Monday, after painting a black and white portrait of a classmate using a piece of cardboard, Nick leaves class early to visit Clair before swimming practice. He takes a small detour on his way to see Clair.
In-between his town and her town, two miles away from the highway, surrounded by farm fields, There's a large corporate campus. It used to be home to Swift, formerly Conagra, formerly Monfort. Whatever you call them... the slaughter house corporation. These buildings were the home to all the bean counters and upper management, but they moved to their new building west of town a year ago. This campus has been abandoned ever since. It reminds Nick of the beginning of Perfect Dark. There's no cameras, no evidence of a security patrol. Even more importantly, it's all unlocked! Nick checks on the place regularly. He has plans for this. Big plans.
***
Like something straight from a rom-com, Nick snaps a surreptitious picture of Clair using his clunky photography class camera as he enters her Cafe. He's already proactively nostalgic about these early days of their relationships. He knows that his future self will be thinking back to these days, grasping at flimsy memories, wishing he had taken more photos. Wishing he had written more journal entries about these early days with Clair.
She makes him a chai and they catch up about their separate weekends.
She had helped Food Not Bombs at a ribbon cutting for new veteran's memorial nearby. They had asked her to sing at the opening. Food Not Bombs and Choir are the only extracurriculars she is involved with. Nick is envious of her simpler schedule. The go on to talk about Wurthing Heights and his inability to smell. Then the movie One Hour Photo, and the Veteran bikers that had swarmed the memorial.
The hour passed too quickly. It was everything he could do to maintain his composure. He had missed her so much. She had occupied his thoughts every minute since they parted Friday evening. But, he'd been accused of being clingy before, he was determined to not let that happen again.
"...Well, time for practice." He motions to the clock. They give each other adult pecks on the cheeks. Something 'work appropriate'.
Walking out the door took all the strength he could muster.
YOU ARE READING
Sonder
Novela JuvenilComing of age at the beginning of the 21st century. War, technology, and pop culture collide to shape this motley crew of high schoolers on the verge of graduation.
