Page 26 of Sincerely, Butterfly

Looking around, I see Wesley leaning against a nearby tree. He’s smoking, his attention down on his phone.

When he looks up, I watch the way his shoulders go rigid at the sight of the group of girls walking toward him.

Anger spikes inside me, and I duck behind the tree next to me, just out of sight.

“Are you going to the party tonight?” one of them asks.

“What’s it to you?” he mutters.

“Well, we’re going.”

“Good for you,” he snorts, and I bite my lip trying not to laugh.

Peaking my head around the tree, I watch as the girl grows more flustered at his dismissal of her.

“If you're going, then maybe we can hang out?”

“No.” Wesley looks back down at his phone.

“No, you’re not going? Or no, we can’t hang out?” she asks, frowning.

Wesley sighs. “I am going. But no, we won’t be hanging out. It’s not happening.”

“Oh, come on, it could be fun.” Another girl steps in, trying to help her friend out.

Wesley blows a cloud of smoke into their faces, making them cough. He tosses the butt to the ground and steps closer to the girls. Panic flickers across their faces.

“I don’t know you, but I can guarantee you can’t handle my brand of fun. Do us both a favor and erase all ideas you have of hooking up with me and my buddies. They need to die. Trust me.”

With that, he pushes past the girls and leaves. The group of them are frowning as they talk amongst themselves.

I stay, wanting to see how they take his rejection.

“Whatever. I’m still going. There's hotter guys atthat party,” she scoffs.

Girl needs her eyes checked because she’s fucking delusional.

“It’s the end-of-the-year party. It’s going to be massive. We can’t miss it.”

“Still, I was hoping to get my chance.” Another girl who hadn't spoken yet says. “I’m leaving for England soon, and they’re leaving for the summer. I’ll never see them again.” She pouts.

My shoulders slump at the reminder that I’m not going to be seeing them for a few months.

Turning away from the girls, I decide to wait for my parents in the car and text them, letting them know as much.

I’m not one for parties, mostly because I’ve never had someone to go to one with, but should I go?

I don’t have to hang out with them. I can just watch from afar. They wouldn’t even know I was there. I can get my fill of them to hold me over for the summer. That's all.

Not like I have anything better to do tonight.

Mom and Dad join me in the car ten minutes later.

“So, any exciting plans with your friends?” Mom asks.

I don’t have the heart to tell her that I don’t have any. So, I decided to go with part of the truth. “Ah, yeah. There's this party. I was thinking of going.”

“A party?” Mom asks excitedly. “Oh, that would be so much fun. You should go!”