Status: Finished
I Hope You Like the Stars I Stole for You
Chapter Three-Darling, Look at the Sparks
I debated on what to wear when I met Vic tomorrow, determined to look my best. I wanted him to like me more than anything, but I didn’t want to make myself into something I’m not. It was going to be warm, so I chose some jean shorts and a band t-shirt. I wanted to feel comfortable, and wearing something to do with my music would definitely make me feel better. The rest of Friday seemed to drag on forever, as I sat alone in my room. I had texted Vic back- “I’ll be there,” but he never replied after that. I wondered if I was supposed to keep the conversation going, if he thought I was lame. My computer notified me of a new tweet, and my stomach turned when I saw who it was from- Mary, the girl who started the rumors about me. She had tweeted me another picture she had drawn of me- My eyes were rimmed with dark eyeliner, and I was slashing my wrists. I shook my head disgustedly, but before I could delete it, the picture got twenty favorites. Twenty people thought that was funny….twenty people thought I was emo and that I cut myself, just because of one girl. One of the favorites came from Mike, the boy with the lip ring in my second hour. I clicked on his profile. Fuentes…I thought. Wasn’t that Vic’s last name ? Realization hit me- this was Vic’s brother, the one Emma had told me about. Why hadn’t Vic said anything to me in class that day ? Obviously they didn’t get along, but still… Mike was one of the popular kids, but Vic didn’t hang with that crowd, although he could have. He kept away from pretty much everyone, and pretty much everyone kept away from him. I on the other hand, was a freak that everyone felt the need to make fun of. I sighed, it was starting again.
No matter what I do, anywhere I go, I’m an outcast. I don’t do anything wrong, people just pick on me for no reason. I guess I’m just easy to hate.
It didn’t help that my dad was drinking again, having his own little party on a Friday night. Things were spiraling out of control fast, and I worried that he would lay a hand on me again. I just didn’t want anything to get in the way of my plans with Vic tomorrow, so I tried to be extra careful around him. I handed him his dinner, and he grabbed my wrist and squeezed, hard. He yanked me closer to him “Good girl.” He patted my head roughly, and I went back upstairs for the remainder of the night.
The whole twitter ordeal was still gnawing at my thoughts as I tried to sleep. What if Vic believed these rumors and didn’t want to be my friend anymore ? That was honestly what I was most worried about; he was the most amazing person I’d ever known. He wasn’t afraid to ignore bullies and just be himself, no matter what they thought of him. And he was nice to the new girl even though he didn’t have to be. The more I thought about him, the more butterflies I had in my stomach thinking about my plans to come. I tossed and turned all night, but I woke up energized in the morning. I showered and got ready a little too quickly, and I ended up sitting around nervously for an hour. I rushed out of the house fifteen minutes until noon, giving myself ample time to walk. I was the only one at the park when I arrived, so I sat on the swings, kicking my legs. Vic walked into view at noon on the dot, and he looked genuinely happy to see me. I jumped up and ran over to him, “ Hi !” I cringed at how awkwardly enthusiastic I seemed, but he just pulled me in for a hug. Time stopped for a moment as I caught my breath, realized that the guy I liked had his arms around me. I hugged him back, breathing in his scent. He touched my hair, and when we pulled away, I realized that he had placed a flower in it. I felt the blood flow to my cheeks, and he smiled at me in a way that told me he knew I liked him.
