Thin Lines & Paper Hearts

“Stop! You're doing this all wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong!” Caroline, my hippo of a dance instructor, snapped. She tugged at her straw colored hair in sheer frustration as I drowned out her high-pitched voice. Owl City pounded in my ears, making me have to restrain myself from singing along with Adam Young.

“Just dry your damp eyes, and tell me when it rains, 'cause I'll blend that rainbow above you, and shoot it through your veins...” Adam sang softly, his lyrics so beautiful and up-lifting. As the song continued to linger in my ears, I couldn't help but allow the images of gorgeous Landon pound through my brain. Frame by frame, Landon's perfect face glowed at one moment, looking soft and understanding, and the next his face glowed of pure hatred when he spotted Jayden.

“Summer! Pay attention!” Caroline screeched, her shrill voice cutting through my reverie like razor knifes through butter. I shook my head, attempting to pay attention to what my dance instructor was guiding me through. “Back, side, front, step,” she yelled, “heal stretch! Now keep your leg up all the way!” I sighed as she grabbed my leg, yanking it upward towards the ceiling. I counted to ten quietly under my breath, then pressing play on my iPod.

“I'm going on my break.” I muttered, drowning out her voice that was still carrying on. I melted within the beautiful music that was producing within my eardrums. As Christofer Drew Ingle's sweet voice began to sing in my ears, my mind began to wind into tight, knotted tangles of perplexity.

As I entered the giant dressing room, ominous silence haunted me, stirring my mixed up thoughts. Questions continued to pop up into my mind.

Why did Landon act as if he actually cared about me?
Why did Landon grow so furious when he figured out Jayden abused me?

I ran my trembling fingers through my ruby tinted tumbleweed of hair, sighing. I felt so confused, so perplexed. A guy like Landon doesn't just care about me, he hardly even knows who I am.

“Summer!” the hippo called out, “Your break is over!” I jumped, not expecting her shrill voice to come slicing through my contemplations once again, shearing them until they're nearly disintegrated, all disappearing from my mind. I ran back to the studio, continuing my careless and sheepish attitude as I attempted to listen to Caroline.

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I awoke abruptly to my cell phone furiously vibrating on my nightstand. “Hello?” I mumbled groggily into the receiver, holding back a round of contagious yawns.

“Hey, babe! Guess what?” my best friend, Lillie, squealed into the phone excitedly. I jumped, rubbing my temple. I could feel a stubborn headache coming on.

“What?” I asked dully, sitting up in my bed.

“There's this party that we so have to go to! Get your pretty ass ready, we're hittin' the road!” Lille said a little too loudly, provoking my newborn headache even further. I groaned, flopping back onto my very comfortable bed.

“No, I'd much rather sleep, thank-you very much.” I sang, closing my eyes. But, before I could even open them again, I heard someone burst into my bedroom with elephant ca-boomingfootsteps.

“NO! We're going! Oh my gosh, we so have to go! Please?” Lillie cried over dramatically, acting like the drama queen as usual. I sighed loudly, rolling my eyes.

“Where the hell did you come from? And, anyway, what's so special about this party? I went to one just last night.” I replied, looking at my best friend incredulously. Although Lillie has always been known as the 'mute' girl at school, we were always best friends. She gives amazing advice and I knew I can confide in her with anything. I've known her since the sixth grade.

“Oh, your front door was open. But, that's besides the point! Brad fucking Stellar is going to be there!” she practically screamed, throwing her arms up into there air. I sighed, rolling my eyes. Nonetheless, I couldn't quite hide the smile that was quickly torching up my face.

“Fine, fine. Just, please, quit your screaming.” I resent with a small grin, rising from my bed.

“YAY! I love you, Summer! You're so not going to regret it.” Lillie screeched, hugging me to death. I coughed and laughed, heading over to my closet.

As I selected a jewel-studded halter top, I muttered, “I better not regret this.”

Little did I know, I was infinitely going to regret this decision.