Paris Sanders was 17 years old. She lived with her grandparents after her parents died of cancer. It was senior year, what more could go wrong? Ha, funny you should ask.
Paris' POV
It was Monday morning, my grandma had just dropped me off at school and as I walked through the halls, some people turned from their lockers to smile at me, other wished me a Happy Birthday and I returned their wishes with a smile. My birthday was actually yesterday but I didn't want to be that one person always correcting people over small stuff. I made it to my locker and pulled out the books I needed for my first class of the day before I heard a clash of books behind me. I turned around to be faced with one of the freshmans on the ground scrambling to pick up his books and got down on my knees helping him. I collected a few papers, two text books, and the school chromebooks that the office loans to us for the year, when he both stood up again he thanked me for helping him, and took the neat pile of fallout from my arms. I smiled in return and turned around, startled from bumping right into Harrison,
"Dammit, what have I told you about popping out of nowhere like that Harris?" I said with my and over my chest to catch my breath.
"Sorry but it's amusing to watch you temporarily jump out of your skin." He said in return with his snarky tone. Then, Nicholas came over to the both of us sweeping his hands over my hips till I wiggled them off.
"Harris are you bothering little Paris here?" He said, overly dramaticing the word 'little'.
"Just because you're all at least a foot taller than me doesn't mean I'm little." I said just as Jerome met the three of us to make it a fourth. Okay, maybe 5'1 is a little short for someone who just turned 17 but hey, it beats hitting my head on door frames, right? But when you have Jerome who uses you as am arm rest it kinda cancels out. PEMDAS or some shit. Jerome was standing behind me taking my long, wavy dirty blond locks of hair into his hands, combing it out with his fingers before strarting to slowly braid it.
I guess I should give a little background on these guys. Harrison, Nicholas, and Jerome, or as I call them, the King triplets have all been my best friends ever since fifth grade. Ah, that sand box really made some memories. But if I'm being honest here, outside of looks they are FAR from triplets. Jerome was the tallest of the three standing at 6'4, Nicholas came in secod at 6'2, and Harrison at 6'1. All of them had strongly built bodies and even though they're like my brothers, I'm allowed to say it. They have hot bods. Their facial structures only added to it, they all had strong jawlines, sweet eyes, soft lips, chiseled noses, and beautiful hazel brown eyes that looked like honey. Nicholas was the softest of the three, then Jerome, then Harrison. Jerome was hot and cold, either kind and warm, or irritated and cold. Harrison... let me put it this way, he's overly strict, and overly protective. Especially of me.
"Why didn't you come over to our house like you usually do on your birthday? It's tradition." Harrison said, looking down at me just as the first bell rang for class.
"I didn't get the time to this year... Papa wanted to take me out to his bunko game with his friends and wouldn't really let me do anything but oblige, I'll make it up to you guys I promise." I said as I closed my locker door. I felt that back of my hair and looked at Jerome with a surprised facial expression. Nicholas then took my books from my hands and wrapped an arm around my small figure and started dragging me along to first period.
"Less talkie, more walkie little one." He said as we walked away from the other two boys till we found ourselves sitting beside each other in our math class. I started to feel a migraine boom in my head and laid it down on the cold desk. Thanks to the fact that our math teacher Mr. Ozaki was super laid back and had zero care for what we did, I wasn't even reprimanded. There were students on their phones, some playing footsies, and other making out in the back of the classroom, Nick and I were the only ones who atleast tried to pay attention. We were both straight A students and each others only competitons for valedictorian. All of a sudden, my vision started to feel burry, and I felt like I had to throw up but I hadn't eaten all day since I woke up late. I launched out of my chair and ran out into the hall throwing myself over the trashcans right by the waterfountains. My body was spilling over with bile and when I was done my legs started to give out and I fell to the floor, before sitting up. For the first time ever, I heard Nicholas and he sounded angry. He was forcing everyone to stay in the classroom and when he ran out to check on me, we both heard the click of Mr. Ozaki locking the door, Nicholas dropped to his knees wrapping his arms around me.
"Is it the Raynauds little one? Let me see your hands, are you getting white anywhere? How are your legs? Can you feel this?" He said while examining my hands and pinching my legs. You might be wondering what the hell just happened, I have Raynauds disease. Basically it's when your body overreacts to certain situations causing cold and numbness in traditionally the hands and feet but I get it more so on my legs and hands. It's actually pretty common, but women get it more than men.
