Just Like Heaven Read online

  The studying had been forgotten, and they had spent the evening reading with Jared before going for a walk in the park just behind Arthur’s home. They talked so openly and honestly with one another, telling each other things that they’d never told anyone else before. Their hopes for the future, their fears, their dreams, nothing was beyond discussion.

  Demi felt as though she were walking within a dream and now sat just a few feet from her house, she feared that the dream was about to end and she couldn’t bear that.

  “I had a nice time too.” Even in the fading light, Arthur could see Demi blush as she said this. They smiled at each other bashfully. Demi feared he could hear her heart pounding madly in her chest. She’d heard what happened when guys drove girls home and she couldn’t believe that maybe it was actually happening to her. She’d only kissed one other guy, and since he had lunged at her at summer camp when she was twelve she didn’t think that it counted.

  Wanting to maintain the magic between them, Arthur flicked his stereo on and once more, The Cure serenaded them as they sat there together while above them the sun gave way to night and the stars came out to sparkle.

  “Could we…” Demi wasn’t sure what to say, or even if she should say anything, but she needed to know that this all wasn’t in her head, that he felt it too. “Could we maybe do this again sometime? Hang out?” she felt stupid. He was the captain of the football team, as if he had any interest in her outside of improving his grades. They’d just lost track of time, that’s all.

  Arthur caught Demi’s eye and held her gaze, then slowly he raised a hand to cup her face and pulled her towards him. Their lips met, gently a first, grazing together, then the kiss deepened in to something passionate and they both felt their worlds implode and explode all at the same time.

  It was a kiss unlike anything Arthur had known before and when they pulled apart he felt breathless. Demi looked over at him with subdued, alluring eyes before reaching for the door with such grace and poise that he felt his heart bursting. Most girls were so self-conscious, aware of the way they looked in a certain light, or nervous of their hair being mussed, but Demi didn’t care. She didn’t need to care, she was naturally stunning. Something which Arthur already knew was a rare and wonderful thing in a girl.

  “Goodnight,” Demi called to him sweetly, waving her hand.

  “Goodnight,” Arthur echoed, watching her leave, his eyes glued to her. Something amazing had happened that night, of that he was sure. He savoured the magic some moments longer, the song still playing before eventually pulling away from the curb and driving home.

  ####

  Monday morning when Demi was getting ready for school she wondered how her life was about to change. Previously she’d been a nobody, but now she was dating the most popular guy in school. At least…she thought they were dating. She wasn’t really sure what the protocol was. They’d shared a kiss, an amazing kiss, which she assumed meant they’d be sharing many more amazing kisses and were therefore a couple.

  “You’re in an awfully good mood today,” Hayley noted as they together on the bus.

  “Hmm,” Demi shrugged dismissively. She’d avoided her friend all weekend, feigning sickness, for fear of inadvertently revealing what had transpired on Saturday night. For the time being she wanted to keep it private because soon enough it would be the hot topic of everyone at school.

  “You’re keeping something from me,” Hayley stated, scrutinizing her friend. They’d known each other since kindergarten and were so close they could anticipate each other’s thoughts and movements. Hayley could tell when Demi was keeping a secret; the giveaways were subtle but obvious to the trained eye. She would fiddle with her hands, avert her eyes and scratch her nose. She was doing all three things at once as they rode the bus that morning to school.

  “Spit it out!” Hayley demanded, growing inpatient.

  “What?”

  “Don’t play dumb with me, you are hiding something!”

  “I’m not,” Demi lied.

  “Look, I’m your best friend, we are supposed to tell each other everything,” Hayley said, trying to make Demi feel guilty and it worked.

  “Okay, fine, but don’t tell anyone,” Demi whispered and they bent their heads together.

  “You know I was tutoring Arthur Cooper.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well we met up Saturday night…to study.”

  “And?”

  “And…” Demi took a deep breath before delivering the dramatic news. “We kissed.”

  “What?” Hayley’s eyes were wide with disbelief and shock as she pulled away from her friend.

  “No way!”

  “Honestly, it happened,” Demi insisted, a little hurt that her friend found the idea so unbelievable.

  “You believe me, don’t you?” Demi asked gently, but Hayley turned away from her, her mouth drawn in a tight line.

  The rest of the journey they sat in silence and Demi regretted telling Hayley about Arthur, but couldn’t understand why she was reacting the way she was. Did she like him? She’d said in the past that she thought he was cute, but then she said that about a majority of the boys so it was difficult to tell when she was being sincere.

  At school, Demi was eager to depart the bus and the tension between Hayley. She came out in the morning sunshine and spotted Arthur standing and talking with some of his friends; other members of the football team, by the steps which led in to the school.

  Wanting to feel better, Demi summoned up her courage and went over to talk to him. Arthur would instantly help her feel better about Hayley’s oddness. He’d smile warmly at her, as he had on Saturday, and they would talk about what else they’d been up to over the weekend. She already knew most of it as they’d been texting constantly but personal contact was always so much more satisfying.

