《Of Daffodils and Death》


 Chapter 1

    March 13th, 21:17


    I suppose I look like a party girl. I look like the type of girl who¡¯d love nights out, jumping around like no care in the world with a drink in my hand. Maybe I am that girl. Maybe I could be that girl. I don¡¯t like drinking, though. The only drink I¡¯ve had was at Katherine¡¯s party, and that was only because she passed it to me. It didn¡¯t taste good. I wonder how my mother can drink so much. Maybe you just need to get use to it. I¡¯ll try it again on my eighteenth.


    None of that is really important right now. I¡¯m laying on the bathroom floor, wearing a blue slip dress, in some hotel. My classmate rented the place for some back to school party. He encouraged me to come. I have trouble saying no to people, so now I¡¯m here. Laying on the floor. I can hear the party music booming through the door. I¡¯m too tired for this. I don¡¯t even like most of the people here. Luke is alright, I suppose. Kind of a waste of money, but I¡¯m sure his mum makes plenty.


    I ignore the music playing through the door. They¡¯re playing <mark>LMFAO</mark>. Not my scene. I much rather Conan Gray. I don¡¯t care what the mood is.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Someone opens the door to the bathroom. Katherine.


    ¡°Hey, Kate.¡± I say, looking up at her. She sits down beside me.


    ¡°What are you doing in here, Ashley?¡± She smiles, her black hair falling down her shoulders.


    ¡°Just thinking.¡± I say, looking at my phone, and put Heather by Conan Gray on.


    She chuckles, and brushes hair out of my face. I¡¯ve never really liked my hair. My dad said it was pretty, and I was lucky to have such beautiful hair. Mum said I was rare, red hair and blue eyes. She doesn¡¯t say much about me anymore.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Kathrine says, and looks at me in my eyes.


    Katherine is a party girl. She¡¯s the girl who would dance with you to <mark>Ke</mark>$ha, or Flo <mark>Rida</mark>. She¡¯s that type of girl. She¡¯d go out for drinks with you. She¡¯d have a night out. Not me. Me? I¡¯d sit at home, reading, maybe singing. Dancing by myself to Olivia Rodrigo. Maybe doing nothing. Distracting myself from the real world.


    And Katherine is pretty. I wish I looked like her, with her long black hair and green eyes. She just looked like the type of girl that guys chase. She¡¯s just perfect. And I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t even know why she¡¯s my friend. We¡¯re like polar opposites. Maybe that¡¯s not what she sees.


    She looks so flawless in whatever she does. Even right now, as she sits next to me in a little red lace trim cami top and flared jeans. She¡¯s beautiful. And she doesn¡¯t see it. It¡¯s incredible.