Heather 9 years ago, 8 years old.

I was sitting on the new chair my mom just bought, it was quite comfy and I rested on it all the time. My mom would get mad at me if I ever stained it, so I don't sit on it while I'm eating. She let me bring my bestfriend Oliver over and I was real excited.

I was braiding my hair while I was waiting for Oliver. When I was 8, my hair was long so long, that I had a hard time taking care of it. The doorbell rang and I ran to open the door. Oliver was there. Smirking while holding two bikes, one was red and the other blue. "let's play." he said as he rode his bike around the yard. I joined him and soon, we were riding our bikes all around our neighborhood, screaming and laughing loudly in the quiet street that we turned heads and people slowly opened their front doors to check on us, confusion displayed on all their faces.

We rode until sunset and I was getting tired. Oliver wouldn't stop riding his bike despite knowing that it was becoming dark and I was afraid of the dark. "Heather, I think we're lost." he said, then I started crying and so did he. I was afraid that I might not see my mother again and that we'd rot on the streets.

It was so cold that day and I didn't have my jacket on. I started shivering from the cold. Oliver gave me his jacket, and I got warm. "Do you think we'll ever go back home?" I asked him. He nodded but I was sure I saw fear on his face, which got worse when he saw my mom angry because we left the house without her permission.

***

Parker

Today is officially one of the worst days ever, besides getting beat up by my father and being laughed at by the whole school, I didn't get a great mark on my math exam, that is another reason my father would get angry and beat me up. I wish my mother was still alive, she will at least help me to about it. My mother died of cancer when I was 9. I remember getting told the news, and the sadness that washed over me for the rest of the year. Its still here, today being strong.

I get a few stares and laughs my way and I ignore them. I really need to go home and run away from all of this. I open my phone to check how many views my video it got and It got a million in just the morning.

I have history, the only class I truly enjoy. As every step I take, I worry about what today hides. As soon as I reach my locker and unlock it, sticky notes come flying everywhere. I remember that I have locked my locker. Who has the key?

I get a lot of stares in class to the point where I'm used to it. Everyone was speaking at the same time and everyone was in groups except for me, alone. The teacher isn't here yet, so I take out my leather notebook and start drawing. I draw roses, exposed by the sun light. Butterflies surrounding the roses. I teleport to my own world, away from the chaos happening in my life, to nature, heaven where nothing is wrong, where I can walk around freely and do whatever without anyone beating me up.

The sound of someone yelling my name pulls me out of my thoughts. "HEY PARKER! WHY ARE YOU IGNORING ME? DID THE FAME GET TO YOU?!" A student who I don't know the name of says, followed by laughter. Sometimes Its better to ignore so that's what I do. 

"I bet he's too busy thinking about his girlfriend." someone says, and that itself sends the whole class into laughter. 

"Aww poor thing, all he ever does is doodle." A girl's voice says from behind me. I recognize it but I don't bother turning around. 

Someone snatches the notebook from my hands and I jerk my head up. And right there, Olivia smith, is standing right in front of me, smirking. Her phone in her right hand, and my notebook dangling in her left hand. A second later her expression turns to fake pity, "oh so you want it back?" she says then she starts laughing loudly. At this point I've had enough, I was about to start beating her up when the door opens and the teacher comes in. Anger and confusion written all over his face. 

"I am disappointed in you all." he says, "Your voices were heard all the way to the end of the hallway."

Olivia rushes back to her table and throws my notebook at me. The whole class goes still you can hear a pin drop. My eyes are fixed on the ground, I don't look up but I can feel a stare on my back. I turn around to see Heather, her hazel brown eyes fixed on me, her expression blank. I turn my head back, not believing what I witnessed. 

"what happened?" says the teacher, his eyes fixed on me. "Nothing professor." says Olivia looking past me, at her friend. 

"Some kiddo problems." says one of the students.

 It feels like the whole class was staring at me and that I have all the attention. I don't like it, I want to go home.

"Parker go wash your face." The teacher says, that's when I realize that I'm crying. I slowly get up to the door. The class is quiet only my footsteps can be heard. I walk down the hallway and to the boys bathroom. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I look like a mess.

Heather

It is the end of the day and I am exhausted, today was chaotic with all the parker drama. I wonder what is he doing now. Or how will it all end. I am in shock with what Olivia did in class. She is sending me multiple texts and all I do is ignore them.

When I get home my parents are watching TV, today is their 20th marriage anniversary so they are in a good mood. "Hi honey how was school?" my mom asks me not talking her eyes away from the TV screen. 

"fine." I say and let them be and go up to my room. I lay on my bed as usual and gaze at the ceiling thinking about today and how crazy it was. My thoughts go everywhere until they land on Parker, then I remember that I have his number and I suddenly have the urge to check up on him. I take out my phone and see that I have tons of missed calls from Olivia followed by texts from her cussing me out. I ignore them and go straight to my chat thread with Parker.

'Hey.' I type and send. I wait for him to reply or at least to open it but nothing happens. "U okay?" I type and hit send again, then suddenly two check marks appear indicating that he opened the message. He starts typing then stops. 

"I'm fine." he finally says, but I still don't give up. 

"U sure? I'm sorry about Olivia and what she did in class, I'll talk to her and get her to apologize." I say, his reply comes back almost immediately. 

"No it's fine u don't have to talk to her about it, I can deal with it myself." I start to type but then he sends back another message, " I just wish you'd stop talking to me and leave me alone." the message says, his message leaves me shocked, who would say that to someone who is trying to help? 

"I'm sorry." I type in and hit send.