Stranger Danger

82

Copyright © MonMoncheese
All Rights Reserved
82 Published 02.20.2023       

•••

JAMES

Twirling the pen in between my fingers I look at my wrist, the watch wrapped around it telling me the time as the minute handle changes once more.

11:27 a.m.

Reading the time, I groan quietly in annoyance followed by an exasperated breath. The days seem longer without her quirky messages.

On long lectures like this, the only thing that kept me going were the corny messages that she would send me every now and then.

Tilting my head back, my eyes meet the white ceiling over my head. And without any thought, my mind begins to drift to a certain girl.

God, I miss her.

I wish I could just knock on her door and apologise for everything I did until she forgave me. But I had to give her time.

Until then, I will just have to settle with the messages.

But damn, I just wanted to hold her like that day in her room.

In that moment we were both strangers. She didn't know me, and I didn't know her, we were just two people hiding behind our phones. But being with her that day felt so right.

Snapping myself out of my daze, I sit straight and try to focus my eyes on the projector in front of me. The video playing almost coming to an end, and I dread the remaining three minutes to hurry up.

Watching as the images change from one scene to another, I force my eyes to stay open as the narrator lulls me into a sleep.

But before I even have a chance to close my eyes, the sound of a chair rolling back startles me awake, causing my back to turn straight and my eyes to blink several times as someone turns on the lights, leaving me blind for a few seconds.

Around me, several students sigh in relief as the video comes to an end. But their relief only lasts for a few seconds as the teachers pauses the projector and clears her throat.

"Listen up, I want a ten-page essay about the video that you just watched. It won't be due tomorrow, but you have three days to complete it. No later than that". As her words are met with multiple groans, the bell rings and I close the book laying on the desk. Grabbing the rest of my things, I push the chair back and stand up.

I'm almost out of the classroom, but a certain girl blocking my exit prevents me from walking through. She doesn't notice me as I stand behind her, and her friends are too busy gathering their things to pay attention to me.

While I stand behind her, I bite my lip as I debate on whether I should interrupt the conversation about today's essay, but there is no time to waste as the time on my watch gives me the answer.

"Excuse me, Mae." I tap the girl's shoulder causing her to stop talking and I watch as two pairs of eyes look up at me. Giving them a small smile in return they nod to Mae as she turns around, her short hair moving around in the process.

Her eyes look up at me before glancing back at the door in front of us. And judging by the way she rushes to the side; I assume she knows.

"Shit, sorry James." She apologises and I shake my head.

"It's okay, don't apologise. See you guys." I wave at the three girls before exiting the classroom.

Stepping outside of the door, I make my way through the hallway as I head to my locker.