The next day, Heather put on the red, ankle length, sleeveless dress Ellie provided. They were sitting in Heather's room getting ready for the party that was supposed to start an hour later.
"I think red's a good color on you," Ellie commented from the side, wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans with her black sleeve. She handed Heather her shirt with a smile. "Is it still too early to say I told you so?"
Heather shook her head.
"That's it?" Ellie asked. Sitting on the still empty mattress. "No comeback?"
"How about 'fuck off'?" Heather offered irritably.
Ellie stood. "Okay… what's going on?"
"I'm sorry," Heather said. She took a breath and spoke calmly. "I'm sorry, Ellie. I didn't mean to snap. Just please… let's not make a big deal of this."
"Why?" Ellie asked.
"Because the more you make a big deal of it, the more awkward it is," Heather lied. "Just… let it be what it's going to be."
"Alright," Ellie said, stepping back. She sat on the bed again. "That's not the real reason. But if it works, I'm not going to argue with it. Got any other stuff to try on?"
Heather pointed at the closet. "I've got some shoes in there."
"No fucking way!" Ellie said as she opened the closet door. "Where did you get four-inch heels?"
"Maria gave them to me this morning," Heather answered, accepting the shoes. She started putting them on. "They look nice, but…"
Ellie laughed as Heather stood and stumbled through the first few steps.
Heather laughed as well. "I almost got the hang of them. But the first two steps are a bitch."
"Those look really uncomfortable," Ellie commented, indicating that she no longer desired a turn. She stood. "I'll just stick with the basics."
"Whatever floats your boat," Heather said, clicking her heels on the ground. "Just don't let me trip tonight."
"Well, there is one last thing," Ellie said.
"What's that?" Heather asked.
Ellie grabbed the hairbrush.
…
Joey met up with Tim on the street in front of his house at eight.
Both young men wore button up shirts. Joey's blue, and Tim's light grey. They also wore black dress pants.
"Where's Vanessa?" Joey asked.
"She's at the bar already," Tim answered. He inclined his head over Joey's shoulder. "Your girlfriend's here."
Joey turned and saw Ellie and Heather walking down the street.
Ellie wore a purple dress that ended just below her ankles. Light, transparent sleeves ran from her shoulders down to her wrists. She wore light blue sleeves underneath the dress to hide her bite. Her hair was once again down and brushed lightly behind her head. She also wore the necklace given to her by Uncle Joel years before.
Joey couldn't help but smile as Heather walked forward.
Heather wore a red, sleeveless dress the same length as Ellie's and wore a pair of black shoes with four-inch heels. Her hair, out of its usual ponytail, was brushed and braided, lying lightly down the front of her right shoulder. Wrapped around her arm was a grey sweater that Joey knew held her scalpel.
Heather stumbled slightly.
Joey instinctively reached out to steady her, but Ellie got there first. Joey awkwardly lowered his arm, hoping that nobody had noticed.
"Look at you two boys, all spick and spim," Ellie said to Tim and Joey.
"Spick and spam," Joey corrected glancing at Heather again.
"Whatever," Ellie said. She looked down the street. "Are we going to do this or what?"
They all started walking toward the bar. After a block, Ellie walked up next to Tim and left Joey and Heather a few steps behind.
"So," Ellie said winking at Joey and Heather before turning to Tim. "Tell me all about how you're going to charm Vanessa tonight."
"And there she goes again," Joey commented. He looked at Heather as she stumbled slightly. "First time wearing heels?"
"You want to try them?" Heather asked jokingly.
"I think I'm good," Joey said, catching Heather as she stumbled.
"This is so much easier on solid ground," Heather grumbled.
"I think you look good," Joey said, hoping he was saying the right thing.
"Thanks," Heather said. She glanced at Joey's hair.
"Please don't say anything," Joey said, embarrassed as he attempted to brush down his hair. "I can get it looking nice until I move. My hair is not meant to stay down."
"Looks flatter than usual," Heather said, sounding optimistic.
"Thanks," Joey said with a laugh. He looked at Heather again. "I think you should wear your hair down more often."
"I might," Heather said, running a finger though the braid. "If I can get Ellie to show me how to do this."
Up ahead, Ellie was rambling on.
Tim looked at Joey and Heather for help.
Joey and Heather both laughed.
Joey summoned his courage and slowly reached over to grab Heather's hand as Heather moved to hook her arm around his.
Both failed.
Heather and Joey chuckled again and Joey stood still, allowing Heather to hook her arm around his.
"So, who's taking who again?" Joey asked, trying to break the awkward silence.
"I don't know," Heather said with a shrug. "It doesn't matter."
Joey smiled and stayed silent.
It was dark by the time they arrived at the bar. They found Vanessa already waiting for them outside. She wore a long black dress that covered her ankles.
"No Clarisse?" Vanessa asked Tim.
"Not this time," Tim replied.
"I like that kid," Vanessa reminded him.
"Well, she's hanging out with Lin," Tim explained with a sheepish smile. "So, she's not going to wait up."
"How's it going in there?" Ellie asked.
"Everybody's drinking and everybody's happy," Vanessa reported. "Your boyfriend's doing his job."
"Awesome," Ellie said. She walked past Vanessa and entered the bar.
Joey looked between Vanessa and Tim expectantly.
"Oh, he talked to me last night," Vanessa said. She put a hand around Tim's shoulder. "We're here together."
"Congratulations," Heather said genuinely.
"Thanks," Tim said. He raised an eyebrow at Joey. "Success?"
"T-B-D," Joey answered.
"Inside joke?" Heather asked quietly as Tim and Vanessa started talking.
"Something like that," Joey answered.
"Who involved in the joke had 'success'?" Heather asked with a small smile.
"That depends on if were here together or not," Joey said.
"We're about to walk into the same building together," Heather said, starting to enjoy the game. "That count?"
"I think we can work with that," Joey said.
They started walking toward the bar as Tim and Vanessa reached the doorway.
Tim opened the door to hold it open for Vanessa.
Vanessa laughed. "You're cute, Tim. But you don't have to hold the door open for me."
Vanessa walked in, dragging Tim by the hand.
"They seem…" Heather's voice trailed off.
"Comfortable?" Joey offered.
"That's one way to put it," Heather said.
"I heard they really supported each other after Jeff died," Joey said quietly. "Ellie said they had a few late nights after the meetings."
"Well, at least something good came out of it," Heather said.
"I think it's good to have somebody you can trust," Joey said.
Heather took a step back. "Look, about last night when—"
"That's not what I meant," Joey said quickly. "I meant that it's nice knowing that there's always somebody who'll listen if you ask."
"Oh," Heather said. She cleared her throat. "I'm just a little… weird tonight. The dress. The heels… it's not my scene."
