Over some smouldering bridges

Pocketing a box of the contraception, you give mom a slow kiss and leave her with Bella who smiles warmly as you leave. Imagine that. Bella smiling again, man... That has been a while. You take your time to traverse the long hallways on your approach to Heather's bedroom. A knot forms in your stomach as you replay the recent events.

Her hate filled glared. The vicious glint behind her eyes. The tears leaking down her face. "Yeah... She's probably over it now..." You say with so much enthusiasm a care-home worker might've thought you'd died. Stopping in front of her door, you swallow a lump of fear.

"What?" Heather calls out angrily.

You take a deep breath and call back through. "It's Michael. I-" You pause for a second. Uncertainty, doubt... Fear? You're not sure. "I came to talk." Dead silence. You contemplate speaking again until she finally replies with words that once brought happiness.

"Come in." You push her door open slowly. The room is completely devoid of light, the curtains drawn shut over the large windows. You can barely make out Heather on the bed under the duvet although it is hard to distinguish what she's doing. "Close the door and tell me what you need Michael?" She asks icily.

You comply, the darkness blocking your vision as your eyes attempt to adjust. "How are you?" You ask blindly into the dark. She scoffs and shifts on the bed.

"How am I? What the fuck Michael? Don't you understand how I feel? What he did to me?" Heather asks viciously. "You came in here to ask me that, are you fucking kidding me?"

"No... I meant with the vote... Killing him-"

"Killing him wouldn't be painful enough of a punishment for him!" She snaps loudly. You cautiously take a step forward.

"Taking somebody's life is a big deal. I don't want you to regret something you can't take back." You say calmly taking another step. If I can get close enough then she should calm down quicker... Just a shitty temporary solution though. I need to deal with this here and now.

"He's done countless things to me that I can't remember. He took videos of things I'll probably never know about all for his pleasure so no, I wouldn't regret it. But who are you to decide what I can and can't regret?"

You reach the edge of the bed, her face glaring at you through the darkness. "I'm your friend Heather." She stands up, letting the duvet fall around her feet. Something glints in her hands.

"I feel sick inside. I want to throw up but I can't and my supposed friend didn't even side with me over something that should've been my own decision." She holds a knife of some kind pointed at you. "You're my friend? We've never talked for that long to even get to know each other. What do you even know about me that makes us friends?" The venom behind her words causes an adrenaline surge that you **** down as you stare past the blade and up at Heather's furious face.

"I know that you're the kindest person I've ever met. That you treat everyone with absolute compassion, no matter who they are. You're always honest about whatever you're speaking about and it doesn't matter if they're a stranger or your best friend. You'll treat them with the same fairness and kindness, even animals too, you look after everyone and everything you lay your eyes on. That's why I... I think you'd regret killing Charlie." The knife drops from her hands.

"How long have you been spying on me?" She asks through sniffles.

"Long enough I suppose." You say through a nervous chuckle.

"I thought you only watched me because you thought I looked good... Like most other boys."

"I'd be lying if I said that's not why I started..." You say drily. "But I continued watching when I saw who you were as a person."

"Michael... Is it true..." She takes a hesitant step towards you. "What Charlie said... about you?"

"Yes. I like you Heather. I've liked you for as long as I can remember. Meeting you for the first time was breath-taking, you were unbelievably gorgeous that I couldn't get you out off my mind. You caught my eye everywhere I saw you, whether it was in class or in the corridors I'd always look your way and each time I did I noticed you would always be smiling. Not just a fake smile to put people at ease but a real, genuine, heartfelt smile that... That... I-"

"Michael..." She places her hands onto your shoulders and steps off the bed. Your heart races, in a good way this time, and the knot that filled your stomach dissipates. "I can't." And your heart shatters. "Not after this." Your feelings scattered in the air. "Not-" Rejected... After all this time. "-right now. I don't want you to be a rebound guy." Or maybe not?

"I-" She stops you before you can even start.

"Don't say you can wait." You faintly see her shake her head. "I don't want to **** you to do that, besides I'm sure Sam really likes you."