I Hope You Like the Stars I Stole for You

Pruitt’s POV

My dad was gone when I woke up in the morning, and I was grateful for that. I showered and dressed quickly, then cleaned up my room. I just wanted to get everything out of the way so I could head up to the park around noon. I was going to spend the day there, hoping that maybe Vic might turn up. I wanted to see him, but at the same time I didn’t. What if he saw my cuts ? Things would be over before they started if he did, nobody wanted a suicidal girl. I had been disgusting enough without the cuts, now I was just unbearable.

If I saw Vic today, what would I say to him anyhow ? I couldn’t pretend that I wasn’t mad, but I knew that when I saw him my anger would dissipate. I sighed, raking my hands through my hair. I looked so stupid with shorts and a hoodie on, but what choice did I have ? I stomped down the stairs, “Bye mom, I’m going to the park.” I was itching to get out of the house.

I was almost to the door when I realized that I had left my cell-phone in my room. “Shit…” I muttered, racing back upstairs to get it. I had to search to find it, so it took me a few minutes to retrieve it. I walked out my bedroom door again when I heard my mom talking to someone. I rolled my eyes, my dad was probably home already. But then I listened closer- “Hi Vic, haven’t seen you in a while !” “Yeah, things have been pretty crazy at home…can I go see Pruitt though ? It’s important.” “You know, I think she actually just left.” She called upstairs “Pruitt !” I closed my door and pretended I didn’t know what was going on. “What ?” I called back, knowing full well what. I couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation, but I could hear footsteps coming up the stairs.

I looked around my room frantically, panicking. What was I going to do ? Just stand here like an idiot ? The door opened, creaking softly. Vic stepped through it, his eyes meeting mine immediately. I stared at him, my face expressionless. He leaned against the door, closing his eyes. He sank down to the floor, still silent. “Vic ?” I whispered, rather alarmed now. “I’m sorry.” He turned to face me, his voice low and his tone sad. “Where were you ?” I asked him. I walked over to him and knelt next to him. “Vic ?” He placed his hands on either side of my face “I can’t tell you.” His eyes looked almost haunted, and I could see the pain there. “I’m sorry though Pruitt, I’m so sorry.”

I didn’t know what to say, I hadn’t been expecting this. I guess I had been expecting so
me lame excuse, then a falling out between him and I, then never speaking to him again. “Come sit with me.” I was sitting on the edge of my bed now, and I patted the spot next to me. Vic smiled gratefully and accepted the offer. I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Things were really bad when you were gone Vic. No one is my friend anymore….everyone hates me.” “I missed you.” Vic told me, not commenting on what I had just told him. I guess he didn’t know what to say, because he knew it was true.

Vic’s POV

I frantically rushed to Pruitt’s house, walking right up to the door. I knocked, expecting Hank to answer it again, but instead it was a surprised-looking Grace. She let me inside immediately. “Hello Vic, haven’t seen you in a while !” “Yeah, things have been pretty crazy at home…can I go see Pruitt though ? It’s important.” I was shaking with the need to see her, and I prayed Grace wouldn’t keep talking. “You know, I think she actually just left.” My heart dropped. She called toward the stairs “Pruitt !” “What ?!” I heard her reply. “Well I suppose you can go see her then !” Grace told me, shrugging. I walked calmly to the stairs, just in case her mom was still watching me. I walked up them slowly, trying to give myself time to think. Everything I had rehearsed just flew out of my head, and my mind was blank. I took a deep breath anyway, and pushed open the door. Pruitt was standing near the window, looking right at me.

I closed the door quietly behind me, sliding down the door and dropping onto my butt. “I’m sorry.” I winced at the broken sound of my voice. “Where were you ?” She questioned me. The statement was innocent enough, but it brought me a lot of pain. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her where I’d been, I was too ashamed. She would think of me as a freak; an insane, depressed freak. I just couldn’t risk losing her. I placed my palms on each of her cheeks “I can’t tell you. I’m sorry though, I’m so sorry Pruitt.” She went to sit on the edge of her bed, and she invited me to join her. Her head dropped onto my shoulder “Things were really bad when you were gone Vic. No one is my friend anymore….everyone hates me.” My heart broke at the sound of her voice, she sounded so sure that everyone in the world was against her. I didn’t quite know what to say, so I changed the subject. “I missed you.” “I missed you more.” She told me, smacking me lightly on the back of my head. “Don’t ever do that to me again, okay ?” “I promise.” I told her, turning to look into her eyes.

“Well it’s noon on a Saturday, what do you want to do ?” She asked me. “As long as I’m with you, I honestly don’t care.”

I turned to her expectantly, hoping she had an idea. My eyes immediately went to her lips, and she blushed. “What ? Why are you looking at me ? Is there something on my-” She was silenced by my lips.

She melted into the kiss, surprised but willing. My hands found their way into her long hair, and she grinned into the kiss. I cautiously deepened it, and she scooted closer to me. I felt her hand lay softly on my shoulder, and my arm encircled her waist. “Mmm.” I chuckled a little into her mouth as I scooted backward on the bed. She followed me, straddling me, all while never breaking contact. She was the one to break the kiss, and I looked up at her. “Pruitt.” “What ?” She asked me in the same tone as before, grinning. I shook my head, smiling as well. I ran my hands down her waist, and she giggled. That started a mock-fight, and we started wrestling around. I had her down on the bed, pinned down, laughing madly within minutes. I encircled her with my arms and whispered in her ear “Maybe I should go away more often.”