𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙇𝘼𝙆𝙀𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙎𝙀 || 𝙒𝘼𝙇𝙆𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝘾𝙊𝘽𝙀𝙇𝙇

𝟖

"you're so stupid!" hallie screamed into her phone. she sobbed as she covered her face with her other hand. "why would you leave without saying goodbye?!"

"i'm sorry, hallie." walker mumbled. hallie continued to scold him for the next three minutes

"hallie!" walker yelled. hallie went silent. walker sniffled from the other side of the phone.

"i didn't want to see you cry again. not right before i left. i wanted to have a good last memory of you to remember while im gone." he rambled on and on. hallie kept crying into the phone.

"you're so stupid." she whispered, her voice breaking. she let out a broken giggle. he didn't even think to mention the notebook; she didn't either. 

"hey, hal. i- uh. i gotta go. i'll call you tonight, m'kay?" he said. hallie frowned. "hallie?"

"fine." she said stubbornly. they said goodbye and hung up. hallie set her phone down and sighed.

**

school came quicker than she expected. before she knew it she was sitting at her desk, in her first period, on her first day. without walker next to her, it felt like a whole new place. she felt lonely without him. she scrolled on her phone until class started. someone sat down next to her, but she didn't care to see who it was.

class started and ended just as quick. hallie was walking down the hall when she was stopped by someone. she turned and looked at whoever it was.

"you're hallie, right?" the girl asked. hallie nodded hesitantly. "i'm stacy, it's nice to meet you."

"how do you know me?" hallie asked. stacy smiled happily and leaned against her locker.

"the principal showed me your yearbook photo and told me to find you. today's my first day." she said. hallie sighed and put on a smile.

"what period do you have next?" she asked. stacy responded with the same class hallie had. they walked together to history.

they actually had a lot in common. they talked all throughout second period.

maybe this school year wouldn't be so bad after all.

**

"hallie are you coming over later?" stacy asked. it was a month after school started, and stacy and hallie were closer than ever.

"yes, im on my way." hallie said before hanging up her phone. she walked down the road in the direction of walker's house. the only difference is that she didn't go in there. she went to the house next door. she knew her and stacy were meant to be friends because they lived so close.

hallie glanced at the empty house that belonged to the scobell's. she felt her heart hurt. they were all still gone. heather was coming back at the five month mark to check up on everything, but other than that, the house belonged to the house-sitter.

she knocked on stacy's door. she immediately opened it, smiling brightly.

"i'm so glad we live so close," stacy said, letting her in. hallie agreed and looked around.

"it's really nice in here!" she said. stacy thanked her and led her to her room. hallie glanced around her while they walked. her eyes landed in an open bedroom— there was a boy sitting there. he was absolutely beautiful. he had curly brown hair that fell over his face. he was shirtless, wearing plaid pajama pants. he was playing some sort of game, hallie assumed, because he had a headset on.

hallie stared for a few seconds before she rushed behind stacy. stacy opened the door to her room and they walked in.

"stacy.." hallie started. stacy turned around with a 'hm?'

"who was that boy back there?" she pointed at the other opened door. stacy glanced over to where she was pointing.

"that's my brother, river." she said. hallie's eyes widened. "please don't tell me you think he's.."

hallie covered her mouth.

"aw, shit!" stacy yelled. her mom yelled from downstairs about her language.

"wait.." stacy said. "we could be sister-in-laws!!" she said, her eyes brightening with realization. she jumped around and hugged hallie.

"jeez, i just thought he was cute. it's not like im in love with him or anything-"

"but you could be!" stacy said.

hallie could not. she could not be in love with him. hallie had a boy hundreds of miles away that already took that spot. every single night she rereads that silly journal walker gave her, the more she is convinced nobody will ever be like him.

**

june 13, 2021

i need to get away from you. i swear if im by you any longer im gonna kiss you. i can't stop looking at you hallie. it's driving me nuts. i'm so in love with you i need to get away from you.

get away from me woman.

(IM JUST KIDDING STAY NEXT TO ME FOREVER PLS)

**

that page always made hallie laugh— and cry. it was clear to everyone how much she missed him. she wished he could've stayed, or that she could've gone with him. he's missing her birthday, and she's missing his. what's really killing her is that she can't tell him she loves him. yes, she could tell him over text or over the phone, but she would never. she promised herself she would say it in person. nine months left though. nine months.

hallie took out her phone. she went to her messages and clicked on walker's contact. stacy knew who she was texting. she assumed the thought of liking another boy messed with hallie, and walker brought her comfort.

hallie🩷
i miss you, text me when u can.

walk🫶🏻
i miss u more. i'm not busy rn, what's up?

hallie🩷
i just wanted to hear from you.

walk🫶🏻
[invited you to play 8 ball]

**

hallie laughed. stacy glanced over.

"ooooh, texting your boyfriend?" she asked. hallie rolled her eyes and looked at stacy.

"he should be," hallie mumbled. stacy heard it clear as day. she awwed very loud and hallie hit her in the side. she yelped and they both laughed.

****

1005 words