Test Week – Day 3
It's a rainy day three of...
Zoom-in.
...Test week.
Debbie Reynolds and her wet forecast tell me to get ready for the day. Random shower thought, but I never understood why people hate rain. It's just water. You shower in water, cook with water, live on water. Why are people scared of getting caught in water? Because it's outside and there goes your clothes? I guess that's logical.
"You look gorgeous," I tell myself in the mirror.
It's picturesque cardigan weather, but I feel like I need five of them. I'm chilled and jittery, my brain a slug, hibernating amongst the leaves. I'll need to squeeze every nerve. Today is math, Max, Max, more Max. The tug in my chest when I think of Max and what happened yesterday makes eating toast a task.
"Chase!"
Choke. Die. Be revived by unicorn magic. Pack. Car. Drive.
"Morning!" the doorlady says.
Can it be spring break now?
"Morning."
It's so rainy, the school the epicenter of the storm. Clouds swirl above the former train station. I'd rather stay in and cozy up with Gumball.
"Good luck today!
Is it time to go home yet?
The walk to the balcony is more like a trudge. I need to stop and catch my breath, focus, stay calm. The black cat on my hand is blotchy stains. I got most of it off in the shower. Nothing I can't hide with my sleeve. I remember more of our personal time yesterday. After...you know, Max pulled my hand in and drew on me.
That's when brilliance struck.
"What if we did a cat town?" I asked.
Meow.
"A cat town?"
"Cat café town."
"Your dream place is a cat café town?"
I shrugged. Max chewed on it, then got right to work. It took less than thirty minutes to draw our draft brochure, Mrs. G's to correct little bits. I gave it to Max to hold onto for tomorrow. That's today. I like how the draft turned out. It looks like stick-figure Studio Ghibli fan art that—
"Hey."
Ah!
"Acorn."
What...what's Max doing in the stairwell? Greg is already at the top. I don't think we were close in the drop-off line. Are they late?
"What?" he asks. "Can't say hi?"
Bleep.
"You're late," I say.
"No, I'm not."
What?
"It's you. You're early."
Max smirks at me and walks on, but slowly, like he's sure I'm going to be behind him. Somebody get the Olympic Committee on the phone because I break my record for earliest arrival.
"Morning, guys," Ms. Tudor says.
We're first.
Max sashays toward his desk. "Welcome to my world. You like quiet, right? You should get here earlier."
YOU ARE READING
Castling: A Novel (NaNoWriMo21)
Teen FictionIt's a slice-of-life centered around "Chase the Ace," who finds himself changing schools against his will mid-year to help make the most of that brain of his. It'll be good for him, they say. He won't be so bored. He'll get to be with an old friend...
