🖤⚡️They Met In A Record Shop⚡️🖤

Chapter 14: In Which The Last Day Before Temporary Freedom Comes To An End

(Marigold's Perspective)

After Allison and I went into the school and said bye, we parted our separate ways and made our ways to our homerooms.
Math sucked, I tried to pay attention, but who the hell can pay attention to nonsensical number combinations at 7:30 in the morning? If you can, then you've earned my respect already. Because I find it to be near impossible.
We got assigned our homework and I thought to myself that I would just get it done in study hall so I don't have to deal with it when I get home.
But I looked forward to seeing Allison in Period 2 Social Studies.
Social Studies was getting difficult this year. We were getting assigned long homeworks multiple times a week.
I tried not to get overwhelmed by my school work, and I'm usually pretty good at balancing my work so I don't have too much at once and not too little at once. But, I admit, school stresses me out so much it makes me cry. Occasionally. It's usually a few times a week.
I think I care too much about getting good grades. I mentally beat myself up if I get anything lower than a 90% ever, whether that's on a test grade or a grade average.
Maybe that's just because my mom has such high expectations of me. She went to college and is always telling me that I need to go, too.
At first, from all her persistence, I wasn't sure I wanted to go to college. But now I know I do. I know I wanna get into a really good school and get a good, high-paying job that I like. But will I get there? That's something I wonder a lot. Because even though I've been told by family and teachers, and even some friends, that I'm very smart, it's very rare that I can actually believe it.
My opinion of myself... isn't the highest...
But Allison helps.
She makes me feel better. Even if she doesn't know it, she does. Every single day.
The bell rang, signaling the first period was over, and I quickly made my way to Social Studies.
Allison was already there, and so I sat with her.
"I made you something." she told me.
"You did?" I asked, smiling as my heart sped up.
She nodded.
"I got bored in French class and started doodling." Allison began.
There was a pause.
"Don't worry; we were just watching a movie. I didn't miss anything important." she said with a smile as she reached into the folder on her desk and pulled out an index card.
She placed it on my desk.
It was a beautiful drawing of marigolds covered in orange.
Beneath them was 🖤Marigold🖤 written in beautiful cursive letters.
I couldn't hold back my smile or blush.
I should've told her right then that I liked her. But I couldn't. I was too afraid to. I was taken over by the paralyzing feeling of being this much in love with someone and not having the courage to say so.
I was beginning to suspect that she may have felt the same, but maybe this is just how she treats close friends. Some kids our age are so close with their friends that you'd never guess they weren't a couple.
But even if Allison did like me, I was so scared of ruining our friendship that I decided it would just be better if I waited for a little bit until I knew for sure that she liked me back.
"Shit, Allison, this is amazing..." I said, staring at the drawing.
She smiled warmly.
"Thank you." she said to me.
"Of course... you're very talented." I replied truthfully.
I took a folder out of my backpack and slipped the drawing into it to keep it safe.
Allison couldn't stop smiling at me.
And I couldn't stop smiling at her.
And maybe; had that moment lasted just a minute longer... Perhaps something could've happened.
But as the bell rang and the teacher began the lesson, I was distracted from my feelings for Allison as we both turned to face the front of the room and pulled our Social Studies equipment out of our backpacks.
Binders, pencil cases, and the textbooks from underneath our desks.
In this class, I had to pay as much attention as I possibly could, because I often struggled to understand the material.
So I did my absolute best to pay attention to child labor lessons instead of the most beautiful girl I've ever seen sitting right next to me, and for a few minutes I could.
But I admired Allison's hair and the way she fidgeted with it when she was nervous.
I watched her eyes watch the Smartboard as she listened, or, at least I think she was listening. Or maybe... she was zoning out. About what? Movies? TV shows? Books? Her asshole siblings?...
Me?...
Probably not me.
But maybe me...
I shook my head to get myself to stop zoning out and I looked straight ahead, back at the Smartboard.
I copied down all the notes I needed to, and nodded when I felt necessary to nod so I could pretend I was understanding. But I was barely listening.
It almost felt like I was underwater.
I was trying to listen, but it was all muffled by the thoughts of everything I actually wanted to think about.
Fun stuff, like the books and movies and shows I like, and the hobbies I have.
And tomorrow.
Especially tomorrow.
I smiled wholesomely over at Allison.
She noticed my glance and smiled back the same way.
My heart skipped a beat.
Social Studies flew by, and soon it was time to pack our bags.
It was time for P.E.
Fun.
I reluctantly put on my backpack and followed Allison out the classroom door.
"So, where are you going next?" she asked me.
"Gym." I replied dryly.
"Ugh. Sorry about that." she cringed, only half-joking.
I laughed.
"What about you?" I then asked.
"Study hall." she replied.
"Lucky." I laughed.
She laughed in response.
We made our way through the hallway, continuing with our smalltalk until we had to go our separate ways to go to our separate classes.
I rolled my eyes at the fact that Allison and I wouldn't be able to see each other again until Lunch period, and then I thought of her more.
I thought of her all throughout gym class, Science, Spanish, and Study hall.
And then finally; lunch.
Allison and I spent the entire time talking.
And she smiled at me the whole time.
Her smile left me in a trance.
So perfect. So warm. So comforting. So beautiful. And the fact that it was for me made it a million times better.
And each eye looking into mine looked like a dark crystal ball. Bright and glowing and warm. Concealed by the flutter of her eyelashes every time she blinked.
Every second I was more and more tempted to blurt the words "I love you" but every second I was more and more scared to.
She made my heart feel a way it's never felt before.
Part of me wanted her to know that.
But another part of me was too scared of how she might react.
I wondered every second of every day if she loved me back, or if I was mistaken. Maybe we're just close friends, and maybe that's all we're meant to be.
Or maybe we're more.
And maybe we're meant to be more.
When lunch ended I thought of her during art class, too, and I wondered if she was thinking of me.
And if she was thinking of me...
What was she thinking?
She could've been thinking about loving me back, or she could've been thinking about how I'm a good friend to her.
I wanted to know but I was too scared to ask.
Then in English class I was nervous to see her, but good-nervous. And she seemed good-nervous too.
And that's the specific moment when I realized she liked me back.
But I didn't have the courage to say or do anything about it.
That's why we just talked casually on the bus on the way home, and why I went home the happiest I've ever been in my entire life.