Things Thought At Night

Chapter 1

I clutched my side as I continued to laugh. By this point, I had long since fallen on the gym floor, and couldn't stop the strange laughter and noises coming from my mouth. Alex wiped the amused tears from his eyes.

"Yeah I know, but when I was finally able to break into the classroom, I walked in and didn't turn on the light. Obviously I didn't want anybody to see me breaking in, so I went in quietly. Long story short, I saw Ms. Norton and Coach Neill making out behind her desk." Alex paused, out of breath.

"It was probably the grossest thing I have ever seen."

I looked at him wide eyed. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Coach Pervert and Ms. Wannabe-Eighteen were caught making out; better yet, by a student.

"No way. I'm sorry, but there is absolutely no way that they were doing that. That's disgusting and disturbing and perverted and just so wrong on a million different levels!" I was trying to control the snorts and animal-like sounds that were now mixed in with my laughter.

"Natalie, I don't know what to do! Am I supposed to report this sort of thing, or do I just live with it? Because I do not want this image in my head any longer," Alex ranted. I stared at him for a moment before I grabbed his arms in excitement.

"Please tell me you got evidence."

"What?"

"You got a video or a picture or something, right?" Alex looked at me for a second, and then his jaw fell open.

"No! How did I not think of doing that?"

"Probably because that would be- as you say, a disgusting sight."

"I do not­­­­- okay, fine. Maybe I do say that a bit, but I just froze in there. I was, like paralyzed or something," he defended, crossing his arms.

I chuckled a bit and replied, "It's whatever, but I'm sure some people would have really liked to have heard about that." Alex and I both started laughing again, and he sat down on the floor with me. We just sat there for a few minutes- a peaceful silence resting between the two of us. I listened intently to the pattern of squeaking sneakers on the gym floor until I realized he was trying to get my attention.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"I asked if you were alright."

I looked at him with a smile- fully snapped out of my daze, and said, "Oh yeah... sorry. I'm just exhausted from exams and stuff."

Alex laughed and nodded his head in agreement. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the wall. The silence slowly grew until I began to feel strange.

I said, "Do you remember how when we were little, you would always give me piggy back rides to the bus stop? And then one day, you accidentally tripped and I fell into that mud puddle?"

Alex chuckled and leaned back also as he replied, "How do you know that it was an accident? Maybe I meant to throw you in the mud." As he said this, I slowly sat up and looked at him intently.

"Did you now?"

"I don't know... maybe."

"What do you mean maybe?" As we went back and forth, we slowly inched closer to each other. Both of us were smiling.

"As in maybe I did it on purpose, but maybe I didn't."

"Why would you throw me in the mud?"

At this point, our faces were so close that I could smell the mint in his breath. His eyes locked with mine as he came closer and whispered in my ear.