What Butterflies Don’t Tell You.

Sally’s POV I exhaled deeply, clutching the gift box I had particularly stayed up all night curating for Justin. This was it. I was finally going to tell Justin how I have truly felt after four years in colledge. It was our senior year and I didn’t want to live my entire life regretting why I never took the chance. I stood outside the building where Justin was throwing his birthday party. He hadn't entirely invited me to the party; he always thought it wasn’t my thing. My eyes rolled. But I was his best friend, so I guessed I was invited anyway. I had picked my best outfit just for today, wore the pink frame of my glasses, and put on more cologne than usual. Butterflies danced in my belly. I pushed through the doors. The music hit me instantly. Hip-hop. Justin's favorite genre—I never quite understood it, but I liked it because he did. “Wow, this place is packed," I muttered, my eyes scanning the room. I weaved through the crowd and spotted Dave, one of Justin’s tight friends. He was drunk. He had a glass in one hand while he moved his head to the music. His dark curls of hair bobbed along with it. I walked to him; people bumped into me as I made my way through. This was exactly why I hated parties, not that I had exactly been to a true college party. “Hey! Where is Justin?" He smirked, leaning in sloppily. His breath reeked. “Huh? What are you even doing here, nerd? Come have some fun with me, honey." His arms wrapped around my waist, pushing me to him. The gift box formed a wedge between us. He looked down at it. “Huh? What’s this?” I pushed back from him, eyeing him slowly. "None of your business." He chuckled, tilting his head. "Bringing a gift for your king, huh? Go home, Sally. You don't belong here." I scoffed. He was no use. I had pushed past him and walked around the room. Then I saw a small crowd gathered at a corner, seated on chairs arranged in ring form, chanting something. He had to be there. I quickened my steps, and the gathering came into view with two people in the middle. I realized the words the crowd chanted were, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” And there in the center, were Justin and Matilda. Her legs draped over his while her fingers raked through his Lucious brown hair. His hands moved unforgivingly over her bare thighs. His thumb traced circles slowly. The same way it used to trace patterns on my wrist when we studied. His eyes were closed. I gasped; the box slid from my fingers and landed with a thud on the ground. My whole world crumbled right in front of me, and I couldn’t breathe anymore. The crowd went silent. Justin opened his eyes, and so did Matilda. Matilda glanced at me with a mischievous grin on her lips. Justin pushed forward. “Sally? What are you doing here?” I felt everyone’s eyes on me. My fingers trembled. "I…I…" I stammered. Everyone laughed. I bit my lower lip to fight back the tears threatening to spill. “Oh, I just came to hand over your assignment for tomorrow, but it seems you are really busy. I will just do that tomorrow." He leaned back, his eyes raking over me slowly, not entirely satisfied. "Yeah, tomorrow." I looked down at my outfit, suddenly hyperaware of my appearance. His gaze shifted to Matilda. His arm was still wrapped around her shoulders. “You should come join us though. We are having the best time." I looked away from him. Whispers sufficed from the crowd around. “Isn’t that his tutor?” “God, she really thought she had a chance?” “That’s embarrassing." I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. “I should best be on my way." His eyes moved to the box on the floor. “What’s that?” “Nothing!” I said quickly, bending to pick up the box. The lid had opened slightly to the side, but thankfully nothing spilled out. “Just paperwork ”. Matilda rolled her eyes this time. “Oh Sally, pathetic as ever!” The crowd laughed once more. “Shut up, Matilda!” Justin snapped. She flicked her tongue over her teeth while her hands roamed his chest. “Relax, I am only just joking." I had enough; I straightened and gazed at Justin. "Have fun," I managed to say before turning around and walking away. “We will!” I heard another voice call out as I pushed my way out. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks. We weren’t dating, but my heart burned like hell. I had spent years, fantasizing about Justin and the children we would have. I had never experienced heartbreak, but if this was it? I would rather have jumped into an ocean. The door was just a few inches from me; I quickened my steps, not minding the gazes being thrown at me. I just wanted to be away from everything. Maybe Dave was right. Maybe I didn’t belong in rooms like that. Maybe I didn’t belong in Justin’s world at all. I stepped out the door without looking back. The cool night air hit me; my vision blurred. Of course he would choose her; she was the campus influencer. Perfect body, every guy's dream. One million followers on i********:. She gave speeches without blinking while I practiced mine in front of mirrors. I was just the nerd. The… My body collided face-first with a hard surface. The box slipped from my hands, and papers scattered around. The Polaroid pictures. Some of which were of the both of us together, his pictures from his birthday last year, pictures I had taken that he wasn't aware of, and a limited edition controller skin I had been saving up for months to get for him. "No no no no," I yelled, my hands flying around, scrambling to save the items in the box. But the hard surface wasn’t stone. It was a person. Cole Ravenscott. Justin’s stepbrother. The last person I would have thought would ever talk to me.