"Mine either," Joey said simply. "Ready to go in?"
"Yup," Heather said.
They entered the bar together and made their way to the group of chairs and a couch that sat kitty-corner to the bar. The bar already had multiple patrons sitting against it. Vanessa and Tim had already taken a couple of the chairs. Ellie and Matthew were in the corner of the room.
Matthew wore his usual blue jeans and jacket. However, the clothes seemed less wrinkled and tattered than usual.
Joey and Heather sat down on the red couch together on separate cushions. As Joey attempted to relax, Heather set her sweater on her end of the couch.
Joey saw Tim and Vanessa chatting. He turned and saw Ellie raise her dress slightly to show off the shoes she wore every day. Matthew chuckled and whispered something in Ellie's ear, earning a smile.
Somebody walked forward and offered Joey and Heather a bottle of beer.
"No thanks," Heather said.
Joey shook his head.
The man shrugged and walked away.
"No beer?" Heather asked.
"No," Joey said.
"Wuss," Ellie said, joining them. She pointed at Heather. "My bar, my couch. Scoot."
Joey moved further onto his cushion. Heather, unconsciously it seemed, tucked in her feet and moved a little closer to him with a smile.
Ellie sat down. "First big party without your parents and you're not going to drink?" she asked Joey.
They all looked at the end of the bar and saw a group of three men their age taking beers. All three of them wore matching black pants and blue t-shirts. It was clear by the four bottles on the table in front of them that they had already been at it for a while and were sufficiently drunk.
Joey looked at Ellie. "I figure I just want to make sure that I remember my first big party without my parents," he answered.
"Suit yourself," Ellie said, looking between Heather and Joey. She shrugged and grabbed two beers from the bar and handed one to Vanessa. "We have to make up these two."
Vanessa laughed and uncapped the bottle.
Heather looked over at Joey and spoke quietly. "You're not avoiding the alcohol because I avoid alcohol, are you?"
Joey shrugged, hoping his next words weren't the wrong ones. "Like I said. There's some things I want to remember."
Heather smiled and didn't reply.
…
As the night wore on, more people arrived at the party. The bar got louder. People started drinking more. Somebody even brought in a somewhat working CD player with a portable speaker.
As Heather and Joey continued talking and gossiping with Tim, Vanessa, Ellie, and occasionally Matthew, Heather realized that she was practically half sitting, half laying in Joey's lap. One of his hands were somehow intertwined with hers.
Heather decided not to say anything.
Ellie returned to the couch again, leaving Matthew to keep an eye on the other partygoers.
"I got to say, I'm proud of you," Ellie said to Tim. "How long has it been since you were around this much alcohol."
"When you punched me in the face," Tim said. He glanced at Vanessa. "That was the second-best thing that ever happened to me."
Heather, Joey, and Ellie laughed at the obvious attempt at flirting.
Vanessa smiled and kissed Tim on the cheek. "I may be tipsy, but I think I'm still coordinated enough to dance."
"I don't really dance," Tim said lamely, looking away.
"That's not what your sister said," Vanessa teased. "She said that you are a great dancer."
Everyone laughed as the music faded out and another song started.
Tim placed a hand over his face and shook his head. "She was about three feet shorter back then."
"Pleeaase?" Vanessa begged. "I promise that I won't tell her if you don't."
Tim looked at Joey, who shrugged. Tim sighed. "Sure."
Ellie smiled as Tim and Vanessa stood, moving to the center of the bar that was turned into a makeshift dance floor.
"Great," Joey said quietly to Heather as Ellie made a heart with her index and middle fingers and pointed in Tim and Vanessa's direction. Joey rolled his eyes. "Now she's going to start poking at us again."
Heather sniggered.
"See?" Joey grunted as Ellie turned to them with the heart.
Heather flipped Ellie the bird, earning an evil smile from the other girl.
Their hands still intertwined, Joey and Heather smiled as Tim and Vanessa started to dance.
…
A few minutes later, Matthew walked over and offered Ellie a hand.
Ellie raised an eyebrow.
"This is the only time I'm offering," Matthew said with a small smile.
Ellie smiled and took his hand. She stood and allowed him to walk her out to the center of the barroom where others were dancing.
"Any of these songs sound familiar?" Matthew asked casually.
"All of them, actually," Ellie replied. She punched Matthew lightly on the arm. "You stole my CDs."
"Borrowing," Matthew corrected. He placed a hand on her back and intertwined his other hand with hers. "I figured you wouldn't mind."
Ellie smiled again as Matthew slowly started walking them back and forth. "I thought you said you don't dance," Ellie teased.
"I don't," Matthew replied.
…
Joey and Heather remained silent as they watched Tim, Vanessa, Matthew, and Ellie dance.
Joey looked down at Heather, who's face suggested that she was somewhere else completely.
Joey cleared his throat. "I don't suppose you want to work in those heels a little more? Dance, I mean."
Heather shrugged. "Not really. But I would like to…" she uncurled her legs and stretched them. "Ahh, that's better. My leg was falling asleep."
Joey chuckled as he stretched out one of his legs.
"What?" Heather asked. "My leg really was falling asleep."
"Nothing," Joey said quickly. He shrugged. "I was just thinking that your furball would have killed me by now. I even sit next to you and that thing gets in my face."
Heather laughed. "I think she's wanted you dead since she met you."
…
Ellie looked up from her shoes at Matthew speaking softly. "I remember something else we talked about in that school in… where was that again?"
"Wellesley," Matthew answered.
"Right," Ellie said. "I remember that we also talked about friends that we could have had."
"I remember," Matthew said, stopping for a moment. He started turning them in a small circle. "But I wouldn't exactly call this a 'social circle'."
"No?" Ellie asked, raising Matthew's hand and turning herself in a small circle. "What would you call it then?"
"Try family," Matthew said simply.
Ellie looked over Matthew's shoulder as they turned again. She spotted Tim leaning forward and kissing Vanessa for a few seconds before they both smiled and exited the bar together. On the couch, Joey was laughing at something Heather said.
Ellie smiled and laid her head on Matthew's chest as they continued to dance.
…
After laughing for a few seconds, Joey and Heather fell silent again. They were momentarily distracted by the three drunk guys near their end of the bar.
Joey took a deep breath. Here we go. "So, was it a good idea to come tonight?"
"Better than what I was planning on doing," Heather replied. "Although, entertaining the potential profit that could be gained using blackmail with all those files would have been fun."
"I bet," Joey said with a laugh.
…
Ellie watched Heather tuck her legs under her as she smiled at something Joey said.
Ellie closed her eyes for a moment and allowed her mind to wander to possible futures.
"What's in your head right now?" Matthew asked quietly.
