The Blink of an Eye

Chapter 39

It was now the night before exams, and I was sort of agitated. Eric, Erica, Aubrey, Brandon, and I were having a study group at Aubrey’s house. I was positive that I was going to pass all of my exams except for gym, but I wanted study all of them, just to be safe. Erica tossed her eaten apple into a trashcan nearby, we were laughing about something.

“Oh my gosh! Can’t you believe it, guys?! In less than three months, we’re going to be seniors!” Aubrey squealed aloud.

Erica squealed along, Eric gave a hoot, and Brandon just smiled. I smiled at them, happy for all of them. “Oh, except for Heather.” Erica suddenly frowned.

“It’s fine, guys. Really.” I endorsed with a personal chuckle, biting into my own apple that Aubrey had supply for all of us. She claims that apples are most known for ‘stimulating’ your brain so it could work better. She’s so statistical.

“We won’t ever treat you any different, we swear.” Eric assured, but that tone in his voice sounded like he was teasing me.

I shrugged as if to playing guilty and Aubrey started laughing. I glanced at everyone, especially at Brandon. He smiled at me, flashing his pearly white smile. He shifted his gaze down at his book, realizing that we had to get back to studying. Realizing this as well, I laid my eyes back down into my history book. As we started to study again in silence, I kept giving him side glances, but he continued to study, not sending a glance back to me. I smiled at this, and pressed my foot against his under the table. I don’t know why I was doing this; I just…felt like it. He finally looked up at me with a grin and I smirked.

“Hey guys, I was thinking…I should throw an ‘end of the school year’ party, don’t you think?” Aubrey suddenly asked, capturing both of our attention.

“That’s a great idea Aubbie,” Erica suddenly agreed with, calling Aubrey by her nickname, and I also found out that her parents call her that, too.

“Except you already threw a house party,” Eric opinionated, glaring at Erica for agreeing with Aubrey. “You should let us throw it this time.” He commented with a shrug.

Aubrey stared at him for a few seconds and started laughing, “I don’t care who throws the party and where, I just want to party.” She laughed out, running her pencil through her hair.

I smiled at this. After the studying session, which was somewhat of a fail, we had to leave. Erica and Eric left, and Brandon decided to drive me home. When he pulled up to my driveway, I smiled at him awkwardly and got out of the car, slamming the door shut. It’s not that I didn’t want to talk to him, it’s just…I’m kind of confused about us now. Now that Brooke is out of the picture, do we go back to being affectionate towards one another even though we aren’t even together at the time? I walked to his side of the car, offering him a dismissive smile. He smiled back, but his look sort of read that he was expecting something from me. By the time I got to my door, he was already gone.

I sighed to myself, not because I was in a crestfallen state, but because I am sort of exhausted. I’ve been studying with them since this morning. I took a look at my phone and it was four o’clock.

I grabbed my key from the book bag, and opened the door, walking into a quiet atmosphere. I glanced around; nothing seems out of the ordinary. Once I got upstairs, I noticed Haley playing with her dolls in her room, and my mom and John were watching her with amused eyes. I smiled at this, and walked inside. They all looked up at me.

“I’m back from studying,” I said in a low voice and calm smile. I gripped onto my book bag straps.

“That’s good,” My mom commented with a gracious look on her face, “Did you learn anything from your friends?”