The Hopeless Hanging On

I stared up and studied the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling in my bedroom. Suddenly all the memories came flooding back. Funny how little things like stickers that glow in the dark could bring back so many memories. My sister and I had stuck those stars there when we were younger. Back when everything was fine and happy. Now it’s all just so different.

The thing about change is that day by day, we don’t notice it. But when we look back over the past year, we realize that things really have changed.

The ringing of my phone brought me back to the present. I sighed and reached for my phone.

“Hello?”

“Haley! Where are you?” My friend, Rachel, shouted into her phone. I could hear music in the background.

“Why? What do you want?”

“Get dressed. I’m sending someone to pick you up. You’re coming to my party whether you like it or not”

I groaned. “Rache-“ I was cut off by the sound of beeping. She hung up on me. I rolled my eyes. I was so not going to that party. Bad techno music and drinking people were the last things I needed.

I sat up and grabbed the book I was reading a while ago and started reading again. A few minutes later my mom knocked on my door.

“Haley, there’s a boy outside looking for you. He said Rachel sent him here.”

“Wait what?”

“There’s a-“ I cut my mom off.

“Yeah I’m sorry I heard you. What did he say his name was?”

“Garrett. Honey, are you going out?”

“No, I’m not let me just go down and talk to him. Thanks mom”

She nodded and walked out of my room. I groaned and made my way downstairs. I walked into the living room and saw a brown haired boy sitting on the couch. I cleared my throat. He turned around and smiled when he saw me.

“Um hey. Rachel sent me to pick you up” He looked at what I was wearing – a loose shirt and pajamas – “Uhh are you ready to go?”

“Actually I’m not going. I’m so sorry Rachel made you leave the party just to pick me up and then come here to find out that I wont be going but I just really don’t feel like going to a party right now.”

“Sorry. Can’t leave without bringing you with me. Orders from Rachel. She’ll kill me if I go back without you.”

I groaned. “I can’t believe she’s actually doing this.”

“It’s not that bad, you know. I’ll stay with you the whole night if you want” he rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly.

I sighed. “Fine. Might as well just go. Let me just change”

He smiled and nodded. I ran back to my room and quickly put on a pair of jeans and a shirt. I slipped on my vans and knocked on the door to my parent’s room.

“I’m going to Rachel’s. I’ll be back later.”

“Okay sweetheart.” My mom said

“Don’t stay out too late” My dad added.

“Okay, bye guys” I walked back to the living room and saw Garrett standing by the table with pictures of me and my family. He was holding a photo of me and my sister and looking at it intently. I cleared my throat and he looked up and smiled.

“Wow. That was fast. Most girls usually take at least half an hour to get ready”

“Lucky you” I said eyeing the picture he was still holding then I looked back at him “that I’m not most girls then”

He chuckled then put the picture back to it’s place “You ready to go then?”

“Yeah, let’s go”

The drive to Rachel’s was pretty awkward.

“So was that you and your sister in the picture?” He asked as he made a left turn.

I looked outside the window, avoiding eye contact and nodded.

“She looks kind of familiar but I can’t quite put my finger on it”

“Maybe you went to the same high school”

He glanced at me “Oh yeah. That’s probably why”

The rest of the car ride was silent with only the music from his car’s radio playing softly.

Finally we reached Rachel’s house. The music could be heard from outside and the place was packed with kids.

When we walked in I was welcomed by a whiff of smoke. “Ah yes, typical party” I thought to myself.

I looked around and spotted Rachel laughing and dancing with a red cup in her hand. I turned around and saw Garrett still standing there.

“Thanks for picking me up” I shouted over the music.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded.

I turned back around and made my way to Rachel.

“What the hell?!” I asked her

“You’re here!” She squealed and grabbed my hand pulling me into the kitchen.

“Yeah because you sent a boy who I don’t even know to fetch me!”

“Well I did warn you” She shrugged

“I didn’t think you were actually serious! How do you even know that guy?”

“He’s Kennedy’s friend” Kennedy was Rachel’s boyfriend. They had been going out for a month.

She sighed. “Just relax and have fun okay. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you actually having fun at a party”

“That’s because I don’t like parties, Rachel”

“Well you used to. Come on. Live a little, would you” She said handing me a red cup. I rolled my eyes but took it anyway.

She grinned at me “that’s more like it. Come on let’s dance!” she pulled me into the room where people were dancing. She started to dance seductively in front of me which made me laugh. This went on for a few second then I finally gave in and danced with her. I just let go and actually let myself have some fun. After a while I got tired and went out side to the backyard to get some fresh air.

When I stepped out I saw Garrett sitting on the swing set in Rachel’s backyard. I sat beside him and he looked up.

“Having fun?” He smirked

“Yes actually. Thanks for picking me up even though you didn’t really know me. And also, sorry for leaving you when we arrived”

“It’s cool.” He shrugged “So if you were having fun then why are you out here?”

“I needed some fresh air. Why are you out here?”

“I don’t know I guess I’m not really a party kind of person”

“Then why did you come in the first place?” I said laughing a little

“My friends kind of just dragged me here.”

“I know how that feels” I said rolling my eyes.

He looked at me and laughed. I laughed too. We just sat there and kept talking for what seemed like hours in Rachel’s backyard while the party went on inside until I looked at the time and decided that it was time for me to go. Garrett offered to bring me home but I politely declined which was no use because he ended up driving me home anyway. When we arrived in front of my house we exchanged numbers and then I thanked him for driving me home and got out of the car.

When I got inside the house I passed by the picture of me and my sister that Garrett was looking at. I stopped and looked at the picture. The happy feeling suddenly went away. I felt sad again. I sighed and brought the picture with me to my room. I placed it on my bedside table and took off my jeans and my shirt and put on a shirt and shorts and slipped under the covers. I looked at the picture. I just stared at it even as my vision blurred with tears till I fell asleep.