"Me?" Ellie asked, blushing slightly. "I was just thinking what it would be like if our family got a little… bigger."
Ellie felt Matthew tense up for a split second before he responded. "I don't think I'm quite ready for… aggressive expansion."
Ellie snorted and decided to ignore the awkwardness of the moment.
…
"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Heather said as Joey opened his mouth. "I'm not letting you help me study the files."
"You are no fun right now," Joey said.
"Hey," Heather warned. "You'd better be nice to me. The laptop mouse wasn't the only file on you."
Joey nodded. After a moment, he sighed. "Okay, I should stop stalling or I'm never going to get the courage or stupidity back to do this," he said quickly and quietly.
"Do what?" Heather asked.
Joey rambled on. "It's just that I've wanted to do this for a really long time, but I've been afraid it would make things really awkward or it would ruin something good that we already had or— oh, what the hell?"
Joey leaned forward and kissed Heather.
Heather's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Oddly enough, she also found herself ready for the moment, quickly returning the kiss.
Joey leaned forward slightly, still kissing her.
Heather felt herself relaxing and she leaned back.
The uneven couch cushion slipped out from under her, causing Joey to fall forward.
For a brief moment, Heather felt almost all of Joey's weight against her.
Heather felt the drunk man's full weight press down on her.
Moments earlier, the drunk man had mashed his lips against hers.
The drunk man had grabbed collar of her shirt and ripped it off.
Heather screamed.
"I always told your mom you need to lighten up," the drunk man had grunted.
Heather shoved Joey hard as he was simultaneously trying to rise, sending him back to the other side of the couch.
"Heather…" Joey said, looking scared and concerned. "I'm…"
Heather sat up and forward, attempting to cease her rapid breathing. Her hand drifted toward her sweater on the couch next to her.
Heather looked at Joey but couldn't find the words to explain what had happened. She had no idea what to say.
Joey slowly stood. He gulped. "Do you… you want some water or something?"
"Sure," Heather said quickly. Her breathing had finally slowed, but she felt like her heart was going to burst from her chest. "Sure. Water would… water would be good."
Joey moved behind the couch to a small table a short distance away that had non-alcoholic drinks.
Heather attempted to control her breathing as one of the drunk man from the bar stepped forward. She now recognized the man to be Steven. He was a couple years older than Heather and sported blonde, unkempt hair.
Heather looked down.
"Hey, yous mind if I sit?" Steven slurred, clearly drunk after over six beers and multiple shots.
"I'd rather you not," Heather said, attempting to keep her emotions in check.
"You withs someone?" Steven asked, taking a step forward.
"That seat's taken," Heather said firmly. One hand still rested on her sweater. Her other fist started to clench. "Thanks for the offer."
"Steven," Joey said as he returned. He looked between Heather and Steven before obviously forcing a smile. "Having a good time?"
"I'm tryings to," Steven said. He looked at Heather. "You wanna dance?"
"Not really," Heather said through gritted teeth.
Joey stepped forward, partially placing himself between Steven and Heather. He let out a breath, continuing to speak calmly. "Do you mind, Steven? Heather and I were just…"
…
Ellie completed another circle with Matthew. She looked over his shoulder and snuck a glance at the couch.
Ellie saw Heather's face and body language.
Ellie took the lead and started to turn Matthew. "I have a bad feeling about what's going on over there," she said seriously.
Matthew stopped them for a moment to look over her shoulder. "Joey's not one to start a fight. I'm sure it's—"
"I'm not looking at Joey," Ellie said as she let go of Matthew completely.
Matthew watched for a moment, already moving with Ellie as she made her way to the couch. "You want to handle the bar or the couch?" he asked.
"I'll take the bar."
They started to make their way across the room, attempting to weave through dancing partygoers.
…
Joey took another breath, attempting to stay calm. "Steven—"
"From the lookses of it," Steven interrupted. "You just got rejected anyway. Hows about you go get us a beer."
"I don't drink," Heather snapped.
Joey glanced over and noticed her grasp something inside her sweater with her right hand.
Heather sat up slightly and looked Steven in the eye, speaking firmly. "Have a good night, Steven."
"There," Joey said, attempting to speak lightly. "See? She doesn't want company. So, how about you and your friends go back to your drinks."
"You knows what I think?" Steven asked, pushing Joey aside with an arm. "I think she needs to lighten up."
"Back off!" Heather practically shouted.
Joel saw Heather yank the scalpel out of her sweater and raise it. He immediately moved between her and Steven.
"She said back off, Steven!" Joey snapped, shoving Steven back before anyone could react.
…
Ellie moved behind Steven's friends as he was shoved into them. One of them bumped roughly into Ellie, sending her back a few steps and into a man sitting at the bar.
The man looked up irritably as Ellie accidently spilled his drink on him.
Ellie smiled shyly and raised a hand, giving him a small wave.
The man grunted irritably and grabbed another drink from behind the bar.
Satisfied that she had prevented a second situation, Ellie relaxed slightly. Her smile morphed into a glare as she turned back to Steven and his buddies, who were advancing on Joey.
…
Joey stood his ground as Steven stepped forward.
Heather remained where she was, the scalpel was still raised.
"Hey, Hey. Hey," Matthew said calmly and quickly, coming in from Joey's right. He placed himself between Joey and Steven. Matthew held out a hand behind him, lightly pushing Joey away. He held his other hand palm out, facing Steven. "Let's not do this, Steven."
"This isn't any of yours business," Steven growled.
Joey glanced at Heather before opening his mouth to reply.
"Joey," Matthew warned, not even turning.
Joey closed his mouth as Ellie walked around Steven and moved to the couch.
"Let's get out of here," Ellie said quietly as she handed Heather her sweater before helping the other girl rise to her feet.
Joey took a small breath and stepped back as Heather grabbed her sweater and allowed Ellie to escort her toward the back door of the bar.
Matthew lowered both hands, addressing Steven. "Look, I think we've all had a lot to drink tonight," he said calmly. "We haven't had a party like this in a while and I think we're all trying to have a good time."
The entire bar had fallen silent aside from the music and all eyes were focused on them.
Matthew seemed to pay no attention and continued speaking. "So, how about we just call this a misunderstanding and…" he reached around Steven and grabbed three more beers from the bar, holding them out. "Keep having a good time."
Steven blinked several times and stared at the drinks.
"Yeah?" Matthew urged.
After a few seconds, Steven sighed and took the beers. "Yeah."
Matthew nodded and looked at Steven's friends. "Have a good night, gentlemen."
Joey turned and followed Heather and Ellie to the back door of the bar.
…
Matthew considered following when he spotted Tommy and Marcus standing at the entrance to the bar.
Matthew walked forward.
