* Just a side note, please don't make fun of some of these names LOL
I don't like to reuse names, and it was hard to find them, especially X and Y!
a l e c
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Today's my first day back in class after the death of my great-grandfather; he was 102. In the two weeks I missed, I didn't do a single piece of my missing work. It's almost the end of the day, and no one has called me out... yet.
Ace Manning walks into the classroom, nodding at Mr. Goodman, looks around the room, and then takes his seat. Ace- probably the most popular person in school, barely knows your name if you're not one of his direct friends; He's cute though.
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"Alright class, settle down, settle down!" Mr. Goodman says from the front of the room. "Let's get started with English today! Please take out your literature books and turn to page 146, we will be reading Beowulf. Beowulf is an 'epic', can anyone tell me what exactly an epic is?"
I avoid eye contact, because I have no clue.
Mallory Greene raises her hand. "An epic poem is a long, narrative work of poetry. They typically have extraordinary feats and adventures of characters from a distant past."
"That is correct, Mallory," Mr. Goodman smiles.
After forty minutes of reviewing vocabulary and the basis of Beowulf, the final bell of the day rings.
"Okay, class, you are dismissed." Mr. Goodman says, and then adds, "Alec, may I speak to you for a quick second?"
My heart drops into my stomach as I stand up, nodding. Is he going to want to talk about my missing work? Because I'll turn it in at some point. Probably.
Once everyone has cleared out of the classroom, Mr. Goodman looks at me. "I'm very sorry for your loss, Mr. Worthington. I understand you and your grandfather were very close. Don't worry about getting your work in, take as much time as you need. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to reach out."
I nod. "Thank you, Mr. Goodman. It's been... tough. I hadn't seen him much the last few weeks as he was in a nursing home out of town..."
Mr. Goodman nods. "I understand. Please let me know if you need anything." He waves a hand and says, "Ah, Mr. Manning, how may I help you?"
The door opens and Ace walks in the room; I grab my stuff from my desk quickly, walking out of the classroom so I'm not invading anyone's privacy. My phone rings when I reach my locker; "Mom" flashes across my screen.
"Alec," she says. And something's wrong. Something is very wrong.
"Hi, Mom," I say. "What's up?"
"Get your schoolwork for the next week, Nanna just passed." Nanna, as in my grandmother— my great grandfather's daughter. "Your father and I are already up here with your sisters. Is there anyway you can find a ride?"
"Four and a half hours away? I don't know. I'll check. Love you, Mom,"
I walk back into Mr. Goodman's room after Ace leaves.
"My grandmother just passed away." I tell him. "My mom said to get my next few weeks worth of work,"
His face falls, a sympathetic look on his face. "Don't worry about it, Alec. You do what you need to do."
"Thank you, Mr. Goodman. Is there any way you'd be able to let the other teachers know? I have to find a ride so I can get up there. My parents and sisters are already up there, and it's four and a half hours away."
"Yes, of course. Is there anything I can do?"
"I think I can catch a ride with my cousin," I lie; I don't have cousins that live around here, they're all four and a half hours away.
Mr. Goodman nods and wishes me luck; I walk out of the classroom and open the front door, standing on the sidewalk.
"Is there anything I can do?"
I turn around and see Ace standing right behind me.
I raise an eyebrow. "What?" I ask.
"I overheard your conversation with Mr. Goodman. I can drive you up to meet your family, if you'd like."
"I have a—"
"Don't use that lie on me. I know you don't have cousins around here."
"How— you know what, never mind. Why do you want to help me?" I ask him, looking at him.
"You're a nice kid, Alec," he says.
"I didn't even know you knew my name,"
"I notice more than you think I do. Do you want a ride or not?"
I sigh. "Fine. But we're not going the entire way tonight. We'll have to stop at hotel. I hate driving up there in the dark."
"Where exactly are we going?"
