It Happened Last Year

Chapter 4

I lead Jana up to my room, though I'm sure she remembers where it is. It is the same as it was last year, white walls and carpeting, white furniture, and white bedding with delicate purple flowers on it.

"You haven't changed a thing," she murmurs and wanders inside, looking up my bookcase.

"No, I didn't feel like it," I tell her while sitting down on my bed.

"Sorry about what happened at Knocks, Harrison usually doesn't go there so I thought it would be okay."

I shake my head. "Don't be sorry. How would you have known? Stuff just happens."

The house is quiet, as my mother is at work. She has a job at the local police station, obviously enough she is a police officer. It is silly, actually. Since she is a police officer, I expected her out of everyone to believe me. I was drunk, though, that didn't help.

Jana sits down on my grey bean bag chair, the one I used to sit on every night and cry. I suppose the color suits it. Though, seeing someone as bright as Jana on it makes the bad memories fade. "You know, Hailey, I didn't believe you at first, and I'm sorry for that. I didn't understand back then."

"I didn't know you believed me at all."

"I do know, after seeing him, how he just came up to you, how he called out as we were leaving. I don't know, it seemed off. I believe you, Hailey. I think I have for a while. I should have shown you my support last year. When you told me about it, it frightened me, I didn't think someone like that could go to my high school, you know?"

I nod. "I understand. If I were you I would have acted the same. How could that happen to our town, right? Everything here is supposed to be perfect."

Jana smiles. "Let's talk about something happy. You need cheering up. How was your first day back?"

"Besides Daphne giving me a hard time and a few other students, it was okay. I actually bumped into this guy before you grabbed me, but I didn't recognize him. He was tall, built like a football player but he doesn't seem like one, ridiculously good looking—"

Jana's face changes, as if she knows something I don't know. "Oh, I know who you're talking about."

"Who is it then?"

"That tall drink of water would be Daniel Todd, he moved here last year, after you left oddly enough. All of the girls have crushes on him, it's pretty funny to watch them watch him. You can see the daydreaming in their eyes," she explains. "You know what! Daphne totally went after him, but he showed no interest in her, it was great entertainment to watch her try so hard."

I furrow my brows. "You're no longer close with Daphne?"

"Heck no. After you left we stopped talking as much, and our friendship eventually died. I don't miss her though. She's turned into a sourpuss." Jana combs through her hair with her fingers, brushing it from her face. "She's with some football dumbbell right now. Though I think she's chasing Harrison, since Daniel won't even smile at her she must have moved on. I'm a people watcher."