"Sorry we're late," Marcus said. "We had to help out with a little training on the Wall."
"It's no problem," Matthew said. He turned and looked at the bar. "It's been pretty calm, considering. You might want to cut Steven and his friends off after their next drink. They're getting a little… ambitious."
"If they're getting labeled with big words like that by you, maybe I should cut them off now," Marcus said, making his way to the bar.
"What about what we just saw?" Tommy asked calmly, folding his arms.
"It's nothing we couldn't handle," Matthew said.
Tommy chuckled. "That I saw. You and Ellie are a good team," he said.
Matthew shrugged.
Tommy stepped forward and lowered his voice. "Anything I need to know about?"
"I have feeling that whatever it is isn't in our control," Matthew said carefully.
"Fair enough," Tommy said. He held out his hand. "Thanks for keeping an eye on things… again."
Matthew shook the hand. "Not a problem."
…
Joey walked out the back door of the bar and saw Heather already walking down the street. She stumbled on the uneven ground due to her heels.
Joey moved to go after her and was blocked by Ellie's arm.
Joey looked Ellie in the eye.
After a few seconds, Ellie lowered her hand and stepped aside.
…
Ellie watched as Joey jogged after Heather. She heard somebody walk out the door behind her. Ellie didn't need to look to know who it was. "I think I should stick around home tonight."
"She didn't say anything?" Matthew asked.
"Nothing," Ellie replied.
"She'll come to you if she needs to," Matthew said, placing a hand on Ellie's shoulder.
"I have a really bad fucking feeling about this," Ellie said as Heather and Joey turned a corner and moved out of sight.
"Let's just get through tonight," Matthew said, kissing her on top of the head.
"Always a good back-up," Ellie said. She sighed. "Let's get home."
…
"Heather," Joey called again, walking behind her.
Heather didn't answer as she stumbled on her heels again.
"Heather," Joey repeated as he jogged forward and walked next to her.
"These fucking heels!" Heather snapped. She kicked them off and attempted to keep moving.
Joey reached out with an arm. "Heather would you just—"
"Don't touch me!" Heather snapped as she swung around. "Or maybe you should just go and pick another fight with those drunk assholes."
"I'm sorry," Joey said sarcastically, taking a step back and raising his voice. "Maybe I just didn't want somebody to get stabbed."
"And how would a bunch of drunk assholes fighting in a bar with other people drinking be any better?" Heather shouted.
"Don't give me that shit!" Joey retorted, shouting at Heather for the first time. "You and I both know what would have happened to Steven if he'd taken another step! You were going to use the scalpel!"
Heather let out an angry breath and turned away.
Joey took a deep breath and stepped forward. He forced himself to keep his voice quiet and calm. "Heather, who are you mad at? Steven? I mean, what did you think was he going to do?"
Heather kept her back turned. She began to shake.
"Or was it me?" Joey asked quietly. "Is it what I did?"
Heather slowly turned around as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Heather…" Joey said, ashamed of himself and saddened at the same time. He slowly raised a hand. "I…"
Heather took a step back.
Joey lowered his hand.
Heather turned away again. "I need…"
"You need to talk to somebody," Joey finished for her. He sighed. "I wish it was me. I really do."
Heather didn't turn.
Joey took a step back himself. "But it's not me," he said as his eyes began to water. "I get it now."
Joey started to walk away. He stopped and grabbed Heather's discarded heels before continuing without another word.
…
Ellie and Matthew walked through the front door of their house a half hour later.
Ellie changed into her red and black night clothes while Matthew paced in the hallway.
"I'll go for a walk," Matthew said as Ellie emerged.
"You don't have to," Ellie said, grabbing his arm.
"I think I do," Matthew said quietly. He turned away. "Whatever Heather's going through…"
"How much do you think you know?" Ellie asked.
Matthew sighed and looked at Ellie. "If it's what I think it is, then I can guarantee she won't want me here."
"I don't suppose you want to give me a heads-up," Ellie said.
"I think we need to let things run their course," Matthew said. He swallowed. "I really hope I'm wrong."
"Which means you're probably not," Ellie said regretfully.
"I see you in the morning," Matthew said.
"Thank you," Ellie said as he walked away.
Matthew turned. "For what?"
Ellie shrugged. "For the dance."
"Your welcome," Matthew said, giving her a kiss.
Ellie waited until she heard the front door close before making her way upstairs. She saw a small light coming through Joel's bedroom door.
Ellie knocked and entered, finding Joel reading in bed.
"How was the party?" Joel asked, closing his book. "I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow morning."
Ellie sat down on the edge of Joel's bed. "For me, the party was great."
"What about the kid?" Joel asked, glancing at the door.
"I think he had fun," Ellie said. She smiled and lowered her voice. "We danced which was awesome. And Tim and Vanessa should be official right about now."
"Joey and Heather?" Joel said, sitting up.
Ellie looked at him in surprise.
Joel chuckled. "Ellie, you've been trying to match them up for years."
Ellie slowly nodded. "That's where things get… complicated. Heather um… she may visit tonight."
"What kind of visit?" Joel asked, concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"It will be," Ellie said slowly. "Hopefully."
"I'll be sure to give you two space," Joel said.
"Thanks," Ellie said.
Joel picked up the book again. "Good luck, kiddo."
…
Joey walked into his house and placed the heels inside the door. He walked upstairs and straight into his room.
Joey took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his eyes. He opened his closet, extracted his walkie-talkie, and turned it on to the private channel he and Heather always used.
Joey sat down on his bed and stared at the device. Please call. Just say… something. Anything.
…
Heather sat on her bed, staring at the walkie-talkie in her hand. Say something, Heather. Anything. Heather's hand started to shake, trying to figure out what she could say.
Heather closed her eyes. There was so much she wanted to say. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but… she couldn't. Goddammit, Heather. Say something!
Heather dropped the walkie talkie and screamed loudly in anger. She grabbed the pillow on her bed and threw into the window before placing her head in her hands and sobbing.
Arata jumped onto the bed and nudged her elbow.
Heather grabbed the cat and hugged it close. "He's right," she said after a few minutes. She shuddered through a sob. "He's right. I… I need to talk to someone."
Heather grabbed her sweater and stood, throwing it around her shoulders and over her dress. She barely felt the ground under her bare feet as she exited the house. She barely noticed the cat following her. She didn't notice where she was going until she found herself on the street between Ellie and Joey's house.
Heather turned away from Joey's house and walked to Ellie's door, finding it unlocked. Heather walked through the dark house and to Ellie's room.
Ellie was sitting up in bed. She looked at Heather.
Heather made eye contact, silently asking permission.
Ellie flipped back the blankets, revealing a space for Heather.
Heather slowly walked forward and crawled into the bed, letting her sweater drop to the floor.