"Yes, I can feel that Nick! Geez, I'm fine..." I said as he wrapped an arm around my waist, and took my arm over his shoulder before helping me up which didnt really help me to stand because he just lifted me off the ground.
"Damn I forgot how light you were, I could probably do benches with you." He said smirking and I could tell he was trying to make me laugh which he succeded.
"Oh shush, and put me down please." I said before he set me down, still keeping an arm around me for support.
"Can you back in or do you want to sit in the nurses office for a little?"
"I can back in."
"Swear?"
"Yes Nick, I swear."
We both walked over to the door and Nicholas knocked on it when Mr. Ozaki let us back in.
----
After four classes, I finally got to sit down and enjoy some peace and quiet, while eating my lunch. Guess that's to much to ask for considering Carrie just had to walk over to where I was sitting.
"Oh hey Paris, I noticed you're sitting here by yourself. Did your boys finally realize what street trash looks like?" She said in her usual snot nose attitude.
"Oh, sweetie, they've always known what it looks like. That's why they don't hang out with you." I said, not even sparing her a glance as I sipped my water. She simply scoffed and walked away. Carrie and I used to be friends back in fourth grade, then I started hanging out with the King brothers in fifth grade and she lost it then decided to reinvent herself. So, I don't particularly spare call her my friend anymore. After Carrie walked away, Harrison walked over to the table and dropped the his tray on the table.
"Why didn't you text me that it happened again?" He said and I could feel his eyes on me.
"Because it wasn't as bad as the other one." I said, not wanting to look up at him.
"Look at me Paris." He said before sitting down beside me. I turned my head towards his direction just barely looking up at him. He scares me sometimes, can you blame me?
"The only reason I act like this is because I care about you and don't want anything to happen to you. I love you more than you'll ever know Paris." He said before pulling me into a hug and resting his chin on my head.
"....I don't know if I should be shocked that Harrison isn't mad for once, or scared because of that exact fact that he's not mad.." Jerome said as he and Nicholas came over to the table and Harrison quickly pulled out of the hug he started and launched me away from him to the point I fell off the bench.
"Damn her lightweight ass..." Harrison said as he sat there before I stood up and moved to the opposite side of the table from him which caused a cofused look to cross his face.
"Because you launched me off the side of the table..." I said before he even asked which brought him to chuckle.
I watched as Nicholas and Jerome exchanged looks with each other and then Harrison caught on to their, what I swore to be, triplet internal monolauge.
"What are you guys talking about now, in your little triplet mind sharing thingy?" I asked and they all looked up at me.
"Nothing that concerns you little one." Harris said in what sounded like a cold voice but wasn't meant to be.
"It's just home matters Paris, nothing to worry about." Nicholas chimmed in and Jerome nudged his side hard which caused Nick to glare at him.
"Oh relax you two." Harris said, dropping his hand on the table, before looking up at me.
"You're not to come next door to the house tonight. Understand?" He said in his strict tone. I was used to this, if they told me not to come over next door then I obliged, I never put up an argument.
"Yes, I got it. Only emergencies." I said and watched Harris' strict face turn into a smile.
"Good." He said just before the lunch bell rang, and thanks to it being a half day, the school day was over. I rode home with Jerome, Nicholas, and Harrison since we're next door neighbors. When they dropped me off they reminded me not to come over tonight and I nodded my head then grabbed my backpack and walked into my house, placing my keys on the key rack and went upstairs. I usually have the house to myself when I get home. My grandpa is usually out playing card games with his friends and my grandma still hasn't retired so again, usually home alone till 8:00. I walked into my bedroom and saw a present on my bed that said it was from my parents. When I opened the box, the first thing I saw was a card and when I opened it, an explanation of their cancer story was on the card, followed by, 'Happy birthday, love mom and dad.' yesterday was my birthday, why was this just put onto my bed? I shrugged the question off and opened the box to see a beautiful burgundy, long sleeved form fitting dress that looked like it would come down to just above my knees. It was plain, no rhinestones, or sequins, or laces or anything like that which I loved, my parents knew my taste so well, I've always been more of a elegant but plain type of girl. A smile spread across my face as I moved a hand across the soft material. I looked over at my alarm clock besides my bed and saw the time was 2:30. A text from Megan came in and when I read through it, she invited me to a party. 'Guess this baby is getting action tonight.' I thought to myself before laying the dress on my bed and hopping into the shower. Can't, wait.