Hidden Temptations

Chapter Six

My mother and I finally got home. I can’t wait to see Sarah. She’s the only one I want to talk to. Tell her about the suburban, how I think it’s connected to the note, the text I got and my accident. How will she take it? Will she blow it off again? Could she help me? I’m not sure how she could help. She’s wrapped up in our party planning.

“Crap.” I say as my mother wheels me to the front door of our house.

“What? Did you forget something at the hospital?” She seems kinda annoyed as if I did.

“No, I wanted to tell Sarah to cancel our birthday party but my phone got ruined in the accident.”

“Oh, it’s over a week away Adeline. Maybe you will be feeling different about it.” She opens the front door, I look back at her.

“No mom, I’m all casted up and sore. Plus I bet my dress got ruined as well.”

“WELCOME HOME!” I snap forward, holding my breath. A lot of people are in my house. The cheerleading team and our football team from high school are at my house. I don’t know any of them except Bryan Davis, he’s the quarterback of the football team. I have had a crush on him since middle school. Also, I know Sarah who is standing directly in the middle of the group. Sarah is holding my birthday dress. It doesn’t have a rip, tear or stain on it. The plastic bag it is in kept it safe.

“I’m so happy you’re home.” Sarah runs up to me, puts the dress on my lap and gives me a hug. I hug her back tight. I could care less about the pain I am in and I could care less about everyone else. She is the only one I need to see.

“Thanks, me too.” We let go of our embrace. I look around the room. Everyone is carrying a gift or a card. Balloons are placed around the whole house and a “get well soon” banner hangs on the stairwell. “This isn’t necessary, but thank you everyone for coming. I think I just want to rest though.”

“Alright everyone! That means time to go!” Sarah yells and points to the dining room table where they should leave the gifts and cards. Most everyone tells me to get better as they leave and some don’t even say a word to me. They didn’t want to be here as much as I didn’t want them here. The only one who stops to say a formal goodbye is Bryan.

“Hey, I hope you get better soon, I also hope you like my gift.” He smiles and touches my hand as he leaves, I get a warm feeling inside, is my crush coming back to the surface again?

“I got the guest bedroom set up for you to stay in till you’re on your feet.” My mom says as she wheeled me down the hall. The room is bland, not comforting and it doesn’t feel like home.

“Thanks mom.” She helps me on the bed, elevates my leg with a pillow and covers me with a blanket. She gives me a kiss on my forehead and leaves me and Sarah to talk. Sarah sits down on the other side of my bed.

“How are you feeling? I’ve been so worried about you, trying to figure out our birthday party has been a nightmare. I was talking to Bryan earlier and he said he will be your date!” Sarah says without taking a breath. Bryan Davis has been going to school with us since kindergarten, he is so handsome. 6 ft 2inches, blonde, blue eyed, and body sculpted out of marble. He was all around gorgeous. Plus he was the quarterback of our football team and he got a full scholarship to Miami University for football.

“Yeah about that.” I bite my lip, “cancel it.”

“Cancel it?!?” She stands up off my bed. “I’ve worked so hard on this! Plus your dress is in perfect shape even after everything that happened to you! Your mask just came in and YOU HAVE A DATE!” She crosses her arms, she’s mad.

“Okay fine, but I’m not going to act like I want to be there.” I pat on the bed motioning for her to sit back down. “I’m just trying to get over being in the accident, I just don’t want to overwhelm myself, that’s all.” Sarah sits back down and sighs, she knows I’m right.

“Yeah, I get it. I promise it will be fun, and if you want to leave at any time I will take you home, okay? It is right across the lawn.” I pull her in for a hug. Sarah is my everything and I don’t want to let her down. I can suck it up for one night. I can make it through a stupid party.

“Hey! Wanna open all of those gifts?” She nudges me, she’s more interested in them than I am.

“Sure, why not?” One by one she brings them in and by the tenth present laying on the bed she grabs the cards that were left on the table and sits back on the bed with all of the gifts between us. We open them together, most of them are stuffed animals and there is cash in some of the cards that no one even signed. We get down to the gift that says “From: Bryan”. I open the gift, hesitant from what is inside. There are gorgeous diamond stud earrings and a signed football, there is a note inside, I read it out loud.

“When I go pro, you will have the first football I have ever signed.”

“Awwww! How cute! You can wear those earrings for our party! He would love that! Okay one left. The most important one, from me.” She hands me a rectangular box, wrapped in blue wrapping paper with a yellow bow. “I hope you like it.” Sarah says as she smiles. She can’t contain her excitement. I slowly unwrap it, by slowly I mean I’m acting like I’m opening it in slow motion. “Oh! Come on!” Sarah laughs which makes me laugh. That’s the first time I’ve laughed or smiled since the accident. It feels nice, feels more like me. I rip the wrapping paper off. Sarah bought me a new phone.

“Awww, Sarah you didn’t have too. My mom would’ve bought me one.” I give her a look.

“I know, I know, but I’ve been dying to text you and I haven’t been able too! Plus, I’ve put Bryan’s number in there. It has the same number and everything” Sarah says with a wink. I roll my eyes at her and smile.

“Thank you.” I say as I pull her in for a hug. Just then my new phone dings. “A text, already?” I take a peek at my phone and it says “Unknown”.