pack up my things."See you tomorrow.""Goodbye.""Don't forget to revise chapter twelve.""Quiz on chapter twelve is Friday."I sling my backpack over my shoulder and walk past her, but she stops me. "Hailey, you got a great score on your quiz last week, best out of all my classes." She places the perfect score in front of my eyes, sliding the graded quiz across her desk. "Do you have a strong interest in Lord of the Flies?"
I rush out of the locker room and head straight for my car. Harrison is right, I should have never come back. Ditching my last class, I jog to the driver's side and fumble with my keys."Going somewhere?"My heart skips a beat and I jump at the sudden, familiar voice. Turning around, I see Daniel standing at the back of a car, shutting the truck after pulling out a duffel bag with his name sewn on it. It's the track team bag.Realizing my red eyes and puffy face, I turn back and unlock my door. "Yeah, I'm leaving," I mutter and slide in. I shut the door before he can say anything, though I doubt he would. Like some sort of speed racer, I zip out of the parking spot and bolt down the street. My hand wipes stray tears from my face roughly, and I struggle to keep my hands steady on the wh
Instead of slipping through the side gate, this time, Jana and I walk through the front door of Trent Watts' house. Jana calls out, "we're here," and she leads me inside.The lights are dim and we join Taylor on the couch. Sitting across from her is a couple I had seen around school before. They seem to be in a deep conversation with each other, looking into one others eyes, holding hands. The girlplays with the guys, drawing pictures on his palm.Taylor smiles. "Finally, you're here. For a moment I thought you two weren't going to come.""Diddo," I mutter and crash down beside her. She has a glass set on the table in front of her. I can tell it's hers because her berry lipstick is smeared on the rim. I wonder what it is. I wonder what it tastes like. "How many times a month do y
When I first started therapy in Florida, my therapist gave me the idea of journaling. I started a journal and wrote in it for a few months, but eventually, it died off. Most of my entries lacked the topic of the incident—the reason why I was in therapy in the first place—but were about Mr. Russ and my friends in Florida. Though, I suppose they were an escape for me in themselves.With my friends in Florida, I was an actress, pretending that Harrison never did what he had done. With them, I was an entirely different person. With Mr. Russ, I was an entirely different person also. I became so in love with this fake persona that I even created a name for her, well, not created, I stole a name for her. Daphne.Yes, Daphne was my best friend before she turned on me, andDaphne, my persona, did the same.Daph