Twenty

We were both silent.

Henry opened his mouth to say something but I stopped him. I wasn't ready to have the conversation that we needed to have, so I was going to wait until it was right.

"We should go back," I said, getting up.

"Are you mad at me?" Henry asked.

"No," I said. "I'm not."

"So that didn't mean anything?" Henry asked

"Yeah, I guess not," I said. "We just got swept up. We were sitting alone looking at the fucking moon, coulda happened to anyone."

"Yeah," Henry agreed. "Anyone."

"Come on," I said as I held out my hand and Henry grabbed it and stood up from the bench.

We stated the cold walk back the house, not saying much. But even the times where we were alone and silent it wasn't an awkward silence, it was just a silence.

Henry held open the door for me. I thanked him and we got back into bed.

"Goodnight," Henry whispered.

"Goodnight, Henry," I whispered back.

I finally felt tired and I drifted off straight away.

Henry's P.O.V.

I lay in bed thinking about the night's events. It didn't seem like Prim was interested in me at all. She wanked off Patrick. Then we kissed and she said that it meant nothing, she didn't even want to talk about our feelings. I mean when we kissed it felt so right. It was the best thirty seconds of my life. I just felt so much and felt so in love. I didn't want to stop. I don't know why I was expecting some big confession from her about being in love with me after. But when I looked in her eyes I felt for sure that she felt the same way. I guess I felt wrong.

Primrose's P.O.V.

I woke up to birds chirping and looked over at the clock on Vic's living room wall. It was six thirty in the morning. I decided I needed to get home or I'd get some kind of punishment from Cole. I quietly got up, put on my shoes and coat and snuck out without waking anybody up. I walked through the frosty streets with my hands in my pockets and the fur hood of my khaki parka up over my head.

The grass on the sidewalk was icy from the night before as I took every step toward my house. I love Winter. I mean Autumn I love Autumn too but winter has always been my favorite. I always loved Christmas, until a few years ago. But least year Dally was in New York so I spent Christmas with Bill's family. It was really nice there, we had a traditional Christmas with a roast dinner, sweaters, pudding, hot cocoa, candy canes, all of that. My favorite holiday is Halloween, though.

I crossed the bridge that led over the town river and turned into my street. Cole's car was there, great. I didn't want to deal with him. I quietly opened the front door, hearing a football game blaring from the TV, explaining why he didn't hear me. I walked lightly down the carpeted hallway, avoiding the spots I'd memorized to creak when you stepped on them. I silently opened my bedroom door, grabbed a bag and shoved in some clothes, underwear and everything I'd need. I decided I was going to stay with Vic for a while.

The TV had been turned off and I heard Cole in the kitchen getting himself a beer out of the fridge, so I escaped through the window and began the cold walk back to Vic's house. When I got back it was around seven thirty in the morning, and the others were still sleeping. I changed into sweatpants and an off the shoulder sweater, grabbed my teddy bear and climbed into bed.

I felt two people shaking me as I opened my eyes.

"What?" I groaned.

"Wake up," Vic urged.

I turned over and flung the blanker farther over my head.

It was pulled down and I was face to face with Henry and Vic.

"Get up," laughed Vic.

"No," I said.

Henry pulled me by the hand off the mattress.

"Did you go home?" Vic asked, looking at my stuff.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "I need to stay here for a while."

"That's fine," Vic said.

"Problems with your dad?" Henry asked.

I nodded.

"Why don't you go get dressed," Henry said, guiding me by the arm to the downstairs bathroom.

I changed into a new outfit, my low top white converse, adjusted my anklets and gave my hair a brush and applied a small amount of makeup before I opened the door and sat down at the kitchen table with Henry and Vic to eat breakfast.

We had our cereal, pop tarts, and juice.

"Do you wanna go see Bill now?" Henry asked.

"Sure," I agreed. "Bye, Vic."

Vic waved through a mouthful of Frosted Flakes and Henry and I made our way over to Bill's house.

It was only a ten-minute walk.

"Hey, Bill," I greeted as he opened the door.

"Hey guys," Bill said cheerfully. "What're you doing here?"

"We just thought that we'd come and hang out," Henry told Bill.

Bill's face lit up into a wide smile. "I've kinda been lonely lately. Come in."

Henry and I stepped inside and followed Bill into the kitchen.

"You guys want anything?" Bill asked.

"Maybe some orange juice?" I asked.

"Coke," Henry said.

Henry and I sat down at the kitchen table and Bill joined us with orange juice, coke, and apple juice for him.

"W-what have y-you guys been up to?" Bill asked.

"Not much, I mean it's only been like a day since we saw you last," I said.

"Oh yeah," Bill said sadly. "Seems like longer."

"Have you heard from anyone?" I asked.

"Nope," Bill said.

I shook my head.

"It's really been getting to me," Bill mumbled.

"I bet," Henry agreed.

"Wanna do something fun?" I asked. "Wanna go to the arcade?"

Bill nodded happily and we headed off. It was a small town so pretty much everything was walking distance. We got onto the main street and entered the arcade.

"Look who it is," I said as I noticed Richie playing street fighter.

I headed over to him with the others following me.

"Hey, Richie," I greeted.

"Hey, Prim," Richie said. "See this guy? I'm pretending it's Bill."

Richie vigorously punched some guy in the game and gestured to the animated character and then to Bill.

"I bet Bill could easily beat you in street fighter," I said, trying to get a rise out of Richie.

"No way!" Richie exclaimed, stopping his game.

"Prove it," snapped Henry.

Richie's mouth trembled. "O-okay."

"Bill," I said as I guested to the machine.

Bill stepped forward, being nudged a little by Henry.

"Three rounds, the winner gets twenty bucks?" Suggested Richie.

"You guys got any money on you? I only got ten," Bill asked, flashing a ten dollar note. Henry and I made up ten dollars in coins and the bet was on.

Bill took out the first round causing Richie to rethink his cockiness. The third round was won by Bill, who seemed overjoyed by his win.

"Fuck," Richie murmured as he handed over the cash and walked out of the arcade.

"Nice!" Bill said in awe. "What do you guys want to do with the money?"

"It's your money," Henry said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "You earned it."

"You guys came to hang out with me, that made my day. And you also came up with the bet, we can share it," Bill told us.

"Thanks, Bill," I said.

"Why don't we go get see a movie?" Asked Henry as we walked down the street.

"Sure," agreed Bill.

So we headed to the cinema.