Chapter Five
“It’s the Harvest Dance and you’re telling me Bea’s sleeping?” Heaven asked. “Sola, do you mind getting her lazy butt up off my couch and in here?”
“Sure thing,” Sola said.
“Make sure she knows that I don’t just want her to wake up, but I want her to come in here. We need to get ready for the dance.”
“You’re lucky you’re nominated for Harvest Queen, otherwise I’d just laugh in your face,” Sola said.
“Are you sure you want to wear that dress?” Meagan asked, looking over Heaven’s attire. “It’s a bit…virgin-y, isn’t it?”
“Is that even a word?”
“You know what I mean. It’s like a dress a kid would wear to an Easter Egg Hunt at church.”
“That’s the idea,” Heaven said. “I want to look like myself.”
“Well yourself looks like a stuck up princess if you ask me,” Meagan said. “I bet Bea will agree with me.”
“Bea and I have completely different tastes in dresses, considering she doesn’t wear them,” Heaven said, looking over Meagan’s dress. “And so do you and I, apparently,” she said, scrunching up her nose. “You do realize that it’s going to be a bit chilly tonight?”
“I’ll be dancing,” Meagan said. “And so will you – I’m sweating just looking at you in that thing.” She softened her expression a bit, walking over to Heaven and touching the delicate lace sleeves. “However, I have to say this dress just screams you, and I guess that’s a good thing.”
“Thanks,” Heaven said, smoothing out the wrinkles. “I hope Clark likes it.”
“Speaking of Clark…has he been acting different towards you lately?” Meagan asked carefully, trying to remain calm. She still remembered the shame she felt sneaking into Heaven’s bedroom a few nights ago when Bordin had so naughtily suggested it and taking sext pictures on her bed.
“Come to think about it,” Heaven said, frowning. “He has been a little busy these past few days. I suppose he’s just stressed about soccer. You know how the guys can be during the season.”
“Y-yes…of course,” Meagan said. “I’m sure it’s just soccer.”
“Still though, you have a point,” Heaven said. “Maybe something’s going on and Clark doesn’t feel comfortable talking to me about it.”
“I’m sure it’s not a big deal,” Meagan said comfortingly. “Once you and he are crowned King and Queen of the fall, you’ll have no time to be worried because he’ll want to claim his prize officially.”
“Meagan,” Heaven burst out, her cheeks growing pink. “Don’t talk like that.”
“What’s wrong with it? You guys have been googly-eyed over each other since middle school. It’s about time you made things official. Clark’s great. He has a great body and it’s only gotten better over the summer. You’d think that I was a pervert with the way your face lights up. He’s your boyfriend and you’re two consenting adults, Heaven. Do you really want to start college as a virgin? You want your first time to be with someone special, someone you care about. Not some drunken night at a frat party.”
“I don’t want either right now.”
“Well then,” Meagan said, watching as Bea came through the door looking sleepy. “Why don’t you ask Bea how she feels?”
“How I feel about what?” she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes. They looked red and Bea’s face looked pale.
“Are you all right?” Heaven asked, coming to her side. “You look terrible.”
“Thanks,” Beatriz said.
“I’m sorry, but seriously, Bea. Are you okay?” Heaven asked, still worried.
“You look like you could use a little action,” Meagan chuckled.
“You look like you’ve had a little too much action,” Bea snapped back. “Maybe if you had a serious boyfriend instead of all these two-week flings then perhaps you would be tired once in a while.”
“I’m young,” Meagan said, waving her off. “I can sleep when I’m dead.”
“Ugh, please, Meagan, just shut up,” Beatriz said, collapsing on Heaven’s bed. “I feel like shit and your voice really isn’t helping.”
“I’ve been told that I have a lovely voice,” Meagan said.
“So say the men who only want to see you with your mouth closed,” Bea said.
“Do I smell all right?” Heaven asked, hoping to break up the conversation. “I bought this new perfume – it’s not too fruity is it?”
“No fruitier than Clark,” Meagan giggled.
“I’m sorry, Heaven, I don’t smell anything, but I’m sure you smell fine and not too fruity,” Bea said, laying her forearm over her face.
“Maybe you ate too much at lunch?” Meagan offered. “You look a little bloated.”
“Will you please shut up? I’m not bloated.”
“Maybe you’re just gaining weight in general?” Meagan asked. “My mom tells me that we have to be careful—”
“That’s so rude,” Sola said. “Meagan, seriously. Just shut up.”
“Pardon me for wanting Bea to act like her normal self and not get fat,” Meagan said huffily. “Is it my fault that when she’s lovesick she pretends to be ill?”
“I’m not lovesick,” Bea said. “I’m sick of you.”
“And I’m sick of your pouting,” Meagan said. “If I didn’t know better, I would say that you’re no better than Bennett.”
“Uh, maybe you shouldn’t say it like that,” Heaven muttered as Beatriz sat up on the bed, her eyes wide with rage.
“Bennett? That cranky bastard? Don’t compare me to him.”
“You’re acting just like him,” Meagan said. “Pining away and never admitting that you’re pining in the first place. You sit there and sigh, pine and sigh, sigh and pine, and you’re both getting on my nerves. What’s so terrible about Bennett that when you think about him, you pretend to get sick?”
Lying back down, Beatriz waved off this rant as though it were nothing more than a fly buzzing around. “Stop talking,” she grumbled.
Sola looked out the window and noticed a car pulling up. “It appears that no one will have time to listen to anything anyone has to say right now,” she said. “The guys are here.”
“Did they all come together?” Heaven asked, running up to the window and looking down. Sure enough, Donnie, Clark, and Bennett were all getting out of two cars. “What the heck?” she exclaimed, noticing a fourth member of the party. “What’s Jason doing here?”
“He’s going with me. I thought I told you guys,” Meagan said, trying not to sound hurt.
“I thought you were with Bordin?”
“Her tastes change on days that end in ‘y’,” Bea grumbled, sitting back up again.
“Come on, Bea, can I please talk you into wearing a dress?” Sola asked.
“Dresses are for ladies,” Beatriz said, straightening her grey t-shirt and tucking it into her skinny jeans.
“So?” Meagan asked.
“And as Bennett so frequently likes to remind me, I’m no lady.”
“Oh brother,” Meagan groaned. “You are lovesick.”
“No, but I am sick of you.”