168 Hours of Miles Fonte

Chapter 19: Thursday

School was weird.
I couldn't focus on my assignments when my mind was cluttered with Miles. Why couldn't I get him out of my head? What is so special about Miles Fonte? Class after class, in passing time, while getting lunch, Miles was in my head but nowhere in sight. Actually, I hadn't seen Miles since we were at the apartment. We didn't drive to school together like we normally do, while he was taking a shower I spontaneously chose to walk. Since then I hadn't seen him; if he was avoiding me I wouldn't blame him.

I stared out at the cafeteria, it was a sea of strangers. I had two options, either eat alone at a table, or eat alone in the bathroom. I headed to the bathroom, lunch tray in hand. When I walked in, I heard sniffles. Under the stall I could see a pale ankle with an unmistakable silver anklet. No, it can't be. Kali, this all powerful girl I've looked up to since I had come, was crying. I'm not sure if she would want me to see her crying, so I began to back up. I stopped while backing up and thought. No. I can't leave her like this. I took a breath and knocked on her stall.

"Hey." I whispered, "it's April."

Her shoes scuffed on the pink tile. She eventually unlocked the stall. Who I faced was not the girl I knew. Kali's eyeliner was smudged and her hair was not straight and shiny as I'd always seen it.

"What?" She asked, irritated.
"Um, I wanted to see if you were ok." I said quietly.
"Am I okay?" She let out some air and chuckled.
She leaned up against the stall wall and shook her head. Sinking to the floor, crying.
"Hey, hey." I said and started to pet her hair, it still felt smooth, it just looked a little roughed up. "I know you don't know me very well, but I will always listen. It may even be nice to talk to someone who isn't involved, you know?"
Her breath shook, her lip trembled. "I-I'm just so confused." She admitted.
I was still petting her hair, I shushed her a few times trying to calm her down. It took a while, but she explained how that night, the night Brandon got drunk, something happened.

Brandon asked her to marry him, and she said no.

"You said no?!" I said out loud.
"Yes! I know I'm totally stupid!" She flung her arms up. This is the most exaggerated I've ever seen Kali act.
I'm surprised she didn't say yes, Kali and Brandon were for sure going to get married at some point, why not just make it happen a little early. That must've been what Brandon was thinking. Imagine how surprised he felt. Poor Brandon.

"I screwed up April, I just walked away. After I said no, I just walked away. I went outside for a while trying to clear my head, when I was ready to talk he was already four drinks in. No good would've come if I tried talking to him drunk. But now he won't even look at me." She hit her head on the stall wall behind her.

Wow. A lot of information. I realized I was not the best person to talk to about this. I'm not experienced with boyfriends or marriage. I mean, I didn't even grow up with a dad, I'm totally clueless.

"Can I ask, if you don't mind, um..." I trailed off.
"Why did I say no?" Kali finished.
"Yeah."
She exhaled, "I'm not ready to be a wife. I want to at least finish college, I want to travel before I settle down."

"Well, did you and Brandon talk about these goals?"
"Not...in depth."
"Well you have these goals, but they don't seem to include Brandon. Maybe you guys aren't ready to be married, but did you ever think about, um, traveling with...him?" I am so bad at this. I expected her to be furious, it's none of my business, what right do I have to tell her this?

"God, how did I never think about that?" She said.
She pulled me in so that she was resting her head on my shoulder. "You are much...calmer in these situations than Heather."
I felt myself smile. "I'm sure Heather could give better advice though."
"Maybe...but trust me, right now, this is better."