We sat on the swings, talking about life. He asked me about my past school, and I ended up telling him how I had been bullied. He shook his head “I don’t understand it…” I shrugged, I didn’t either. He grew silent, and I followed his gaze. He was fixated on my wrist, where there were very distinct hand shaped bruises from where my dad had grabbed me last night. I hadn’t even noticed them until now. I self consciously put my other hand over my wrist, and he finally said “What happened to your wrist ?” His voice was quiet, and his eyes flickered up to meet mine. I didn’t say anything. “You know you can tell me anything….” He whispered. “I won’t judge you.” “It’s nothing…but thanks Vic. You’re a good friend.” I felt bad that I hadn’t confided in him, but what am I supposed to say ? ‘Oh by the way, my dad beats me ?’ Not a good conversation to have with someone you’ve only known for a week. “You know, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” He told me. “Really ?” I was surprised, I mean he was so nice and all… “Yea, people don’t really like me.” He admitted. “But you, you’ve managed to worm your way into my heart already.” He smiled at me, and chuckled a little. “Yeah, you’re pretty much the closest friend I’ve ever had too.” I told him, and it was the truth. He looked at me, his eyes shining, “So does this make us best friends ?”
Vic’s POV
Pruitt and I walked home together, chatting comfortably. It was a nice, sunny Friday afternoon, and I was feeling alright for once. I glanced over at her, and blurted out “I should get your number.” Did I really just say that out loud ? There was no way she wanted me to have her number…To my surprise, she pulled out paper immediately and wrote it down for me. Happiness bubbled inside of me, I had finally gotten her number ! “Thanks, I’m going to text you, alright ?” She nodded with a shy smile and I looked away before I started blushing. We fell into silence, only the sound of our footsteps making any noise. “Shit !” She suddenly exclaimed, and I looked to where she was holding her side. Blood was soaking through her t-shirt. “Are you okay ?” I asked her, worried. I stopped her and knelt down in front of the wound, but before I could get a good look at it, she muttered that she was fine and hurried into her home. I stood dumbfounded outside her house. I stood there for a few minutes, wondering if I should knock on her door and see if she was okay. A movement in the window upstairs caught my eye- it was Pruitt, looking out the window at me. I hoped she didn’t think I was a freak, I was just concerned. She smiled brilliantly and waved, and I held up the sticky note with her number and motioned “Call me.” I walked home, making plans in my head.
I would go crazy if I didn’t get to see her for the whole weekend, so I asked her to meet me at the park by my house tomorrow at noon. I was so excited, I had a massive crush on her since the moment I bumped into her in the hall. I wanted her to like me so badly, she was my only friend and I cared so much for her. I trudged into my house, locking myself in my room. I hated when my brother had friends over, and not just because they completely ignored me, but because his room was right next to mine so I had to listen to them having fun. I was always so jealous of Mike, even though he was younger than me, he was always more popular. I never had any friends, while he hung out with a different person every day and went through more girlfriends than I could count. When we were alone, we were decent to each other, but at school or in front of his friends, he never acknowledged me. But if I could get Pruitt, then I would be happier than he could ever be. It wouldn’t matter that I had no other friends than her, or that I’d never dated anyone else, because she was the best and the brightest. Too bad she would never like me…
I was constantly putting myself down, but I couldn’t stop, because society told me I was right. I truly was a freak, an outcast, an “emo boy.” As long as I had Pruitt though, it didn’t matter to me what other people said. She seemed to like me and want to be my friend, and that was good enough for me.
I woke up late, and rushed around to get ready. I ran to the park to make it on time, then slowed down as I saw Pruitt already there, sitting on the swings. She saw me and jumped off of them, running over to me. “Hi !” She exclaimed enthusiastically, and I grinned. I pulled her in for a hug before I lost my nerve, my heart beating like a drum as I held her in my arms. I felt like electricity was snapping through my body, and I placed the lavender flower I had picked for her behind her ear. She pulled away and touched the flower, seeming pleased. We headed over to the swings, sitting on them and talking about her past. I got a sick feeling in my stomach when she told me about all the bullying she had endured, her past sounded a lot like mine. How could people do that to someone like her ? She was the most perfect thing, how could they treat her like trash ? She deserved so, so much better. “I don’t understand it…” I murmured aloud. She shrugged beside me, and fell silent. Her wrist caught my eye, and the sick feeling returned. There was dark bruise like marks around her right wrist, in the shape of a hand, as if someone had grabbed her. A crazy boyfriend maybe ? Someone at school who bullied her ? She caught me staring and flinched, putting her other hand over it to disguise it. “You know you can tell me anything….” I told her softly, hoping she would tell me what was wrong. I thought about her side bleeding the other day, and I wondered what sort of mystery this girl was hiding. “You know,” I said. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” I just felt the need to tell her how important she was to me, how special of a person she was. “Really ?” She asked me, raising her eyebrows. “Yeah, uh, people don’t really like me,” I told her truthfully. I looked sideways at her. “But you, you’ve managed to worm your way into my heart already.” I chuckled a little. ““Yeah, you’re pretty much the closest friend I’ve ever had too.” She told me, smiling. “So does this make us best friends ?” I asked her hopefully. My heart almost stopped when she nodded and said “Yes.”