"Darkwood Estates Nursing Home, four and half hours away, but my family is staying at my aunt's house, about fifteen minutes away."
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Ace drops me off at my house so I can grab my stuff.
"Hello?" My mom picks up two rings in.
"Hi, Mom. A friend offered to give me a ride. We'll be there tomorrow morning. I am not driving that last hour and a half in the dark. It's sketchy." I say.
"I agree, please be safe. Who is this friend? Do I know him?"
"You might know his mom; it's Ace Manning."
"Oh, yes, Tina! I've seen Ace at some school functions. Text whenever you can, okay? We're at Aunt Wendy's house."
I nod, even though she can't see me. "Okay, Mom. I love you and dad, and the girls,"
"We love you too, sweetie,"
I grab my stuff and lock the door behind me, making sure I've got my phone and keys. I put my stuff in Ace's trunk and then get in the front seat behind him.
"Do you need to get anything?" I ask him.
He shakes his head. "I've got some extra stuff in here,"
I nod, not wanting to push for information.
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We've been driving for forty-five minutes, and I'm already bored out of my mind.
Ace looks over at me and then back at the road. "I'm sorry," he says.
I look. "For what?"
"Your grandmother. And great-grandfather,"
I shrug. "Yeah, it sucks, but my Nanna was really close with her dad, who was my Poppa—my great-grandpa— who passed away. I think the stress got to her. Her husband, Bill, passed last year and Poppa was basically all she had left besides her kids and grandkids. It's my Mom's side of the family."
"What was her name?" Ace asks.
I smile at myself. "Her name was Catherine... when I was little, I always thought that was the most beautiful name. Catherine Elizabeth,"
He smiles. "I had a great aunt named Catherine," he says. "She was kind of weird though. She used to work in a hair salon; we think the fumes got into her brain and made her a little... funny."
I snort, stifling a laugh and smiling at him.
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It's almost been two hours now, and it's nearly seven o'clock.
"Let's stop for the night," I say. "Get a hotel and some food. I don't like driving this way in the dark, it extremely sketchy."
We find a Chipotle and get some food before checking in to our hotel.
"The only rooms we have available are rooms with king-sized beds." The woman at the front desk says; her name tag says Peggy.
Ace looks at me, and I nod, because I'm too tired to fight it.
She tells us our room is on the sixth floor, room number 608, and hands us the key.
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After we've eaten, Ace says he's going to shower.
I sigh, laying back against the bed.
How has so much happened in such little time?
I check my phone, texting my mom and telling her that we've stopped for the night and checked into a hotel. She texts back quickly, saying that she's glad we made it safe. She also sends me a picture of her and my oldest sister's daughter, Indie. I smile, sending back a heart-eyes emoji.
Ace comes out of the bathroom, only wearing shorts. His bare skin is tanned, and his hair is still dripping water. I have to force myself to look away, quietly clearing my throat.
"I forgot to grab a shirt," he says.
"S'Okay," I mumble.
I can hear the laugh in his voice. "You can look..." he says softly, walking over to me and grabbing my wrist, guiding it to touch his bare skin.
He bends down, lifting my chin towards his. When his mouth presses against mine, fireworks explode in my body, and his hands cup my face, touching gently.
He pulls back slowly, looking into my eyes.
"I shouldn't've..." he mutters.
I grab his wrist, brushing a curl from his forehead. "Ace," I mumble, standing up and wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Are you okay?" He asks, holding me against him.
When I pull away, I look at him, sitting back on the bed, shrugging. He sits beside me, looking at me.
"You've just lost two important people in your life, it's okay to feel sad," he says softly.
I nod, taking a big breath in. "I know— it's just— it's hard," I say, sniffing. "I've never lost anyone in my immediate family, and then to just lose two so close together..."
He nods, pulling me into his arms. "It's gonna be okay," he says softly, and, in his arms, it does feel like everything's gonna be okay. Maybe not right now, but some day.
2/7/21
