Love in a Bottle [AATC One-Shots]

Comforting Brittany (Alvittany)

(Alvin's POV)

"I can't believe I have lunch detention again!"

I complained to my brothers walking next to me as we left Ms. Smith's classroom. I should have been excited that it was finally lunch because it meant a break from school work. But I wasn't. I had detention.

A few minutes earlier, I nearly died of boredom in her class because she kept going on and on about those things where you draw lines on paper and connect dots. Of course, I wasn't listening, because who would? Other than Simon.

Then Theodore randomly waved to us and rushed in the direction of the cafeteria. But what did I expect? It was Theodore.

"I mean, if you did the work instead of crumpling up the graph paper and trying to shoot it into the trash can from your desk, then maybe, just maybe, Ms. Smith wouldn't have given you detention."

I rolled my eyes at my older brother, who was acting like a know-it-all again. "Please. Ms. Smith was probably just jealous of my basketball skills. I think that's the real reason she gave me detention!"

Simon stammered and groaned while shaking his head. "Yeah, yup. Th-that's, uh, probably it."

I smirked at Simon's sarcasm and turned my head back to where I saw the hallway filled with students trampling others. I even saw a little kid who was curled with his head tucked into his knees on the floor, which naturally made my smile turn into laughter.

Then my eyes shifted to the window behind him, and I saw the view of the field outside of the school. I saw a few kids that are on my basketball team, and funny enough, I also saw my coach.

I had a feeling that I was forgetting something and I looked at my older brother once again.

"What time is it?" I asked and watched him roll his blue sleeve up until his wrist watch was visible.

"It's twelve thirty-two."

I completely forgot that my basketball team was having extra practice today—during lunch! I immediately turned around and started sprinting the other way.

"See you later, Si!" I yelled as I felt the wind blowing in my hair.

As I ran, everything else around me was a blur. I could see that I was passing classrooms and lockers, but the only thing I cared about was making it to practice.

But as I passed one of the lockers, I heard the sound of a girl crying. But it wasn't any normal cry, it was a familiar one—one that I recognized.

I came to a stop, which I usually would not do because one of my top priorities is sports. I walked back to the area I had just passed until I reached the lockers that the cries were coming from. I was trying to figure out which of the lockers the person was in because there were many going up and down.

Finally, I stood in front of one of the smaller lockers. In front of me, the sobs were echoing even louder than before.

I lightly knocked on the front of the locker with my knuckle and cleared my throat. "Um, hello? Are you okay?"

After I said this, the voice stopped crying, but I could hear the faint sniffles of the person inside the locker.

I furrowed my eyebrows and I felt a mix of concern and uncertainty. There was no lock, which meant I could easily open it. I slowly brought my hand to the handle and lifted it up until it opened. I cautiously opened the locker until I could see the person in front of me. My eyes widened incredulously.

"Brittany?!"

My guess was correct, but I didn't actually expect to see my best friend crammed inside of a locker. I didn't see her in class today, either, but I assumed she was probably making out with her new boyfriend in the janitor's closet.