[chapter 11

PART TWO

School the next day was weird. People still stared at me from my legendary brush with death (a.k.a. Paris Morgan). Some were really proud of me, but everyone else completely wanted me gone. It probably didn't help that I was hanging out with Paris's previous victims either.

"Heather." I heard Patrick jog up behind me.

"Hey Pat." I said, smiling.

"So um..." he shoved his hands in his pockets. "About...what I said last night um...do you wanna go with me to Paramount Point tonight. There's supposed to be a really pretty meteor shower and something weird happening with Venus or...something and..." I nodded.

"Yeah sure. That sounds cool." I said, genuinely interested. He smiled so wide I thought his teeth stretched to the back of his head. That made me laugh. His crazy baby smile made me laugh. "It's a...date?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Only if you can stand sneaking around Scott." he said, tilting his head and raising one eyebrow.

"I think I can handle it." I said. I kind of wanted to break up with Scott anyway. I really was starting to take a liking to Patrick. I mean, he's sweet, he's cute, he really seems to care about me. Besides, a meteor shower? Fucking romantic. Right?

I couldn't decide what to wear. I mean, skirts were a bad idea because we were going to be sitting on a hill probably in the grass, so I put on my favorite jeans. I opted for a black camisole with a white blouse over it, which I buttoned half way. That looked pretty good actually. I looked at my watch; eight thirty. Patrick didn't say what time he was picking me up, but I imagined it couldn't be much later than now. I wandered down the stairs and sat on the couch sideways, staring at the window, waiting to see a car pull up.

An hour passed and I actually started getting tired. Where was he? It was almost ten. Finally, I saw Andy's big white van pull up, and Patrick got out, walked up to my door, and knocked. I got up, stretched and opened the door.

"It's late dude." I said.

"It doesn't start until 11:13." he said, like that made everything make sense.

"Okay?" I said, following him back to Andy's van. Why are we in Andy's car? I wondered, but that was answered as Patrick got in the passenger seat, and I slid in the back...with Parker, who was all smiles. I looked from her, to Patrick, to Andy, who was driving.

"Hey." said Parker, beaming at me.

"Hi..." I started. "What's going on?" I asked.

"We're on a date." she said. I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Oh! No not like that just...see, You're on a date with Patrick and I'm..."

"ON A DATE WITH ANDY?!" I asked, smiling too. She nodded, beamed, and got up on her knees. "Oh my god so we're like double dating?" She nodded again. "But...how? When did he...?"

"Today. Patrick told him he was taking you to the meteor shower, but he was nervous as fuck and wanted him to go with him, and to bring a date...and he asked me!" she said.

"That's...Parker that's great." I said. She brought both eyebrows up and back down, and smiled again. I opted to slide to the back of the van and sit in front of the window in the back door, watching the road slip away beneath the wheels. I think I must have fallen asleep, because I remember Parker shaking me. "Heather, we're here. Paramount Point. Come on let's go." she whispered.

"Huh? Oh. Oh okay." I said, sitting up. I've never been very good at staying up late. I normally crash by like ten thirty, it's just something weird with my brain I guess. Anyway we all got out of the car and walked up the hill, where other groups and couples had already set up blankets and picnic baskets. Andy and Patrick unfolded a huge plaid fleece blanket over the grass and I groaned internally as I saw Andy pull a few cans of beer out of his backpack. Part of me didn't want to drink, because then Patrick would see me all boozed up, and I wanted to make myself seem clean around him, so that he only saw the real me. But the addiction forced my cave in like a wrestler ripping paper, and I took the can that Parker offered me. I noticed Patrick took a can too. He didn't strike me as a drinker, surprising.