Ellie flipped the covers back over Heather's legs.
They were silent for a while as Heather attempted to figure out what she was going to say.
Ellie reached under the blanket and grabbed Heather's hand, squeezing it tightly.
Heather squeezed back.
Arata walked into the room and curled up on Winston's tail before falling asleep.
Heather closed her eyes as they started to water, suddenly realizing that talking was going to be harder than she thought.
Ellie continued to squeeze Heather's hand.
Heather drew in a breath as tears flowed down her face. "When I was seventeen and living in the zone with my mom… I was… Somebody…" Heather shook her head and half cried, half whispered the next words. "I couldn't stop him."
Ellie looked at her. "You mean…"
Heather slowly nodded.
"Oh my God," Ellie whispered.
Heather swallowed and slowly choked out her memories. "My mom got called out by the soldiers and they wouldn't let me come with. This drunk asshole came in. He'd been there before, but my mom was always able to make him leave. But… not this time."
Heather looked away again and sobbed, squeezing Ellie's hand. "Not this time… I couldn't stop him. I screamed, but… nobody heard. Nobody could help. Nobody wanted to."
Ellie wrapped her arm around Heather's shoulder and held her close.
Heather continued to cry into Ellie's chest. "I couldn't stop him," she cried quietly. "Everything my mom taught me about fighting and I couldn't stop him. I remember… everything. Every fucking thing that man did to me… I remember it all."
"I'm sorry," Ellie said, starting to tear up herself. She stroked Heather's hair. Allowing Heather to cry into her shoulder for a few minutes.
Heather slowly drew away.
Ellie kept a grip on the other girl's hand. "Heather… I'm so sorry."
"That's more than anyone else fucking said," Heather said bitterly as she wiped away her tears. "After he left… I heard gunshots and an explosion. The soldiers grabbed me and threw me into a truck. I barely had enough time to grab a scalpel. I… I saw my mother dead on the street as we drove out of the zone."
Heather fell silent for a while.
The only sound was Winston snoring.
Ellie squeezed Heather's hand again. "I'm sorry that I always pushed you and Joey. If I'd known…"
Heather sat up in the bed again and shook her head. She squeezed Ellie's hand. "Joey was the first person I'd talked too after… he was the first person other than my mom I'd ever trusted."
Arata rose and walked next to the bed.
Heather turned away from Ellie and held out her hand for Arata to nudge. Heather's next words were spoken barely above a whisper. "I want to trust Joey more. I really do. But every time that I feel like I can let him be closer… he comes back. He's always fucking there. I can't make him go away. I just feel… trapped."
They remained silent for a time before Ellie sighed. "I don't know how you do it," she said.
Heather turned to look at Ellie.
Ellie stared ahead as she continued. "I've been through some crazy shit in my life, Heather. And years ago, one guy might have been close to… I don't know if I could have survived something like that…"
"No person should have to," Heather said darkly.
"Have you ever told anyone?" Ellie asked carefully.
"No," Heather said, sitting up.
"That's why you've always been afraid to get closer to people," Ellie said as she sat up too. She nudged Heather's shoulder, adopting a teasing tone. "Accept for the day we met. You know, you and Matthew."
"That was different," Heather said, smiling despite herself. "I don't have a problem with getting close to people. I have a problem with people getting close to me."
"I wouldn't exactly call Matthew 'forward'," Ellie said half-jokingly. "Or Joey for that matter."
Both girls chuckled for a moment.
Heather extracted her hand from Ellie's before speaking. "Joey has always been there for me. No matter what, he's always been there. And I've always wanted to move on. I want to… live. But I can't. He won't let me."
Ellie nodded without saying a word.
"I know," Heather said quietly, looking away again. "It's stupid. I should just get over it. Suck it up."
"No," Ellie said quickly. She grabbed Heather's face and gently turned it toward her. "That man took something from you. He had… no. Nobody has a right to take something from you like he did."
Heather looked down for a moment but didn't turn away.
Ellie spoke calmly, but firmly. "It. Is. Not. Stupid. And it isn't your fault."
Heather nodded and didn't speak for a few seconds.
Ellie didn't speak either.
"I kissed Joey," Heather said suddenly, not knowing why. A small amount of anger entered her voice. "I kissed Joey and he came back. He ruined it and—"
"How did it feel?" Ellie interrupted.
"What?" Heather asked, at a loss for words.
"How did it feel?" Ellie repeated.
Heather let out a breath and shook her head.
Ellie spoke quickly. "Seriously. Don't even think. Just answer. How did it feel?"
"It felt…" Heather hesitated. She sighed. "'Right', Ellie. It felt 'right'."
"Then it's fucking 'right'," Ellie said firmly. "Do you want to feel 'right' again?"
Heather closed her eyes as Ellie stared at her. After taking a deep breath, Heather opened her eyes and answered. "Yes."
"You are the strongest person I know," Ellie said. She smiled slightly. "Trust me. I wish that I could wave my arms and make everything awesome. Well, more than I do normally that is."
Heather laughed and pushed Ellie's shoulder.
"I wish I could do that," Ellie continued, turning serious again. "But whether either of us like it or not, only you can take back control from that asshole."
"How?" Heather asked, finding herself desperate for an answer.
"By getting rid of the 'what ifs'," Ellie answered.
Heather looked down as fear and apprehension took hold.
Ellie started playing with her own fingers. "I'm not saying you have to do it tonight, but I think it's something you need to do eventually."
"All I have are 'what ifs'," Heather whispered.
"You told me years ago that 'what ifs' are better than no choice at all," Ellie replied.
Heather took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "That's a lot of fucking baggage to put on Joey. To put on anyone."
"He can take it," Ellie said simply. "Joey's no stranger to baggage. From friend or family."
Heather glanced at the bite on Ellie's arm, feeling a small amount of hope followed by more trepidation and fear.
"As your personal friend of six years," Ellie said, almost hesitantly.
Heather looked at Ellie, giving the other girl silent permission.
Ellie spoke calmly. "You need to take chance first and give Joey something. Not necessarily everything, but… something."
Heather thought about Ellie's advice for a while. The longer she thought, the more stressed she became. Soon, all the thoughts in her head were winding together into an incoherent mess.
Heather forced herself to take a deep breath. "I… I need to go for a walk."
"Okay," Ellie said. She shrugged. "You can always stay too. If you need to."
"Thanks," Heather said. She hugged Ellie. "For everything."
"Your welcome," Ellie said, returning the hug.
Heather rose and grabbed her sweater, suddenly feeling thirsty. "Do you mind if I take a water bottle?"
"Knock yourself out."
Heather left the room and grabbed a water bottle from under the sink. Arata following close behind, Heather walked outside into the cool night air and took a deep breath. She curled her toes into the grass. It didn't make her feel any better.