No matter what I do, anywhere I go, I’m an outcast. I don’t do anything wrong, people just pick on me for no reason. I guess I’m just easy to hate.
It didn’t help that my dad was drinking again, having his own little party on a Friday night. Things were spiraling out of control fast, and I worried that he would lay a hand on me again. I just didn’t want anything to get in the way of my plans with Vic tomorrow, so I tried to be extra careful around him. I handed him his dinner, and he grabbed my wrist and squeezed, hard. He yanked me closer to him “Good girl.” He patted my head roughly, and I went back upstairs for the remainder of the night.
The whole twitter ordeal was still gnawing at my thoughts as I tried to sleep. What if Vic believed these rumors and didn’t want to be my friend anymore ? That was honestly what I was most worried about; he was the most amazing person I’d ever known. He wasn’t afraid to ignore bullies and just be himself, no matter what they thought of him. And he was nice to the new girl even though he didn’t have to be. The more I thought about him, the more butterflies I had in my stomach thinking about my plans to come. I tossed and turned all night, but I woke up energized in the morning. I showered and got ready a little too quickly, and I ended up sitting around nervously for an hour. I rushed out of the house fifteen minutes until noon, giving myself ample time to walk. I was the only one at the park when I arrived, so I sat on the swings, kicking my legs. Vic walked into view at noon on the dot, and he looked genuinely happy to see me. I jumped up and ran over to him, “ Hi !” I cringed at how awkwardly enthusiastic I seemed, but he just pulled me in for a hug. Time stopped for a moment as I caught my breath, realized that the guy I liked had his arms around me. I hugged him back, breathing in his scent. He touched my hair, and when we pulled away, I realized that he had placed a flower in it. I felt the blood flow to my cheeks, and he smiled at me in a way that told me he knew I liked him.
We sat on the swings, talking about life. He asked me about my past school, and I ended up telling him how I had been bullied. He shook his head “I don’t understand it…” I shrugged, I didn’t either. He grew silent, and I followed his gaze. He was fixated on my wrist, where there were very distinct hand shaped bruises from where my dad had grabbed me last night. I hadn’t even noticed them until now. I self consciously put my other hand over my wrist, and he finally said “What happened to your wrist ?” His voice was quiet, and his eyes flickered up to meet mine. I didn’t say anything. “You know you can tell me anything….” He whispered. “I won’t judge you.” “It’s nothing…but thanks Vic. You’re a good friend.” I felt bad that I hadn’t confided in him, but what am I supposed to say ? ‘Oh by the way, my dad beats me ?’ Not a good conversation to have with someone you’ve only known for a week. “You know, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” He told me. “Really ?” I was surprised, I mean he was so nice and all… “Yea, people don’t really like me.” He admitted. “But you, you’ve managed to worm your way into my heart already.” He smiled at me, and chuckled a little. “Yeah, you’re pretty much the closest friend I’ve ever had too.” I told him, and it was the truth. He looked at me, his eyes shining, “So does this make us best friends ?”
