we could be stars

 Caitlin was alone now. Still, her mind was full of thoughts, wondering where to go from here.

A lot had happened in the last seventy-two hours or so. Oh, she didn't really know how many hours it was. She didn't like keeping track of hours anyway. And the more she thought, it made her restless. She sipped her creamed coffee hoping to get on with things, but it felt as if she was deep in a tunnel vision that hopefully, no one else could see.

So it was a little fuzzy what went on with Melvin. Naturally, she thought she was a liar, tried and true. Especially, to be with the likes of Melvin. How could she? Why did she have to be in such a sticky situation with him?

She could blame it all on Wade, who was a non-text kind of guy and lord knows he couldn't take a phone call. He was like being with an old man in a very young body. Although, she was certain an old man would figure out what she needed by now. Honestly, she yawned to that as she studied at the desk in her room.

Funny, she never thought she would be involved with the two of them. And then she looked over her shoulder at her unmade bed in the corner. Suddenly, there was an urge to clean up. Or was that cover-up?

Caitlin found herself ripping the sheets from the bed and piling them on the floor. It was time for her winter sheets, wasn't it?  Snow was in the forecast.

 She reached high in her thin closet for the Tee-shirt weight sheets. Just warm enough for one. Another in her bed would leave her in a sweat.

Of course, the whole ordeal of what happened left her in a sweat, anyway. She went on to get the sheets smoothed out on the bed as if the secret was safe with her. Lord knows, Megan might go off the deep end.

In her mind, she rehearsed her lines. "It was just a misunderstanding. That's all it was." She'd make Megan see that nothing really happened. Nothing.

A chill seized her. She felt the goosebumps on her arms. She really needed to get it together. Her fingers pulled through her hair which felt like straw. She wanted to pull it out, punish herself somehow.

This was never who she meant to be. Honestly, she was kind and hard-working, and loyal to her friends. Wasn't she? Caitlin sat down on her plaid comforter and fell back on her big fluffy pillows. Tears emerged. She didn't want to believe it true.

She wanted to believe it was a total mistake, but the best night of her life wasn't with Melvin, who's hands were needy and a prodding tongue that left her more frightened. No, it was someone who was comforting and knew the right touch. It was as if he knew the key, the combination in the most quaint way to send her into the most beautiful universe.

In spite of the tears, she shook with laughter. Why did it have to be Dylan?