  Striding over to the group of jocks Demi tried not to see how surreal the situation was. A week ago she would never have approached them, not even for a million dollars. She tentatively approached the group, heading towards Arthur, and when she was close enough she called him.

  The five guys instantly stopped talking and turned to address her. She didn’t register the look of surprise on their faces for she was staring only at Arthur. He smiled briefly as he saw her, then he glanced to his friends, then back to her and his face hardened and Demi felt a shiver run down her spine in anticipation of what was about to play out.

  “Hi, Arthur,” she said weakly, trying to appear casual.

  “I thought we were meeting after school,” Arthur said coldly, the boy he had been on Saturday completely gone.

  “Sorry?” Demi asked, confused.

  “In study hall, to go over the civil war stuff. I can’t talk now, I’m busy.” Then he turned away from her, back to his friends.

  Demi fought the urge to cry as she stood there, humiliated and dumbfounded. Steeling herself she turned away, only to hear him say to his friends;

  “Why are tutors always so damn annoying?” They laughed at this. Laughed at Demi. Arthur was mocking her. He didn’t care for her. How could she have been such a fool?

  Walking away, her head now down, her confidence on the floor, she felt hot tears pushing against her eyes, desperate to come out, but she wouldn’t let them, not here, not where he could see.

  “See, I knew you were lying,” a cruel voice close by said to her. Looking up, Demi was surprised to see Hayley casting a spiteful look in her direction.

  “As if Arthur Cooper would ever be interested in you!” she continued cruelly.

  It was too much. First Arthur, and now her best friend had turned on her. Demi walked away from school, away from the people who had let her down, and headed towards home. It would take her at least two hours to reach the sanctuary of her home, her bedroom, where she would hide beneath her duvet for perhaps the rest of her life. Demi had never skipped school before but she just felt that she hadn’t the will to endure an entire day with Hayley hating her and Arthur denying all know
ledge of what had happened between them. How could she have been so stupid to have ever believed that he liked her?

  When the school was nothing more than a dot on the landscape behind her, Demi allowed her tears to fall, soaking her cheeks and falling on to the sweater she had so carefully picked out that morning. She wanted to feel safe, to be hugged and reassured. She wanted her Mom.

  I’m sorry about before – A x

  The text arrived twenty minutes after school had concluded. Demi had spent the entire afternoon in bed, insisting to her confused father that she was unwell. When she saw the message Demi almost threw her Sidekick against the wall in anger, but instead just calmly deleted it.

  Another twenty minutes passed and she received a second message;

  Don’t ignore me, please, I’m sorry xx

  Demi turned her Sidekick off completely and instead logged on to her email. There was nothing from Hayley which surprised her as she assumed that she would be the one seeking forgiveness. They’d never had a fight which lasted for longer than a day. Demi didn’t want to be fighting with her, but it was Hayley who had been cruel and therefore it was her who had to extend the olive branch of friendship first.

  Lying back on her bed, Demi felt her eyes aching from all the crying. She felt drained emotionally and wanted nothing more than to escape to a dream world, where Arthur and Hayley didn’t exist. With this, her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep.

  The sound of knocking against her door woke her up with a start. Outside it was now dark and her eyes struggled to adjust to the dim light.

  “Demi,” came her father’s concerned voice. “Demi, are you awake?”

  “Oh, Dad, what is it?” she croaked, her voice hoarse.

  “There is someone here to see you,” he explained.

  “Tell Hayley I’m sleeping,” Demi said, rolling on to her side and hoping her Dad would just leave and let her wallow in her misery some more.

  “It’s not Hayley,” her Dad continued. “Its…it’s a boy.”

  A boy! Demi shot upright in her bed, her head reeling. Quickly she ran to her window to look out and sure enough, Arthur’s car was out front, parked up just as it had been two nights ago. Shaking her head, Demi made for her bedroom door.

  “Tell him to go away!” she ordered through the thin wood. “I’m ill.”

  “Sweetheart, I’ve told him that, but he is insisting that he sees you,” her Dad explained.

  Demi opened the door, just a fraction and eyeballed her Dad who looked very anxious. Sighing, she came out of her bedroom.

  “Its okay, Dad, nothing to worry about.”

  “Did he…did he upset you?” her Dad asked uncertainly, suddenly piecing the whole situation together. “I’m not as intuitive as your mother, I’m sorry, I don’t spot things,” he began apologizing for being a single parent as he often did.

  “Dad, it’s fine. I’ll go get rid of him, just give us some privacy please?” Demi requested.

  “Okay, sweetheart,” he agreed, still looking just as anxious. “There’s some meatloaf in the oven for you when you’re done.”

  “Thanks.”

  Taking a deep breath Demi headed downstairs to face Arthur. She didn’t even care that her hair was mussed and her clothes crinkled from a day spent in bed. His opinion no longer mattered to her.

