The Lock-In

I

It's a warm spring morning, and waking up is hard, so it takes me way too long than it should. After rolling off the bed, which I find to be an efficient tactic to wake up, I groggily take a look at my phone. 8:15 AM.

"I'm late to school!", I mutter to myself angrily. I can't lose any more time, so I quickly grab some random clothes from the floor.

I dress, eat some random shit for breakfast, grab my bag and look outside my kitchen window. And, to add to my utter despair, the school bus is just leaving. "Gonna take a walk, I guess". I take out my phone and there it is: A text from my girlfriend, Kate, who is in my French class.

"r u up? :3"

Fuck. She's on the bus. She knows I'll be late. I'd promised her I wouldn't be late to school anymore. 

"a little bit", I text back. After that a sudden surge of determination fills me. I won't be late.

 I grab my bike and pedal like I've never pedaled before and miraculously I arrive at my school before the bus does. I check my phone again, and it's 9:30. I made it! More importantly, Kate texted me again:

"why arent u on the bus?". I won't give her the satisfaction that easily. I send her a selfie with the school in the background, and in that exact moment I see the bus pull up. I watch Kate get out of the bus, walk a couple steps and check her phone, then look around. 

Her looks are essentially average: straight brown hair reaching to her shoulders, large dark blue eyes, an average build, but that's more than enough for me. She gets fairly good grades and it's fun to chill with her, but it's best not to irritate her which I accidentally do sometimes. 

She sees me, smirks a little and approaches me.

-Hi there! - I wonder whether she can see I was rushing in order to make it to class.

-Heyyyy! - She sure can, even I can smell myself. I should ask my friend Carl for some deodorant later, he always has some.

-I'd hoped we were gonna talk on the bus...- She looks a little sad, but that doesn't make her any less cute.

-So, yeah. Apparently I bike now.- I try to play it cool but I don't think she buys it. We start walking towards the school building.

-So, what'd you wanted to talk about?- I ask, trying to make her feel better about me ruining our chance to talk on the bus.

-Just about our plans for the lock-in.- she says, looking a bit less sad.

-Shit, that's today?-I try not to go completely red.

- Cody, you have a goddamn calendar. Use it.- Well, she isn't exactly happy right now. How could I have forgotten? The lock-in is an important thing for Kate and I don't want to disappoint her. I need to try better in the future.

-I know, sorry.- We enter the school.- So I have to go now, but we have French today, right?

- Yup, sixth period.

- Awesome, see you then.

I check my phone and see that I have ten minutes until my first class, English. I realize now that I smell like a pile of garbage so I head to the cafeteria, where I see the exact person I've wanted to see: Carl, eating what looks like a pb&j. We see each other and wave. I come up to his table.

Carl's a pretty tall guy with long, blond hair tied into a ponytail. One would think that it wouldn't look good but he's surprisingly nailing it. His eyes are of a piercing light blue color, giving him a Nordic vibe.

- Carl, there you are. How have you been in these days of doom?- I've always been bad at greetings and Carl sees right through me.

-What do you need, my friend?- he doesn't point my weird manner of speech out which is a relief for me.

-Could you spare some deodorant for a friend in need?

-I sure can.- he says as he takes some body spray from his backpack and tosses it to me. I look around, quickly freshen my smell and give it back.

- You are a lifesaver, my brother. I am forever indebted.- I bow jokingly and he smiles ever so slightly.

- I'll head to class now, but see you next recess?- I receive a nod from Carl and finally head to class.

*to be continued*