Heather shivered slightly in her dress as the wind picked up. After attempting to calm her nerves with a drink of water, she let out an annoyed sigh.
Heather heard a twig snap and turned quickly, her hand drifting to her sweater pocket. She forced herself to relax when Matthew walked forward from down the street.
They made eye contact before Matthew nodded and moved toward the front door of the house.
Heather forced herself to say something. "I'm sorry I ruined you and Ellie's night."
Matthew turned. "You didn't," he replied. "I'm sorry that the night didn't go the same for you and Joey."
Heather shrugged and looked between Matthew and the house she'd just exited. "You left because you figured I'd come, didn't you?" she asked.
It was Matthew's turn to shrug. "I needed a walk anyway."
"They don't help much, do they? The walks," Heather said, avoiding the temptation to look behind her at Joey's house.
"Not really," Matthew admitted, looking away. "Not when there isn't a destination."
"Well, thanks for the privacy," Heather said appreciatively.
"It's nice having somebody to trust," Matthew said, stepping toward Heather and away from his house. "Isn't it?"
"Trust is… complicated," Heather said.
"No argument here," Matthew replied, looking at the sky for a moment.
Heather studied him for a moment and turned down the street. "Goodnight."
"Heather," Matthew called.
Heather turned around.
Matthew placed his hands in his sweater pockets and lowered his voice. "Even now, after living in Jackson for years, I have a relatively small circle of true trust."
"Small circles of any kind of trust are better than anything out there," Heather said, looking at the moon.
"That's one of the reasons I avoided people for so long," Matthew agreed. He sighed. "When I first got to Jackson, everyone was kind. Everyone was nice. Everyone asked if I needed help with anything."
"Nice change," Heather commented, remembering her first few days in Jackson.
"But then there were some who just… did things. Gave me a home. Welcomed me into their lives," Matthew said. He looked Heather in the eye. "I never asked. They never asked either. Not for anything. Those people…"
Heather glanced at Joey's house before looking at Matthew again.
Matthew nodded, almost to himself. "Those were the people I've discovered that I can trust. They're also the one's that I've come to trust more than I've ever trusted anyone."
Matthew turned, walking into his house without a word.
Heather turned and looked down the road again. She took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded. Please God, don't be wrong. She walked up to Joey's house and knocked on the door.
Joey answered a few seconds later, still dressed in the outfit that he had worn to the party. "Hey," he said, awkwardly.
"Hey," Heather said just as awkwardly. She fell silent, completely forgetting what she was going to say. She gulped. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"
"No," Joey said quietly. "I couldn't sleep."
"Me either," Heather said.
Joey put his hands in his pants pockets. "Look, about the way I acted earlier. I was little out of—"
Heather quickly leaned up and kissed Joey on the lips.
Joey returned the kiss.
After two seconds, they separated.
"Okay…" Joey said looking down for a second. "Okay, so… I'm confused."
They both looked down for a moment.
Heather smiled. That felt… right. Heather looked around. "I know it's late, but… do you want to want to…"
"Go for a walk?" Joey offered.
"Yeah," Heather said, feeling relieved. "A walk would be great."
Joey nodded and walked back into the house for a moment before emerging with the shoes Heather had worn to the party. "Mom said you could keep these," he said.
Heather chuckled and grabbed the shoes. "I'm probably not going to wear these again."
"I sure as hell am not going to wear them," Joey said with a shrug.
They started walking with no particular destination in mind.
"It wasn't you," Heather said after a while. "Tonight… it wasn't you."
"I've been told that if a girl says, 'it's not you, it's me', it's probably me," Joey said uncertainly.
"It's not me either," Heather said carefully. She sighed. "Not completely."
"I still don't understand," Joey said after a minute. "I kissed you and… you kissed back. And then you—"
"I know," Heather said, sharper than intended. She gulped and spoke quieter. "I know. And it's a long story."
Joey opened his mouth to reply but stopped when they heard somebody coughing.
It was then that Heather realized they were standing outside the bar. The building was completely dark now. The party had long since ended.
They heard the coughing again followed by the sound of vomiting.
"Sounds like I made a smart choice in not drinking," Joey commented.
Heather and Joey slowly walked around the building to the source of the sound.
"Steven?" Joey asked, squinting in the darkness.
The figure straightened up and walked toward them, supporting itself on the side of the building.
Heather couldn't help but tense up at the sight of Steven.
"You look like shit," Joey commented, his voice held a small amount of tension.
"I feel like shit," Steven admitted. He blinked several times. "Your dad and Marcus cut me off a few minutes after you… oh God."
"Yeah," Joey said, allowing anger to enter his voice. "Tonight was not one of your finer moments."
"I'm so sorry," Steven said quickly, looking from Joey to Heather. "To both of you. I have never been drunk before and I… let's face it. I have no excuse."
"Damn right," Heather grunted.
Steven stepped forward again, holding his hands up. "You guys can hit me if you want."
Heather glanced at Joey and saw a look on his face that suggested he was more than a little tempted.
Arata moved in front of Heather and hissed at Steven.
Steven looked between Joey and Heather again. "I really am sorry," he said to the pair lamely.
Joey looked at Heather.
Heather glared at Steven for a moment. She threw him the water bottle.
Steven fumbled his hands in the air and accidently dropped the water on the ground before bending over and picking it up.
"Drink a lot of that," Heather said sharply. "And next time a girl says stop…"
"Understood," Steven said, with a hint of fear. He looked at Joey.
Joey sighed. "It's Jackson, Steven. Nobody's going to stay mad at anyone forever. That being said, I think you should stick to one drink next time."
"I don't ever want to drink again," Steven groaned as he swallowed some water. "Thanks. And… sorry."
Steven turned and half walked, half staggered down the street.
"Are you guys just leaving?"
Heather and Joey turned and saw Tim and Vanessa walking toward them, also still dressed in their party outfits.
Vanessa had an arm wrapped around Tim's shoulder.
"We're just out for a walk," Heather said.
"As what?" Vanessa asked.
Heather looked at Joey, who shrugged.
"What are you two doing out so late?" Joey asked.
"Tim's just walking me home to get some stuff," Vanessa answered.
"Where have you been?" Heather asked.
"We decided to tell Clarisse that Vanessa's going to be spending a bit more time around the house and everywhere else," Tim answered.
Heather and Joey exchanged smiles.
Tim scratched the back of his head. "Clarisse was pretty enthused."
"Well, congratulations," Heather said, hugging Vanessa.
Joey shook hands with Tim and hugged Vanessa.
"Welcome to the family," Joey said to Vanessa. "Now run… seriously. It's probably safest for you to run."
