scoring you

Chapter 25

Alyssa

Why are you so fucking stupid? I ask myself as I walk home in my own self pity after escaping out the back door.

Why are you so fucking awkward?

Why can't you just have a conversation without talking like a total jerk?

My phone rings in my own hand. I decline it, I don't feel like talking and even if I did I think I'd throw up in the process.

Caleb: where are you?

I sigh as I type back.

Alyssa: sorry, needed a break. Talk to u later, promise.

I've gotten really fucking great at breaking promises lately.

I walk towards a nearby oval and sit own on the green grass, the spring flowers blossoming and booming with joy. I sniff a small pink flower that a bee had landed on, it scatters across it and falls off the petal before flying away.

"Your good at disappearing on me," a voice says from behind me.

"I can't seem to get away from you, can I Peters?"

"Afraid not," he winks as he sits down beside me.

"Why are you here?" I ask simply gesturing at his presence.

"Came to check on you," he shrugs.

"Well I'm fine," Is the only thing I am able to say in response.

He nods slowly as we sit in silence, my legs tucked up under my chin as I lean of them for comfort. I pick a dandelion out of the ground.

"I did a project about dandelions when I was in the fourth grade," he says.

"Oh?"

"Yeah," he picks another up and twirls it around in his hands, "want me to tell you about it?" He asks almost shyly.

"Sure," I say, "they are my favorite flower after all."

"Well it's not really a flower- it's a weed."

I shrug, "the most beautiful things are the most misunderstood."

Just like you. I think to myself before immediately shaking it off, why am I thinking about that?

"Well," he scratches the back of his head, "it's a flowering plant most commonly thought of as pests that people get rid of straight away." He sighs and picks up a yellow one, "they begin as a gray opening before turning into these yellow dandelions," he picks up another, "then, they close up again and repeat the process but instead of opening another flower head it matures into a seed head which can be called a clock." 

He passes out the dandelion to me, "you better make a wish." He says.

I take it off him and close my eyes before blowing it out, watching all of the small seeds disperse into the air.

"What did you wish for?" He asks.

"If I tell you it won't come true, will it?"

"I suppose not."

I watch the small seeds fly into the sky and try to scratch them last remaining one before it flew away, never to be seen again. 

Pretty.

"I notice your not carrying around your usual choice of cigarette," he says twiddling his thumbs together.

"Good observation Peters," I say, "and no- I'm not. That would be a pretty shitty move, huh?"