Chapter 6 — Heather
1056 Words
“Who is Heather?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.
Luca, who had been halfway through gathering his books, paused and looked at me, not dramatically, just enough for me to notice.
“Why?” he asked.
Because girls in bathrooms were speaking like my life depended on her mood. Because they laughed when they said her name. Because I hated being the only person who never knew what was happening.
“Someone mentioned her,” I said, trying to sound casual.
He leaned back in his seat. “That narrows it down to half the school.”
“Very funny.”
“I try.”
I stared at him.
He sighed lightly. “Heather is—”
The classroom door opened. Conversation shifted instantly. Not silence. Worse. That strange dip in energy that happens when everyone suddenly pays attention to the same thing.
I turned. She was beautiful. Not soft beautiful. Not warm beautiful. Sharp beautiful.
Perfect hair, flawless skin, polished smile, and the kind of confidence that made space for itself.
She walked into the room like rules were suggestions.
Mr. Frank barely looked up. “You’re late.”
“I know,” she said smoothly, handing him a note.
He waved her off toward her seat. Of course he did.
Her shoes clicked softly across the floor until she stopped beside Luca. He didn’t look surprised. That annoyed me more than it should have.
“Morning,” she said.
Then she bent and kissed him lightly on the cheek. The room pretended not to react. It failed. My stomach twisted in a way I deeply resented.
Luca didn’t smile. He only said, “You’re late.”
“You already said that.” Then she turned to me. Her eyes moved over me slowly, calmly, like she was reading a label. “You must be Aurora,” she said.
I straightened, “Yes.”
“Lorena’s twin.”
There it was again. I held her gaze. “Aurora”. Something flickered in her eyes. Amusement, maybe.
“Right,” she said. “You’re the new project.” The room went still. Before I could respond, Luca spoke.
“She’s not anything of mine.”
Heather looked innocent. “Relax. I meant academically. She solved Frank’s problem yesterday, didn’t she?”
A few people laughed nervously. Elegant liar. She smiled at me once more, then took the seat in front of Luca.
I spent the rest of class staring at my notebook and learning absolutely nothing. When the bell rang, everyone moved at once. I packed my things quickly and stepped into the hallway.
Students crowded around lockers, talking too loudly, moving too slowly.
I was halfway to mine when Luca appeared beside me.
“You walk fast when you’re annoyed.”
“I’m trying to outrun your problems.”
“They’re our problems now.”
“There is no our.”
He grinned. I opened my locker and shoved books inside harder than necessary. “Still upset?” he asked.
“Your girlfriend called me a project.”
“Heather is not my girlfriend.”
“She kissed you.”
“She kisses mirrors too. Means nothing.” I almost laughed. Almost.
“She doesn’t like me,” I said quietly.
“No,” he said. “She doesn’t like uncertainty.”
“That means nothing.”
“It means she noticed you.”
Before I could answer, a familiar voice cut in.
“Well, this is interesting.” Lorena stood a few feet away, arms crossed, eyes moving between us.
Luca straightened slightly. “Lorena.”
“Luca.”
The amount of history in two names was suspicious.
Lorena looked at me. “You didn’t mention this.”
“There is nothing to mention.”
“There never is,” she said dryly.
Luca smiled. “I should go before I become hallway entertainment.”
“You were born hallway entertainment,” Lorena replied.
He placed a hand over his heart. “Cruel”, then he looked at me. “See you later, Aurora.”
He walked away before I could answer. My heartbeat, unfortunately, stayed behind. Lorena waited until he disappeared into the crowd.
Then she turned to me slowly. “Oh no.”
“What?”
“You’re in it now.”
“In what?”
“Heather.”
I frowned. “You know her?”
“Everyone knows Heather.” Lorena leaned against the locker beside mine. “She likes winning. That’s her favorite hobby.”
“And Luca is what? A trophy?”
Lorena gave me a look. “No. He’s the only one who never acted impressed by her.”
That surprised me. “So why kiss him in class?”
“Because she likes reminding people she can.”
I absorbed that quietly.
Lorena studied my face. “She saw you with him yesterday, didn’t she?”
“I don’t know.”
“You know.”
I looked away. Lorena sighed. “Listen carefully. Heather doesn’t fight loudly unless she has to. She smiles first.”
“That is not comforting.”
“It’s not meant to be.”
The warning sat heavily between us. “Why are you telling me this?” I asked.
She shrugged.
“Because you’re my sister.”, after a pause: “And because I know what it feels like when Heather chooses you.” She added.
Before I could ask what that meant, she pushed off the locker.
“I have class. Try not to become lunch gossip again.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t.” She said and walked off smiling.
I hated that everyone in this school had started sounding alike. The rest of the day passed strangely.
People looked at me more. Some openly. Some pretending not to.
By final period, I was exhausted from existing publicly.
When the last bell rang, I packed my bag and headed for the stairs, ready to go home and disappear for a few hours.
I turned the corner near the empty corridor. Heather was there.
Leaning against the wall like she had booked the space in advance.
She smiled when she saw me.
“Aurora,” she said still smiling . “Walk with me.”
It wasn’t a request.
- Writer