Everyone laughed.
Tim and Vanessa said their goodbyes and continued walking.
Heather turned to look at the bar.
"You wanna keep going?" Joey asked.
"It's probably trashed in there," Heather said after a moment. She looked at Joey. "Would you mind helping me clean up? I don't want to leave it all for Ellie."
"Sure," Joey said, taking the hint.
"Wow," Heather said upon entering and looking at the mess.
"Yeah…" Joey said, placing Heather's heels on top of the bar. "I guess Jackson knows how to party."
The was bar riddled with trash. From the floor, to the chairs, to the bar top, there were old food wrappers, glass bottles, plastic bottles, and cans everywhere. A few of the chairs were overturned. The CD player still sat on the edge of the bar.
Joey exited the building and returned with a couple of large trash bins.
Heather placed her sweater with the scalpel on the bar.
"What the hell are we going to do with all this trash?" Heather asked, taking a bin and picking up a bottle.
"Same thing we do with the rest," Joey answered, taking the other bin and grabbing a wrapper. "We're gonna collect it, find out where the rats, mice, and rodents, are getting in, and set up poison."
"Just let me know where so I don't let Arata near the place," Heather said as her cat walked into the building and hopped up on the bar.
"If the furball would just make itself useful and kill the rodents, we could find something else to do with the trash," Joey replied.
Arata hissed at him before hopping down from the bar and onto the couch.
Heather smiled and grabbed a few more bottles. "The cat's gotten lazy over the years."
Joey picked up a bottle and threw it in the bin before facing Heather. He sighed. "Heather, I just want you to know. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."
"But you want me to," Heather assumed.
"Yes," Joey answered.
"It's a lot," Heather warned.
"I've got nowhere to be," Joey replied.
"That's not what I mean," Heather said, looking away.
Joey briefly placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know," he said quietly.
Heather nodded and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them.
As they continued to clean, Heather let everything out. She didn't notice if she had shed any tears.
Joey said nothing. He kept his expression guarded.
Heather got through the worst of her memories and hoped that she didn't sound as weak or scared as she once felt. She took several deep breaths as she finished and wiped her eyes only to find that there were no tears, wet or dry.
They finished cleaning the bar in silence.
Heather had no idea what to say. She hoped that she hadn't said too much.
"I'm sorry," Joey said finally. He looked at Heather. "I'm sorry I kissed you. If I had… If I'd… I'm sorry."
Heather swallowed. "Does this change anything?" she asked, fearing the answer to the question she'd hoped that she would never have to ask. "All this shit about me. Does it change anything?"
Joey didn't answer right away. He put the last piece of trash in his bin before looking at Heather. "Why would it?" he asked simply. "The way I see it, people can't be defined on what they're forced to do or go through out there. This just… makes things a little clearer. But it doesn't change anything for me."
Heather nodded, unsure of what to say next. She picked up some trash they had missed behind the bar.
"If you want to just be friends…" Joey said, causing Heather to turn to him. Joey stepped back. "I completely understand. I'll back off. I'll never try to… I'll be just as happy staying friends. You're like, the first real friend I ever had in my life. I don't want to lose that. No matter what."
Heather found her herself smiling. "Joey, you're the first friend I ever had. And for the record…" Heather walked up to Joey and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm not sorry you kissed me."
"So, was that a yes?" Joey said hopefully.
Heather didn't answer.
After a few seconds, Joey turned, walked over to the bar. and grabbed Heather's shoes, tossing them to her. Then he walked to the CD player and turned it on.
Heather just stared at him.
Joey ignored the questioning look and flipped through a few tracks before finding a slower song.
"I can barely walk in these," Heather said, looking at the heels. "How the hell am I supposed to dance?"
"Oh, so you want to dance now," Joey said, returning to her.
Heather sighed and started to put her heels on. "I was comfortable at the party."
"So was I," Joey replied.
Joey cautiously reached forward for her right hand with his left. Heather took the hand. Joey slowly spun her in a circle, walked them back three steps, spun her again, and took three steps forward before gently and cautiously placing a hand on her back.
After stumbling a few times and getting re-used to the shoes, Heather raised an eyebrow. "When did you learn how to dance?"
"Let's just say my mother use to make me do some embarrassing things," Joey said, looking at their feet for a moment.
"So, she made you learn to dance because…" Heather said as they moved in a circle.
"She wanted me to be able to do it at a wedding," Joey said, blushing slightly. He almost stepped on Heather's foot as he faltered. Joey looked away. "Sorry. It's been a while."
"When did she let you stop?" Heather asked.
"When I started hanging out with a friend more," Joey answered.
Heather chuckled.
"And you didn't answer my question before," Joey continued. "Do you want to stay close friends or be… more than friends."
Heather smiled evilly and did another spin under his arm.
"I hate it when you do that," Joey said with a chuckle of his own.
"Do what?" Heather asked innocently.
"The whole 'silent treatment'," Joey answered. He placed his hand on her back again. "You did that for, like, two days when you first got here."
"I gave you my name eventually," Heather reminded him.
"After I asked more than a few times. Anyway, it was nice to hear you speak," Joey said. He stopped them for a moment. "Any chance of getting an answer for this question?"
The song ended.
Heather still didn't answer. She felt the lump in her throat fade away. She felt truly happy. Then she glanced at the couch next to the bar.
Joey followed her gaze to the couch.
Heather thought for a moment. I need to know…
"You okay?" Joey asked.
Heather grabbed his hand. "C'mon," she said, leading him to the couch.
"What are we doing?" Joey asked.
"I'm doing an experiment," Heather said. She pointed to the end of the couch. "Sit."
"Should I be afraid?" Joey asked as he sat down.
"Why would you be afraid?" Heather asked.
"Last time I let a girl do an experiment on me, I ended up with the worst haircut of my life," Joey replied.
Heather looked at him curiously.
Joey looked down. "And that is why Ellie is never coming near me with scissors again."
Heather smiled and sat next to him on the couch, her fear and nervousness returning.
"So, what are we doing again?" Joey asked.
"Kiss me," Heather said simply.
It was Joey's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because you want to," Heather replied.
Joey didn't move.
Heather sighed and looked at her sweater on the bar, then at the couch. She spoke softly. "I need to make sure of something. I need to know that it wasn't…"
"Me?" Joey offered. He looked away. "You want to know that the memories weren't…"
"Us," Heather corrected. "I need to make sure it wasn't us."
"What if it was?" Joey asked.
Heather leaned forward and kissed him again.
Joey kissed back almost immediately.
Once again, Heather felt herself relaxing as she leaned back onto the couch.
As they continued to kiss, Heather purposefully grabbed the cushion underneath her and yanked, causing an unsuspecting Joey to fall forward.
