chapter 16 • “where are you?”
872 Words
Dana was standing at her locker, putting her books into her bag when an immaculately made-up face appeared in the tiny mirror she'd fitted into her locker.
Dana's heart jumped, her bag slipping from her grasp. She clutched her chest as she turned around to face Leila.
The raven-haired girl gave Dana an amused smirk. "You scare easily."
Dana kept her jaw from going slack as Leila bent to pick up her bag. "Anyway, there's a party tonight. Carter's."
"Won't Avi bring me?"
"He's just coming home today, he'll meet you there. What's your number? I'll text you the address."
Dana wanted to ask where he'd gone but Leila had already started looking at her watch, clearly ready to leave.
She raised her eyebrows at Dana expectantly who quickly called it out. "Alright." Leila said before leaving Dana, her sneaker-clad feet slapping against the floor.
Dana closed her locker, hanging her backpack over her shoulders. A frown pulled her eyebrows together. Did something happen during their hangout that made Avi not want to tell her he'd be out of town? Or even talk to her?
Though, he’d dropped her at home the morning after and he hadn't acted out of the ordinary.
I'll ask him at the party. She determined before leaving the hallways and heading home.
••••
"Dana, come eat your food."
Dana looked up at her mother. A “moms do it best” apron covered the cream gown she had on. Her cheeks were rosy but not from drinking too much white wine, she was just happy.
Dana had met her working at the kitchen island when she'd gotten home and from there, she'd gone on to prepare dinner, not leaving it to her daughters.
Dana dropped her pen in her book and closed it, going to sit on a kitchen stool. "How's the event planning coming along?" She asked, her eyes following her mother's movements around the room.
"I'm glad you put it that way. It's interesting how catering turned into full on wedding planning." Her mother dished some spaghetti onto a plate and set it in front of her.
"She's paying you more, right?"
"Yes but," her mother offered her a fork then leaned over the counter across from her. "It's not even just about the money. I'd do it even if she was only paying me a caterer's due; I'm having so much fun." Her mother whispered as if it were a guilty pleasure.
Dana giggled. "That's nice. I'd like to find something that gives me that much joy."
"I hope you do, honey just… hurry up about it, you've got colleges to apply to."
"When's dad coming home?" She diverted, as she put some spaghetti in her mouth.
"Maybe next week, you know he has a lot more responsibility on him with his new position in the company."
She wished her mother wouldn't explain as if Dana didn't understand. She just wanted to know how many parents she had to get past when she snuck out later in the night.
She ignored the guilt that settled in the pit of her stomach, wolfing down the spaghetti.
Her mother put a glass of water in front of her, a yawn escaping from her lips. "I'm going to lie down. I've barely gotten any sleep today. Tell Cora her food is in the microwave."
This was becoming too easy. "Night, mom."
"Night, honey."
Dana finished her food before going back to her homework. Over an hour later, she was done. She trudged up the stairs, her eyes starting to droop with sleep.
In her room, she picked her phone up from the dresser. No new messages.
Dana bit down on her lip. She'd replied Leila's text asking if they could go together but no reply. The girl was almost always on her phone, how could she not have seen Dana's text?
She doesn’t want to go with you.
After a long stretch of yawning, Dana got into her bed. Just an hour to sleep was all she needed.
So she pulled the covers over her body and drifted off.
••••
A buzzing under her ribs pulled Dana from sleep. With groggy eyes, she looked at her phone.
Avi.
"Hello? Avi?"
"Babe, where are you?" In the background, Dana could hear chaos; people shouting, music playing through the speakers.
Her eyes widened. "What time is it?"
"Around twelve am."
Dana jumped out of her bed. "I'll be there soon."
"Alright, I'm missing you."
"Okay, see you soon."
He was missing her but couldn't be bothered to call or text her for the last four days.
Dana slipped into the outfit she'd picked, put a mint in her mouth and brushed her hair. She opened and closed her door after her gently, shoes in hand as she walked the hallway and then down the stairs.
Opting to use the backdoor since it shut less harshly than the front one, she tip-toed to it.
After opening the door as slowly as possible and then closing it even slower, Dana sat on the porch to slip on her shoes. She walked to her bike, rolled it onto the road and then got on to pedal to her destination
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