"FINE" LIES

Clouded

Wednesday, October 22

I walked into class that morning and noticed Hannah already at her desk. She never comes to class before me. But I guess since Andy's gone, she's lost her reason to care.

She glared at me as I sat down at my seat.

"Just because we aren't friends anymore, doesn't mean you have to be mean to me," I said.

She didn't say anything for a while. I didn't think she was going to say anything, but she did.

"Do you like Andy?" Hannah asked.

"What?" I asked back, surprised.

"You heard me."

"I...he....we're friends."

"That doesn't answer my question. But your stuttering was enough of an answer. That's why I'm mean to you."

"Being mean to me isn't going to make Andy like you."

"It's not about him liking me. It's about getting over the fact that he likes you, Danielle."

Before I could say anything the bell rung. I was glad it did, because I had nothing to say.

At lunch, I sat at my old table again. I spent most of lunch thinking about Andy. He clouded my brain. He was all I thought about and I didn't want to think about anything else.

"Danielle," Reina said.

She knocked me out of my Andy trance. "What?"

"What's up?" Anna asked. "You're so unfocused."

"It's because of Andy," Scarlett said.

"No, it's not," I mumbled.

"See even when I say his name, she pays attention."

I rolled my eyes. I was afraid to meet Hannah's eyes, but I did anyway. I saw so much hatred in them, I had to look away. If I looked any longer, I knew it would've caused me physical pain.

In Science, I was gone. I was somewhere else. All the thoughts in my brain were circulating. What if the serpent wasn't in my life? I'd be happier. I'd have more fun. I'd be alive. I'd have Kaiden....but I wouldn't have Andy. Without the serpent, I'd probably still be in a relationship with Kaiden. The serpent had its ups and downs. And making me get close to Andy was a good thing. He made me so happy. But I knew the serpent. He's only preparing me to be this happy, because he's going to take something away from me. And Andy was it.

When I got home, I was surprised to see that my dad wasn't on the couch. I laid down on it, burying my face into a pillow. My book bag fell off my back and onto the floor.

"Hard day?" my dad asked.

"No," I mumbled into the pillow.

"What?"

I turned my face sideways. "I miss Andy."

"Of course you do."

"I know what you mean by that, dad. He's just a friend."

"Okay."

"Where's mom?"

"Upstairs, reading."

"It's nice to hear that she isn't working."

"Yeah."

At dinner, I was starting to wonder why Andy hadn't called yet. I was getting worried.

"He'll call," my mom said, as I kept glancing at my phone that was on the dinning room table.

"No, he won't," I said. "He probably already forgot about me."

"It's been one day, Danielle,"

"A lot can happen in a day."

"He likes you too much to not call," my dad said.

I shrugged. "I guess."

A few minutes later, my phone rang. I jumped up and answered it, walking into the kitchen.

"You're late," I said.

"I'm sorry," Andy said. "My mom would rather have me do a whole bunch of chores instead of sitting around the house all day. She made me work all the way, until dinner. The only way I could sneak this call is by going to the bathroom."

I smiled a little. I knew Andy wouldn't lie to me about something like this. "I believe you."

"So, how was your day?"

"It was okay. Just one more day, until it's not boring anymore."

"Yeah, I can't wait to see you, Dani."

"Dani?!"

"Oh, I call you that when I'm talking about you with my mom, all good things. I hope you don't think it's weird."

I smiled. He gave me a nickname.

"No, it's fine, Andy," I said.

"Okay," Andy said. "I'll try calling you earlier tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Later, Dani."

I smiled. "Later." I hung up and went back to my spot back at the table.

"Happy now?" my mom asked.

I nodded, trying to hide a smile but failing.

"She's got a smile like yours, honey," my dad said.

This made my mom smile. "She does, doesn't she."

I was happy to see that they were back to the way they were. Instead of being stuck in a room with no exits, they found an exit together. And I was happy that we were a family again.