Heather closed her eyes in trepidation as Joey's weight pressed against her and… nothing.
Joey broke the kiss and sat up. "Did you just…?
"Yeah," Heather said, sitting up. "That was me."
"And?"
"Nothing," Heather replied.
Joey remained silent, as if unsure of how to interpret her answer.
Heather shrugged. "Well there was something. But nothing bad."
After another silence, Joey and Heather both yawned simultaneously and laughed.
"Long night," Heather commented as they stood from the couch.
"Depends on your definition of when night ends," Joey said as they walked out of the bar and closed the door behind them. "I'm pretty sure that technically it's tomorrow."
"Tomorrow is not tomorrow until I wake up," Heather countered.
Joey held out his burnt arm. "Tell it to the arm that kept me up for twenty-four hours once."
"You had company," Heather said, bumping shoulders with him.
"That's true," Joey said, thinking of the walkie-talkie's they each kept. He stopped and lowered his voice. "I was um… I was really hoping we'd use those tonight."
"I tried," Heather said, speaking just as quietly. "I really—"
"I tried too," Joey said. He shrugged. "I just didn't know what to say."
"Me either," Heather said. She ran a hand through her hair and found it a mess. "I'm just glad that we ended up talking in person."
"That's how I've always preferred it," Joey admitted. "So… can I walk you home?"
Heather smiled slightly. "Are you walking me home or is this one of those times that you're walking with me to my home and I'm really just—"
"Would you answer the damn question," Joey groaned.
"Sure," Heather answered with another smile. "You can walk me home."
They reached Heather's house sometime later. Heather found that her hand was unknowingly intertwined with Joey's. She gave it a squeeze before letting go.
"See you tomorrow?" Heather asked.
"You mean later today?" Joey retorted.
"Shut up," Heather said, turning toward the door.
"Can I ask you something?"
Heather turned back to Joey.
Joey spoke slowly and carefully. "At the party, you pushed me away. Then at my place, you… and then at the bar not knowing whether or not… why?"
Heather thought before answering. She decided to go with the truth. "To show myself that I can. And…because I wanted to."
"Well, I've wanted to since…" Joey allowed his voice to trail off. His face turned red and he looked away. "I think I'm just going to shut up before I embarrass myself more."
"I'm curious to know what the end of that sentence was," Heather commented.
Arata trotted down the street toward them.
Heather knelt and pet the cat as it nudged her feet. "But I'll spare you that for another time."
"How about tomorrow night?" Joey offered.
"Wow," Heather said with a chuckle as she stood. "That was quick."
Joey shrugged. "My mom and dad are forcing me to take the night off so that I can have dinner with them rather than eating right before I pass out. I think it'd be nice to—"
"Show me off?" Heather offered teasingly.
"That's not where I was going," Joey insisted, holding up a hand in surrender. "I just… tonight's reminded me how much I like hanging out with you."
"Alone?" Heather asked, mischievously pushing every button she could. "If you like hanging out with just me, then why do your parents have to be there?"
"Please don't make me eat with them alone," Joey begged, earning a laugh from Heather. Joey smiled. "You know how they are. They're going to ask questions and dissect my life for the thousandth time and I really don't feel that I can take that again."
"And then?" Heather pressed stepping a little closer.
"And then maybe we can hang out some more… alone," Joey finished. "You can tell me how your first appointment as 'Jackson's Official Doctor' went."
Heather looked up at the sky. "Shit… that's in like, eight hours," she said, looking at Joey again. "I'll see you tomorrow night."
"Good," Joey said. He thought for a moment and shook his head. "My parents are going to have a field day with this."
"Just think about what Ellie's going to have waiting," Heather added.
"And there goes a possibility of me sleeping tonight," Joey said with a sigh.
They stood silently for a moment.
Arata walked out from behind Heather's legs and looked at Joey.
"You have anything to say?" Joey asked the cat.
Arata nudged Joey's legs and sat next to Heather.
"Okay, now the cat's being weird," Joey said. He looked at Heather. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Heather said. She watched as Joey made his way down the street and turned the corner. Heather knelt again and grabbed Arata. "Since when do you like boys?"
Heather walked into her house and got dressed for bed, depositing the heels in her closet. She realized with a jolt of panic that she had left the scalpel at the bar.
Arata jumped up on Heather's bed and curled up into a ball.
Heather took a deep breath and sat down next to the cat, scratching it behind the ears. She reached down and grabbed the fallen walkie-talkie from the floor, placing it on her bedside table.
Heather laid back. I don't need the scalpel. I don't need it. Heather closed her eyes and opened them a minute later. She grabbed the walkie-talkie, tucking it behind her second pillow. Just in case.
…
Joey opened the front door to his house and walked inside, tossing aside the key.
"You're home late," his father commented, looking at him from the chair he'd been dozing in. He was dressed in his brown pajamas. "You're night that good or that bad?"
"I'd rather not talk about it," Joey said, now utterly exhausted. "I'll talk to you guys tomorrow night at dinner."
Joey walked up the stairs without a word.
"Joey," his mom said from the door to his parent's bedroom. She walked down the hall, dressed in her white night gown, and placed hand on her son's shoulder. "I'm happy for you."
Joey watched his mother walk down the stairs. How does she always know? He walked into his room and fell onto his bed, making sure to place his walkie-talkie on his bedside table. Just in case.
…
Ellie slowly closed the front door of her house and smiled as she rejoined Matthew in the bed. She laid down and flipped the covers back over them.
Ellie glanced at Matthew who was lying perfectly still.
"You're not asleep yet," Ellie said.
"Nope," Matthew said, turning toward her.
"It'll be fine," Ellie assured him. "I saw Joey when he walked home."
"I thought you were going to wait until tomorrow before you started snooping," Matthew said, reaching forward and moving a loose strand of hair from Ellie's eye.
"I don't snoop," Ellie argued. "I… I keep an eye out for my friends."
"By snooping," Matthew said.
Ellie punched him in the shoulder.
"Backing off," Matthew said with a smile.
Ellie smiled and closed her eyes. "I had fun tonight. Even though our dance was interrupted."
"Does that mean you're expecting a redo?" Matthew asked, feigning fear.
"Well, not right now," Ellie said. She leaned up and placed his arm around her. "But, you know, in the future it would be nice."
"You talk about the future a lot more than you used to," Matthew commented, grasping her hand.
"I guess I feel safe enough to think about it now," Ellie said. She yawned. "And the immediate future should be devoted to sleep. Goodnight, Matthew."
…
Matthew didn't answer. He laid in the bed for hours afterward, his eyes wide open. He thought about the future. The future with Ellie. The future he longed for. The future he also dreaded. The future he saw that he didn't know how to talk about.