  Arthur saw the fiery flash of flint in Demi’s eyes as she entered the room. He had been leaning against one of the chairs in the kitchen so he quickly straightened up. He’d been amazed by how warm and homey Demi’s house was. It was full of trinkets and pictures which surely each told a story. Despite how small the house was, it appeared to hold a thousand memories. But now, in the presence of Demi and her simmering rage, the kitchen suddenly didn’t seem quite so welcoming.

  “What are you doing here?” she barked angrily at him.

  “I came to say sorry.”

  “For what?” she challenged.

  “For ignoring you,” Arthur answered, shamefully lowering his eyes to the ground. Demi jutted her chin out in an act of indifference, her hands folded firmly across her chest.

  “I imagine it’s how you treat all girls.”

  “It is,” Arthur admitted.

  Demi shot daggers across the kitchen at Arthur. She wanted to seem unaffected by his behaviour, but now he was here, before her, all the memories from Saturday came flooding back, fresh and vivid and it was all she could do not to burst in to tears.

  “I shouldn’t have ignored you,” Arthur said, his voice low, as if it were about to break. “You just…caught me off guard, that’s all. At school, I’m a jerk. I become this different person around my friends, just to fit in and stay on top.”

  “Sounds like a lot of effort,” Demi replied bitterly.

  “It is, and I wish it didn’t have to be that way but without my ability on the field, my grades would never be good enough to get me in to college. Being a jock is my ticket out of here and I guess I got so used to playing the part, sometimes I forget to just be me.”

  “If only I had the world’s smallest violin right now, I’d play it for you,” Demi told him sarcastically, her hostility masking her sadness.

  “I don’t blame you for hating me, I’d hate me,” Arthur said, fearing that the damage he’d done was irreparable.

  “I don’t…I don’t hate you,” Demi’s arms fell to her side as she allowed her guard to lower, just a little.

  “Good, cause if you hated me, I don’t know what I’d do!” Arthur said, relieved.

  “But today at school, you made me feel so small, like a complete idiot.”

  “I know and I’m sorry.”

  “But sorry isn’t enough,” Demi said flatly. “I deserve to be treated better than that. Maybe I’m not the prettiest girl, or the smartest, or the most popular, but to be made to feel insignificant – no one should have to be made to feel like that.”

  “But to me you are all those things!” Arthur declared.

  “Then prove it,” Demi challenged.

  Arthur didn’t need to pause and debate this. On the drive over, in fact all through the day, he’d been thinking about how he could make it up to Demi and prove just how serious he was about her. He knew he’d been a fool and potentially risked everything but he wasn’t willing to let her go. What they had was special, and he was prepared to prove that.

  “Come to prom with me,” he said, issuing an order rather than giving an invitation.

  “What?” Demi gasped, confused and shocked.

  ‘senior prom, its next week, I want you to be my date.”

  For a moment the world seemed to stop as Demi took in what was happening. The captain of the football team was in her kitchen and he’d just asked her to prom. Demi had never been to prom before and despite this being her senior year, she’d had no previous intention of going. Prom was for couples, it was no place for someone like Demi, someone you didn’t conform or fit in. Plus everyone would be there which always made it feel like a parade, which she despised.

  “You’re joking, aren’t you? You thought you’d come here and provoke me some more? Well, I refuse to give you something to laugh about with your buddies in the locker room tomorrow! Get out!” Demi’s cheeks flushed red as she motioned towards the door.

  Mouth agape, Arthur stood rooted to the spot, confused by her sudden outburst.

  “Demi, I’m serious. I want you to come with me to prom. I care about you, I really do, please, let me show it.”

  “As if you would invite me to senior prom!” Demi felt tears trickle down her cheeks as she spoke.

  “You are the most popular guy in school and I’m nobody, now leave!”

  “Next Friday, at seven, I’m coming to pick you up to take you to prom as my date so you’d best be ready,” he told her.

  “You’d love me to get ready, wouldn’t you? To sit here all night waiting like some pathetic fool!”

  Arthur saw the pain and anger in Demi’s eyes and gave in to her order to leave. Reluctantly he moved
to the door, hating himself for hurting her so deeply. But he’d make it up to her, he had to.

  “I’ll see you next Friday,” he called to her just before he stepped out in to the cool night air. Behind him Demi slammed the door shut, her heart racing.

  Beyond the kitchen, Demi’s father sat upon the small staircase, having been listening to the conversation between his daughter and her visitor transpire. It pained him to hear just how his beloved little girl thought of herself. And he wished, as he did daily, that his wife were still there so that she could reassure her in the way that only a mother could. But it was just him and so he’d have to do. He went in to the kitchen and let Demi collapse into his outstretched arms and sob. She soaked his shirt but he didn’t care. His little girl was hurting and she could drown him in her tears as long as it made her feel better.