Imperfect | est. 2015

33. For Once

When I'd decided to fall asleep around six o'clock in the afternoon, I was practically buried beneath all the pillows and blankets I'd gathered from around my room.

And once my phone went off, I was startled enough to jump.

I saw the obnoxious blue light coming from the screen and I knew I was getting a phone call... didn't bother to wonder who, though.

I reached for it with the little energy I had, and flipped the horribly bright light towards my face. It was Addison.

Once I took a moment to realize that it would stop ringing soon, I sighed and held the phone up to my ear, "Hello?"

"Hi... are you asleep?"

"Mostly." I grunted.

I didn't bother to ask why she was calling, because I knew she would just tell me anyway, "Put on some pants and come outside."

I groggily sat up. I was confused already into if I was even willing to drag myself out of bed. No matter what her reasoning was.

I peeked through the curtains to see if she was outside. And in the dim-blue, six o'clock lighting, Addison stood on in the middle of my yard with the phone to her ear.

I just watched her through the glass, "What do you want?" I tried my best to not sound rude.

"Just come outside." She said, finally and slipped the phone into her pocket.

And I groaned. I didn't even want to leave my bed let alone go outside.

I didn't want to talk to anyone right then. I was half asleep.

But I knew she wouldn't leave.

So I kicked my feet off the edge of my bed and threw on a pair of sneakers- careless that I was still in pajama shorts.

Walking down the stairs and out the front door was a process that required more energy than I had, but I managed to do it.

She greeted me, more welcomingly than I thought she would, "Hey," she said, gently, "I heard about what happened."

And once I'd stopped moving and stood in front of her, I looked her in the eye, "How?"

"That doesn't matter." She said. Then she opened her arms, expecting me to go for a hug. And at first, I didn't want one.

I just wanted to stand there with a fresh attitude and pretend I wasn't so weak.

But I was.

I couldn't help it.

I walked closer to her, shutting my eyes. I didn't want to cry or to say anything that made me sound dumb, so I let her do the talking, "I'm so sorry." She said, hugging me to where I couldn't move my arms.

I sighed and then did my best to resist the tears that were already burning.

"Have you heard from Connor at all?"

And I shake my head.

There wasn't a word from my best friend for a week... and it didn't really hit me that it was so strange until then.

And she backed up a little, so she could see my face, "Not once?"

And I shake my head again.

She seemed so surprised.

"Do you think he's still weirded out from the other night?"

I scoffed, "Probably."

And then her voice got quiet, "Does he know what happened?"