PERCIE
It had been a week since I met Hailey. I was not supposed to think about her, but I couldn’t just stop, and it was starting to get annoying. It was maybe because they somehow looked alike.
I started looking at myself in the mirror, counting our similarities.
She didn’t talk much, as if socially withdrawn. She only said five words during the entire dinner then she excused herself.
Keith mentioned that she would be starting her college at Hillston this semester. What a coincidence. My stupid inner-self somehow hoped for the possibility that we might bump with each other.
As he promised, he took my number. Now, we were constantly exchanging texts. He even invited me for dinner again. I made an excuse that I couldn’t make it, which was the truth. I had to meet Grandpa every Saturday.
But Keith didn’t buy my excuse. So I had to meet him again. Grandpa was relieved that I started talking to someone again.
I took the flowers I bought on my way. After taking a huge breath, I knocked on the door. I could feel my palms sweating in nervousness. My pulses were throbbing everywhere. I squeezed my eyes shut as I waited for the door to open.
“Percie,” someone just called my name, and the smell of apple cinnamon wafted my nose.
I opened my eyes to see the beautiful Hailey before me. Her hair was braided. Her brown eyes were staring at me. She quickly dropped her gaze the moment she noticed I was staring back at her. Well, I was checking her out.
She was a sight to behold. I preferred girls with less makeup like Hailey.
I could count the freckles on the bridge of her nose. She applied lipgloss. This time, she wore a sweater with skinny jeans and flats.
Before I could go far checking her from head to toe, I cleared my throat. “Sorry.” Where are my manners? ”Good evening, Hailey.”
She smiled timidly. “Evening. Please, come in.” She stepped back, letting me in.
I closed the door behind us. I second thought of giving her the flowers or to Lillian.
“Mom is in the kitchen. Dad is still on his way. He stops by at the grocery store to buy something Mom’s asked him to.” Well, those were the longest words she ever spoke.
“Um. I-i um, I b-brought flowers,” I stuttered. This never happened before. What the fuck is wrong with me?
I offered the flowers to her. She just stared at the bouquet in my hand, then looked up to me, then back to the flowers as if thinking twice to take them or not. Well, this was getting awkward.
“Um, okay.” Finally. “I’ll give them to Mom. Thanks,” she said quietly. That wasn’t so hard, was it?
I sat on the same couch.
Lillian came out from the kitchen with a huge smile on her face. “Percie, glad you could make it. Come here and hug me,” she says, offering her arms for a hug.
Before I could walk towards her, she almost launched herself into me. Her hug was so tight as if out of excitement. Sometimes I felt grateful that they’d treated me nicely. I still couldn’t find reasons why I deserved the treatment they gave to me.
I was a horrible person. They didn’t have any idea who I was and what I did. I couldn’t allow them to get close to me like this. This was too much. When I started caring for people, they tended to get hurt because of me.
“Thank you for having me again, Lillian.”
coming, dear. And for the
you will
without
anything but thank you again. Have a seat, dear. Keith is on his way.” She then looked at her daughter. “Hailey, sit with Percie for a while while I’m preparing the table.”
gave her mom a
leaving Hailey and me alone. My
back on the couch. Hailey
if I should start the conversation or I should just admire
lips and cleared my throat that
don’t say much, do
turned pink. She shook her head.
I don’t talk
you’re attending at
at her. She really had an angelic voice that hit my
wild, making me almost breathless. I blinked to let myself be aware that I
again. “Yeah. Sophomore next semester. I heard you’ll be attending
gaze flew up to me. “Yeah.
heart fluttered. I never thought it was possible because I could
read today,
again. Why did she always look at me with disbelief? “I
about that book.
the door that interrupted
voice sounded so merry.
It’s his ghost who tried to haunt you
in his uniform. He hugged me and chuckled. “Good
the same thing to you,
before he barked out laughing. I missed a moment
to Lily. Be right back.” He went to Hailey and kissed her head before going
the wall just beside the stairs. The photo of Keith with some cops. Then the photo of the three of them with
the photo I had with her that I still had in my room. I took a deep breath. Every time I remembered how happy we were that day. It even hurt like
a black frame. It was Hailey and a boy in her age. And they exactly looked like. My brows furrowed as I stared closely at the
a split second, I was leaning against the wall. I
ready!” Lilian’s voice from the kitchen startled me.
chest was still heaving with exertion when Keith patted
Let’s
beads of sweat
could come up with at this moment. Even my
and cornbread. I took a good portion of what was on the table. The smell alone made my mouth water. Lillian could cook. I
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tSvEoIvXXOG2317elLfXCVH3Z1SEL4S59E2tHFWusTGdXmHwdww3GAN4i43F5cpJdXga7cgQzFgw2bZ1JfR6KZOV4K0vccWEq/HERnjkQRcfgxaST/E7ppgIPzJ98jJqD5MN6LfLbWMH1PFcpkKojmqF3s/am/7a9I0WMG3DVUWNFPDfroaFy2N45jl7Tl0N72isedFev95oDRYwwqYm6/YR6RhUZs2BGmdkStfNvIO3Qlz50MUKxhzHBdKwdCrySAq537aFE/bsAtY2JTZ3K9uHAxGgc58A9chtTSvFMbM/W4Rnlg68KvhrMZrebfmqxZU79cJwGL/jneUxkx4YrvNZUSdi9araFb//WxA/eiD9Suyq
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