"Hey look." Andy pointed to the sky, and every head on the hill pointed upwards, as the first streaks of shooting stars took their marks in the heavens. They shot over our heads, some huge, some tiny and distant, all beautiful and bright. The lower, bigger ones even made light across the field, like fireworks. I took my eyes off the sky and looked at Patrick. His eyes were glassy, admiring the beauty above our heads, and every now and then a beam of light lit up his face, and I could see within every shadowed part of him. He was truly handsome, and cute, and everything else I could possibly call him, but didn't want to, in fear of losing the moment. I noticed Parker, who was sitting next to me, slide away from me, closer to Andy. I glanced at her and noticed Andy had wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and was pulling her close. She looked over at me, smiling and biting the side of her lip. I gave her the thumbs up, and she rested her head on his shoulder. They were damn cute. I hoped it would work out. I shifted my attention back to the sky, where I noticed a strange phenomenon, some other people were going "oh" and "wow" because some of the shooting stars had purple and blue and yellow tails. it really was gorgeous, mixing in with the white lights and the pinpricks of the stars. I studied my proximity to Patrick, and after a little quick math in my head, I figured I wouldn't fall if I attempted to lean against him, so I did. I didn't fall, and I felt his arm wrap around my waist.

"Hi." he said.

"Hey."

"You're awful close." he said.

"Sorry. I'm just tired."

"Oh." he leaned back a little by putting the arm that wasn't around my waist behind him, and leaning his weight on that. I pointed my eyes back towards the sky.

"It's really gorgeous isnt it?"

"Yeah..." he looked down at me, and our eyes locked. "Yeah it is." he smiled, and I had to as well.

"Thanks for taking me out here tonight."

"Would Scott have done the same thing?"

"...no."

"I thought not." he said. I tilted the can of beer in my hand upside down and let the last of it pour into my mouth before I spoke again.

"Patrick."

"Mhm?"

"I...I'm gonna break up with Scott."

"Yeah, we went over this, you like someone else, none of my business, whatever."

"It is your business."

"Why?"

"Because I like you." I said. My face flushed a little, and I giggled when I noticed he went pink as well.

"I like you too Heather." he said. I looked up at him, and he was still staring at me, and I wondered what he was thinking, but I didn't have to wonder long, because he lowered his face to mine, and kissed me. I kissed back, tentatively, then eagerly, as I realized that not every kiss felt like Scott's. Scott always smelled like sweat and aftershave, and he was rough with my lips, and always seemed to taste like Winterfresh gum, which I never really liked. I'm a Juicy Fruit girl myself, but off topic. Patrick was different; this kiss tasted like booze, but I imagined I tasted much worse, seeing as I guessed I had more in my system, but he had soft lips, and he was gentle. He smelled like Yankee scented candles, and had a faint air of lawn mower fuel, from rehearsing in Joe's garage, but I liked it. I guess...what? Two minutes passed, and the kiss broke, but we stayed close, so close that I couldn't focus on his face. He did that short laugh that involved forcing out a lot of boozy air, and ending it in that little sound. I went back in for another kiss, this time wanting to think of something other than Scott. I pushed my lips hard against his, and thought hard about Patrick. About how much I liked him, and how I had to assume the fluttering heaviness in my stomach had to be a good thing, and how I suddenly wanted to spend every second with him, and how much I was praying that he felt the same way...satisfied with this kiss, I broke away, placing my head back on his chest. I closed my eyes as I felt his fingers stroking my hair, wrapping it around fingers and letting it go. I smiled, wondering if I'd ever been this happy.

On the ride home, Parker took the front passenger seat (hand in hand with Andy, might I add), because Patrick had to carry me to the van. I fell asleep on him. I woke up halfway to my house, leaning against Patrick, who was humming me a melody I'd never heard before.

"What's that song?" I asked.

"It's a new one I just started working on, after that night I wound up at your house? I call it 'Saturday'."

"Can you sing it for me?"

" I'm good to go and I'm going nowhere fast. It could be worse I could be taking you there with me. I'm good to go but it looks like I'm still on my own. I'm good to go for something golden though the motions I've been going through have failed. and I'm coasting on potential towards a wall at a hundred miles an hour. When I say...Two more weeks, my foot is in the door. I can't sleep in the wake of saturday. Saturday, when these open doors were open ended. Saturday, when these open doors were open ended...and that's all I have so far."

"It's really good." I said.

"Thanks. I was...inspired." he said. I laughed.

"Don't I feel special." I said. I studied his face in silence; pale skin, pink, chubby cheeks, and random pieces of straw colored hair poking down out of his hat. I reached up and started tugging and twirling one of the strands, he smiled at me.

