Complications

22|tackling

Tyla Bradley

Nothing, Zoey got nothing. All that work, the sleuthing, the eavesdropping and she came up completely empty handed. This can mean only one thing, he is super good at dodging the gossip train! How he's able to do that is driving me crazy.

It's been three more days and Walker is still mia. My questions are multiplying. What is up with him?

I can barely pay attention in class and I know, if I were to ask anyone, they'd tell me to forget the stupid idiot and focus on school--something I actually need to focus on. I'm supposed to be doing all I can to end well, to have my senior year be what sets me up for college because it's only going to get harder from here. We're like a month into school and I'm done, senioritis has kicked in hard the last couple of days, all thanks to Walker. Ugh there he is again. Even if I were to decide not to think about him I'd think of him anyways. The wort part is if I knew him better I'd probably have more answers, and have an actual clue regarding his whereabouts and what's going on with him.

If I confide in Zoey she'll claim I have an unrequited crush. Maybe Walker is trying to send me a message by avoiding me. He has my number, he knows how to find me, and yet he hasn't. Is that what I'm afraid of? Am I afraid that he'll do what Silver did to me? Silver acted interested but as we got deeper I realized he was just playing me for a foul. Is Walker doing the same thing? Is that why I haven't gone looking myself, and rather tried to get Zoey to do it. Am I trying to keep up the image that Walker is just another guy, do I really care that much?

I gotta get out of my head!

"I'm going for a run mom!" I yell coming down the stairs.

Her head pops up from the book she's reading on the couch and she looks back at me, "you are? right now?"

I shrug, "I need to burn some energy off," or I need to get a boy out of my head, one or the other.

"You never run at this time, what's up?"

My too observant mother, she knows me too well. "Something at school is bothering me and I can't stop thinking about it." It's not technically a lie, but not the truth either. Please just let me go mom.

She studies me for a minute and then nods her head, "Be careful, it's starting to get dark earlier. You're taking you phone right."

I roll my eyes at her, "yes mom."

"Don't roll you eyes at me!" She scolds, "I'm okay with you running in the mornings but at night, I'm not so sure if..."

"If you don't want me to go I won't go. I can jus..."

She shakes her head, and sets her book down, "I know something, or someone," she gives me a knowing look, "is bothering you. A run would be good for you. Just try to get out of your head, look at things with another perspective."

My mother knows everything that goes on in this house, and I don't know how. It creeps me out sometimes. I wave at her as I book it out the door, better leave before she changes her mind or insists she comes along. I don't want her scolding me with an 'I told you so' speech with Walker. I know how she feels, she doesn't have to tell me for me to know how she feels about this.

I stretch briefly on the front lawn and glance at the sky, the sun is just beginning to drop, but I'm guessing it's still bright enough to do my usual route. Though as I begin running, my feet carry me in a different direction. I just let myself go, becuase if he is there, then maybe I can get some answers for the first time in weeks.

When I reach the school there are enough cars in the parking lot to warrant that some kind of practice is going on. I'm on the side of the school opposite to the football field. From here I can't see Walker's truck, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's not here if his car isn't here. I slow to a jog and hop up on the sidewalk to follow it around to the field. My eyes glance over the cars and I halt, my foot steps faltering when my eyes land on his truck.