Vic’s POV
Pruitt and I walked home together, chatting comfortably. It was a nice, sunny Friday afternoon, and I was feeling alright for once. I glanced over at her, and blurted out “I should get your number.” Did I really just say that out loud ? There was no way she wanted me to have her number…To my surprise, she pulled out paper immediately and wrote it down for me. Happiness bubbled inside of me, I had finally gotten her number ! “Thanks, I’m going to text you, alright ?” She nodded with a shy smile and I looked away before I started blushing. We fell into silence, only the sound of our footsteps making any noise. “Shit !” She suddenly exclaimed, and I looked to where she was holding her side. Blood was soaking through her t-shirt. “Are you okay ?” I asked her, worried. I stopped her and knelt down in front of the wound, but before I could get a good look at it, she muttered that she was fine and hurried into her home. I stood dumbfounded outside her house. I stood there for a few minutes, wondering if I should knock on her door and see if she was okay. A movement in the window upstairs caught my eye- it was Pruitt, looking out the window at me. I hoped she didn’t think I was a freak, I was just concerned. She smiled brilliantly and waved, and I held up the sticky note with her number and motioned “Call me.” I walked home, making plans in my head.
I would go crazy if I didn’t get to see her for the whole weekend, so I asked her to meet me at the park by my house tomorrow at noon. I was so excited, I had a massive crush on her since the moment I bumped into her in the hall. I wanted her to like me so badly, she was my only friend and I cared so much for her. I trudged into my house, locking myself in my room. I hated when my brother had friends over, and not just because they completely ignored me, but because his room was right next to mine so I had to listen to them having fun. I was always so jealous of Mike, even though he was younger than me, he was always more popular. I never had any friends, while he hung out with a different person every day and went through more girlfriends than I could count. When we were alone, we were decent to each other, but at school or in front of his friends, he never acknowledged me. But if I could get Pruitt, then I would be happier than he could ever be. It wouldn’t matter that I had no other friends than her, or that I’d never dated anyone else, because she was the best and the brightest. Too bad she would never like me…
I was constantly putting myself down, but I couldn’t stop, because society told me I was right. I truly was a freak, an outcast, an “emo boy.” As long as I had Pruitt though, it didn’t matter to me what other people said. She seemed to like me and want to be my friend, and that was good enough for me.
I woke up late, and rushed around to get ready. I ran to the park to make it on time, then slowed down as I saw Pruitt already there, sitting on the swings. She saw me and jumped off of them, running over to me. “Hi !” She exclaimed enthusiastically, and I grinned. I pulled her in for a hug before I lost my nerve, my heart beating like a drum as I held her in my arms. I felt like electricity was snapping through my body, and I placed the lavender flower I had picked for her behind her ear. She pulled away and touched the flower, seeming pleased. We headed over to the swings, sitting on them and talking about her past. I got a sick feeling in my stomach when she told me about all the bullying she had endured, her past sounded a lot like mine. How could people do that to someone like her ? She was the most perfect thing, how could they treat her like trash ? She deserved so, so much better. “I don’t understand it…” I murmured aloud. She shrugged beside me, and fell silent. Her wrist caught my eye, and the sick feeling returned. There was dark bruise like marks around her right wrist, in the shape of a hand, as if someone had grabbed her. A crazy boyfriend maybe ? Someone at school who bullied her ? She caught me staring and flinched, putting her other hand over it to disguise it. “You know you can tell me anything….” I told her softly, hoping she would tell me what was wrong. I thought about her side bleeding the other day, and I wondered what sort of mystery this girl was hiding. “You know,” I said. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” I just felt the need to tell her how important she was to me, how special of a person she was. “Really ?” She asked me, raising her eyebrows. “Yeah, uh, people don’t really like me,” I told her truthfully. I looked sideways at her. “But you, you’ve managed to worm your way into my heart already.” I chuckled a little. ““Yeah, you’re pretty much the closest friend I’ve ever had too.” She told me, smiling. “So does this make us best friends ?” I asked her hopefully. My heart almost stopped when she nodded and said “Yes.”