Wonderland

❄B31❄ Drifting Apart

Chapter Thirty-One

Brayden's POV

Drifting Apart

November 26

Esmond made me go home after it became apparent that Heather's surgery would last more than an hour. I didn't want to go home—I really didn't—but I had made plans with my friends to go Black Friday shopping at five in the morning, so I had no choice. Esmond promised me that he'd stay at the hospital and make sure that Heather would be well taken care of. He said he'd call me if anything came up.

What should've been a joyous Friday ended up being one of my worse. Even though I was hanging around my most favorite people in the world, I couldn't find any happiness at all.

Ryan, Parker, Nolan, and Bridget were waiting for me in Ryan's car as I made it out of my house towards them. Ryan, who's known me the longest, immediately knew something was up. "You okay, bro?" he wondered, looking at me inquisitively.

"Yeah," I lied, getting into the car. I sat backseat with Parker beside me, and Bridget on the other side of Parker. Ryan was the driver, and Nolan sat shotgun.

"I haven't seen you in a while, loser," Bridget said, flashing me a loser sign. Her blonde hair was done into a side braid today, and she had flowery accessories stuck in her hair. She was wearing jeans and a cropped sweater—something that surprised me immensely. I never took her to be such a girly-girl. I feel like she's changed a lot.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, Midget," I muttered, referring to her by her nickname. She wasn't any shorter than I was, but I still found pleasure in calling her a midget. I was happy to find that I was no longer getting the heart-racing, palm-sweaty feeling every time I was around her. I was finally over that lame crush of mine. "And by the way, since when did you wear cropped sweaters?" I added.

"Since she started dating Jefferson," Ryan snickered.

I gaped at Bridget. "You have a boyfriend?"

She blushed, leaning back from me. "On my defense, I rejected him numerous times. I wasn't ready for a relationship y—"

"Long story short, he pestered her until she gave in," Parker butted in. "And then they probably banged."

"Parker!" Bridget hissed, jabbing him in the ribs.

Parker winced and started to laugh.

"I didn't bang him. Now shut up before I punch your face off."

I couldn't help but smile, despite my grim mood. I guess some things about her haven't changed. "Hey, was it that one guy you told me earlier in the school year who kept going after you?"

"Yes," she groaned. "Now can we please change the subject?"

"Sure," Ryan said, driving the car slowly down my drive. "But don't think we won't be pressing you for questions later."

Bridget mumbled something unintelligibly under her breath before glaring out the window. The sight of her doing that couldn't help but remind me of Heather. Her head was always resting against a window whenever she was in a car. The thought of Heather being under anesthesia, getting surgery done right now, caused my heart to ache. I hope she's all right. I miss her already.

My friends, unsurprisingly, drove to GameStop. There, we waited twenty minutes in line before the store opened. While they tried to grab as many of the games from the shelves as possible, I found myself lurking in the corner, staring at my phone. Why hasn't Esmond called me yet?