DEAR DYLAN

chapter eighteen

February 9, 2015

I haven't opened my phone since last week, I was also absent for a week from school because I was sick. I'm sure they're worried especially when I didn't tell them I was going to disappear for a week.

I need to go back to school since I already skipped a lot of school work, I didn't get a chance to ask for some assignments because my phone was confiscated and I needed to get well first. So I planned to go back to school today.

I slowly walked around the campus while thinking of how would they react when I suddenly showed up without telling them. They don't want me to hide from them because we're like a family so we should be open with each other.

I held the strap of my bag while thinking of what I should say to them. Should I say 'Hello' first? it feels so awkward. No matter what happens to me the important thing is that I am here again.

I slowly touched the doorknob of the door and opened it, I immediately saw them together and surrounding Vivian's chair. They turned their attention to me and they just looked at me, as if they had no emotion and only felt shock.

"Hello .." I said awkwardly while slowly approaching them when they suddenly hugged me that I almost lost out my balance since the 3 of them hugged me. I saw Ava and Dylan in the corner of my eye just looking and laughing at them.

"Where have you been? we are contacting you for the past days" the concern was obvious in Vivian's voice as she slowly led me to my seat. "I just had a fever and my parents took my phone" I explained as I lowered my belongings to the floor.

Suddenly a sandwich slid on my table and I looked at the person who gave it, it was Ava. "I heard it's your favorite" she smiled while gently tapping my hands.

"What is that? Why did you gave some to Karina while I don't have?" Vivian suddenly pouts in front of Ava and we suddenly broke a laugh.

Vivian grabbed us and took our arms, she intertwines them in her arms while she was in the middle of us, Ava and I looked at each other laughing.

"Let's go to 7/11, I'll buy a sandwich too" and she led us out of the room while laughing. I can spend the day with these girls and I won't regret it.

"I'll go find something to bring to Jayden," Vivian said goodbye and left while Ava and I were left in the food aisle. "Would you like to buy a sandwich too? It's my treat" I asked Ava while pointing to the sandwiches in front of us.

"Why? It's fine, I'm not that hungry" she said. "It's for the sandwich you gave me," I replied. "You don't need to, I just want to say sorry," she said and suddenly he hugged me.

"Apology accepted" I smiled and we paid for the food we bought while we waited for Vivian. enter

We did nothing but practice our dance all day. I feel especially light and I just have fun all day.

Ava and I are okay and we have become even closer especially now that there is no tension between the two of us.

Maxwell, on the other hand, let me feel the enjoyment of dancing. I don't know if he was serious about our dance or not because we didn't do anything but laugh. We just enjoy and there is no pressure on what we do. I'm genuinely happy.

"Are you okay?" Maxwell asked as he handed me a bottle of water, he had been taking care of me since earlier because he was worried that I might get sick again because of the practice. "Don't worry, I'm okay" I replied as I took the water in his hand and wiped away some sweat from my face.

"You can always tell me, right?" he says. "I know of course" I smiled, he never failed to make me feel safe around him, I wish I fall in love with him before instead of other people who don't care about me.

"Hey, are you done practicing?" Ava sat next to the two of us while wiping her sweat. "Yes, I'm tired," said Maxwell.

"Karina can you hold this, it's hard to practice wearing that" he handed me the necklace and left.

The necklace seemed familiar to me so I touched my chest to look for my necklace and noticed that it had the same design. Did Dylan give it to her?

After practice our teachers allowed us to go home since we were tired so they allowed us to go home early and rest.

While I was walking home I still couldn't help but think of the necklace that Ava had, I'm not sure if Dylan gave it to her but it looks like the necklace that Dylan gave me so I'm wondering. Maybe I'm just overthinking as if that's not the only necklace there is in the world so I brushed it off.

When I enter my room, I hurriedly go to my bed and slightly lay down my body, I'm tired. I picked up my phone and decided to take my phone to look at my gallery, I enjoyed some other videos because Jayden and Maxwell were the content of the videos as they both played around.

I was stopped when I went through the section full of Dylan's pictures. The others are just stolen pictures of him but the others are pictures of the two of us.

"How can I even not like you?" I sighed as I looked at his pictures.

I was surprised and let go of my phone when my phone suddenly rang and Dylan's name popped up which means he was calling me. I'm still hesitant whether to answer or not but I'm curious why he called me.

"Hello?" I say while waiting for him to answer. "Hello, how have you been?" he replied, it was obvious in his voice that he was sad. "I'm okay, why are you asking?" I replied full of curiosity.

"You're ignoring my calls and texts," he said as he took a deep breath as if he was disappointed. "Hm.." is my simple reply. It's a bit awkward since we haven't talked for a long time and I don't know what to reply to.

"I called cause I cared for you" he suddenly said after a long silence. I was quite surprised by what he said, I have never heard from him that he cares for me.

I was about to speak when he suddenly spoke again. "It's okay even if you don't speak, I just want to know if you're okay" he was silent for a moment but he spoke again to continue what he was going to say.

"let's meet this Friday, I'll wait for you at the park"

-

Dear Dylan,

I don't care how we will end up but please stay with me until I found the answers to my questions.

Love, Karina