"You're really great, you know that?" he asked, almost as if he was really curious.

"So are you." I said. Then the van stopped.

"Your stop Heather." said Andy. Patrick opened the side door for me and walked me to my door. As I searched in my bag for my keys, I felt him lean down and kiss the top of my head.

"Cut it out Pat." I said, jokingly as I slid the key into the lock. I opened the door and then looked up at him. "I had fun tonight." I said.

"Me too." he agreed.

"We definitely have to do it again."

"Soon." he finished. I laughed. Why did he always make me laugh so much?

"Goodnight Patrick."

"Night Heather." I walked inside and shut the door. As soon as I felt it close, I opened it again. I ran up to Patrick, who was walking down the stairs, and got in front of him.

"Fuck it, one more." I whispered quickly, before standing on my toes and kissing him. He was slightly thrown, but gained his rhythm in an instant, and I could feel him smiling. He slid two hands down my stomach and rested them on my hips, but left them there, right where I was okay, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, and broke the kiss, opting to hug him instead.

"Night Patrick." I whispered in his ear before bounding up the stairs and closing the door. I locked the door and watched through the pane at the top of the door as he got in the van and drove away. As soon as they were out of sight, I sighed, laughed, and slid down the wall to the floor.

The next morning I got a call, pretty early in the morning, probably like nine thirty, from Scott.

"Hello?"

"Hi Heather this is Scott."

"Oh...hey...you."

"The card on the flowers I sent you said call me..."

"Oh, sorry I've been kind of busy."

"With what?"

"Um...just stuff..."

"What kind of stuff."
"Scott...why does it matter?"

"I'm your boyfriend, I'm supposed to know these things."

"Um...just because we're going out doesn't mean you have to know every fucking thing that's going on Scott..."

"What are you trying to say."

"I think I just said it."

"Really? Because it sounds like your saying you don't trust me, don't want to talk to me."

"Scott that's not true I just..."

"You'd better be careful Heather."

"What?"

"You heard me. I broke your finger didn't I"

"Um...you fractured it yeah but that was just..."

"It wasn't a fucking accident Heather. You were fucking stupid for attacking Paris like that. I don't need that kind of attention, and neither do you."

"You mean you...meant to..." I felt a lump rising in my throat, it made it hard to speak. I was trying to process what he was saying.

"You needed to be taught a lesson."

"Scott what the fuck..."

"So I recommend you listen to me a little bit better. Unless you want more broken bones. Or worse."

"Scott you're scaring me."

"Good. Heather...I love you, but you just step so fucking far out of line sometimes, but I'm here to bring you back, okay? Now, I was thinking we could try that new resteraunt next weekend...The Black Pony? My treat."

"Oh...Scott I don't think I can-"

"Whoa, what was that? I think I just hear something crack." he put a big emphasis on the last word, and I sighed.
"Yeah...Scott...I'd love to."

"Great. I'll see you Saturday at seven."

"Sounds gre-" click.

Saturday, seven forty five, eating the worst tasting pasta I think I'd ever had. Scott made me let him order for me. I didn't even know what it was. It had some kind of pink sauce that looked like bile, and I swear I was ready to fill the bowl with real bile from just how gross it tasted. But then something caught my eye. I saw Pete, standing in the window of the resteraunt, waving fervently at me. My jaw dropped.

"Something wrong sweetie?" asked Scott, tilting his head at me. I shook my head.

"N...no I just need to go to the bathroom I'll be...right back honey." I said, putting on the most genuine smile I could fake. He nodded, and I ran out of the resteraunt. "Pete what are you doing here?"

"He wanted to see you." he said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. Patrick came walking out from around the corner. He waved and I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him. He slowly moved me and pushed me against the wall, one hand on my hip, and the other lodged in my hair.

"Here with Scott?" he whispered when I stopped to let him breathe. I nodded and kissed him again. "What happened to breaking up with him?" he asked. I stopped.

