Midnight

6

My mother wasn't as upset as I feared she would be, but it hurt nonetheless to live without her trust.

I told her Elizabeth and I had to catch up on work after school and she took me home.

She didn't question why I left my car in the parking lot as she dropped me off, but I caught her occasional side eye.

I spent my entire school day fretting over Everett. Would things go back to what he considered normal? Ignoring my presence, even in the wake of a very important English project?

Did he truly dislike me, or could it possibly have to do with his reputation with his sports team? Maybe the slightly insecure Everett I once knew would crumble beneath their pressure, but he seemed to be much more stubborn and forthright now.

I couldn't keep my mind from the project I'd have to do with him. We didn't work on it during the weekend, in fact we didn't speak a word to each other after Friday. My phone suddenly burned in my pocket, I was hyper aware of it. I still had his contact in my phone.

Did I dare text him?

I was itching to pull my phone from my pocket. What would I say? Would I upset him?

I ditched those thoughts immediately, adrenaline controlling my hands.

hey, any ideas for the eng project?? :)

Sent

Ah! I just texted him after almost three years! Did I seem casual? Pushy? Insistent? I dropped my phone on the desk in front of me before I could convince myself to send something else, or unsend the message all together.

It was close to lunch. I fidgeted in my seat, begging the clock to hurry up and the bell to ring. I couldn't help myself from anticipating the next time I'd see Everett. I could just picture his furrowed brows and his unreal inky blue eyes, his messy hair.

I had already finished my school work, and I wished I didn't pick up my phone to reread my message again.

My message was read. No response?

No, it had only been a few minutes, he would respond.

Just as I looked back to reread my message, the bell rang. Finally.

Routinely, I would have kept my head down as I walked through the halls. But today, my eyes never stilled. My gaze was flickering around, recognizing every person in this school but Everett. The one person I'd hope to run into had disappeared.

+

I spent my lunch in solitude, surrounded by nothing but my car's silent atmosphere. It felt strange, to have my music shout, the fans of my heater blast, and yet I couldn't hear anything but Everett's repeating words.

I was burning with a feverish itch to pick up my phone and bother the hell out of him. If I weren't driving, I might have just done so.

I realized the days spent without Everett's presence seemed so forgettable now, but in the moment felt like they'd never end. As if I had to bask in my aching loneliness. But now that I've tasted the new, matured attitude of Everett, it was all that frequented my mind.

As I locked my car, fleeing the parking lot, I spotted Damon and his friends along the wall of the gym.

I felt a little bit of satisfaction when I realized Everett wouldn't befriend someone like Damon. Sure he was friends with the boys who played sports, but there were a select few who were bad.

Even if Everett were bad, he would never be bad in the way that they were.

"Hey!" I heard one of Damon's friends exclaim.