DISGUYSED

Back to December

(Alex's POV)

“That Math test was a piece of cake. And you doubted me when I wanted to study.” Ron said to me upon entering our dorm, throwing her book bag over by her desk. “What’d you get on it?” She asked me, her eyes sparkling.

I pursed my lips, shrugging, “A grade.” I said casually. I was in no mood to talk. I was in no mood for much, really.

She scoffed, “Thank you, Captain Obvious.” She said, “What kind of grade?”

“A test grade.” I shrugged.

She frowned. “That so?” She said sarcastically, crossing her arms at her chest.

“Mm hmm.” I nodded, passing by the dressers where I threw my bag in the corner of the room and climbed up the ladder to the refuge of my bed. I let out a small sigh of relief as my body hit the warm blankets; it was so nice to be relaxed.

She narrowed my eyes in a confused sort of way. “What’s wrong?” She asked me curiously, frowning. I felt the relaxed feeling melt away as she continued to pry.

Your wanna-be boyfriend is a total asshole, is what’s wrong.

I shrugged, “Nothing. I think I had some bad mystery meat at lunch.” I fibbed, burying my face in my pillow.

Ron rolled her eyes, climbing up my ladder to meet my eyes as she reached the top, lingering there as I lied on the bed, “When is the mystery meat good?”

I shrugged, rolling around so I wouldn’t have to face her, “Touché.” I said, a tiny chuckle escaping my lips at the sheer thought of mystery meat tasting even the least bit appetizing.

She stood there for a moment longer, obviously still not convinced of my answer, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I nodded, “Fine.”

“…Really?”

“Really.”

“…Are you positive? You look really down.”

“That’s funny, ‘cause I’m not.”

She took another moment to ponder, when suddenly her frown dissolved, in its place taking a sad grin stretching all the way from ear to ear. “Aw, Alex!” She cried sentimentally. “You’re sad because school is ending in two months and we won’t see each other until September!” She declared, like she’d solved a huge mystery.

I sighed into my pillow. No shit, Sherlock. I was sad about that and a lot of things.

Things I can’t tell you about.

Her excited rant continued, “Did I get it right? ...Alex?” She asked me annoyingly, prodding my back with her finger, “I’m right, right? You’ll miss me...right?”

I swallowed back my pride, digging my head deeper in my pillow as I muttered a strained, “Yeah.”

Not able to hear, Ron cupped a hand over her ear, “Huh? Come again? Didn’t hear that.”

I sighed, not wanting to repeat, “Yeah.” I said again, still muffled by the pillow.

“Say that again?”

I sighed, taking my head at least 5 inches away from the pillow to look back at her face and snapped, “I said ‘yeah’!”

Her mouth fell open slightly, as if she were amazed that I would admit to missing her. “Wow, Alex. That’s surprisingly…nice.”

I shrugged, setting my head down on the pillow again. Usually I’d respond with a witty comeback, but I wasn’t in the mood. Adamson had seriously rented a crawl space below my all time low. I felt like crap, now that I was realizing I’d probably never see Ron again once Paxton confessed to her. It’s not like she’d come visit me when she was so wrapped up with Adamson. She’d probably go back to living in Florida at her old school with her old friends in her old house without any of us here, leaving us as only memories; like faded photographs.