"I..." I started. "I...I can't. I can't break up with him I...I'm sorry." I stumbled over all these words that I couldn't bare to say. I had my eyes glued to the sidewalk, but I didn't need to look at him to understand how hurt he was. "Patrick I...I want to be with you but...I can't break up with Scott and I just...can't tell you why...I need to you understand I..."

"I do understand." he mumbled. He moved away from me, releasing me from the wall. I didn't want to be released. I grabbed his wrists and tried to pull him back to me, but he fought me, his voice rising.

"Am I just a make out in Andy's van Heather?" he shouted in my face.

"NO! NO PATRICK YOU'RE NOT. YOU'RE NOT!"
"WHAT? I'M NOT EVEN THAT GOOD? THEN WHAT THE FUCK WAS I? WHAT'S GOING ON HEATHER? FUCKING TELL ME."

"PATRICK I CAN'T, I FUCKING CAN'T AND..."

"HEATHER!" My heart stopped. A shout that wasn't Patrick's, and it wasn't mine. My head turned slowly to the right, and what I saw almost made me scream. Scott, absolutely livid. He was breathing heavily, his eyes were narrowed, and I could see a vein popping in his neck. "The bathroom?" he uttered in a whisper. "Heather come here I'm taking you home." I shook my head, trying to get closer to Patrick. Pete was looking from Scott to me to Patrick, and then back again. I wished one of them would catch on and just take Scott to the ground, but no such luck. In my horror, I didn't notice Patrick get his wrists out of my grip. Scott walked over to me, grabbed me by the elbow and dragged me to the car, throwing me into the passenger seat. I put my hand on the window and stared at Pete and Patrick as they faded into the distance as Scott sped down the street. I started to cry as Scott started to scream.

"YOU DIRTY LITTLE WHORE. SNEAKING AROUND BEHIND MY BACK THIS WHOLE TIME? YOU'RE GONNA GET IT SLUT. YOU'RE GONNA GET IT." I let out an involuntary sob, and I felt his open hand collide with my stomach. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" he screamed, and I tried. It wasn't hard, I could barely breathe. One thought flashed in my mind: am I going to die? I was quite sure of what Scott was capable of, but would he actually do it? I couldn't be sure. But I was scared shitless. We pulled up in front of my house, and he wrenched me out of the car, I was sure he'd dislocated my shoulder by now, but I was going numb already, so I wouldn't have noticed. "Open the door." he whispered. Lip trembling, I unlocked the door and he opened it, pushing me through first. "Is anyone home?" he asked. I shook my head in despair, and before I was even done with that, I felt a sharp blow to the side of my face, and as I hit the floor I could taste blood. "Get up." he muttered. I moaned in pain. "GET THE FUCK OFF THE FLOOR BITCH I'M NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!" I put my hands on the ground and tried to lift myself up...but I couldn't. I flopped back down and moaned in pain again. I was already seeing stars, and then I felt his foot collide with my stomach, then again with my hip, and my back. I moaned out like an injured puppy, and coughed. I opened my eyes to see that I'd coughed blood on the floor in front of my face. I closed my eyes and concentrated hard on trying to breathe. It became harder with every second that I needed more oxygen.

"I'm going to leave you now, and let you think about what you've done." I heard him say. All I could think was Thank fucking god. I heard his footsteps go towards the door, then I heard the door open and shut. I picked up my head to make sure he was really gone, and then started to crawl my way towards the kitchen. I pulled on the phone's cord and it came down in my hands. I dialed Parker's number, and then dropped the phone on the floor. I heard a faint

"Hello?"

"PARKER!" I screamed, but it came out in more of a squeal.
"Heather?"

"PARKER HELP!"

"HEATHER ARE YOU OKAY?"

"NO. PARKER THE DOOR'S OPEN, GET PETE, GET EVERYONE...I NEED HELP...HURRY...hurry...please...I'm in the kitchen...please hurry..." everything started to go dark as I barely heard Parker scream.

"HEATHER? HEATHER HOLD ON I'LL BE RIGHT OVER. HEATHER? HEATHER I'M CALLING 911 OKAY? OKAY? HEATHER? HEATHER HOLD ON!" her last words echoed in my head, and I passed. out.