The day was over before I knew it.
Like, literally, I barely realized the day even went by. After lunch, it was all just blur, and then suddenly I blinked and, holy shit, I was in last period computer class. When did that happen?
If you don't know the feeling, you need to come to school more. You slacker.
"Mello, are you coming or what?"
I glanced up at Halle, who was lingering over me with this dry look on her face that told me that, quite apparently, I had been spacing out even more than I thought, because the bell had rung and I had completely missed it.
"Whoops," I muttered, kicking the computer off – it made the usual wooooo sound in complaint, but I've learned to ignore that by now – and gathering my books into my arms again. Halle sighed, shaking her head.
"Men. Gay, straight, you're all the same," she complained teasingly. I couldn't bring myself to laugh sincerely, instead choking out this half-hearted ha-ha noise. She rolled her eyes at my attempt, heading out of the classroom. The weird lack of Triston-taunting made me hesitate to follow her out, but the pretty wonder-boy was nowhere in sight; shrugging internally, I followed her out, listening to her ramble on about how annoying the male species was. Not quite paying enough attention to give her any more of a reply than 'yeah' 'totally' 'mm-hmm' 'sure' and things like that, just sort of zoning out and half-listening to her drone on, keeping my head just above water. Feeling completely and utterly blank.
In the back of my mind, I was glad that I was feeling so blank. I didn't want to delve into the thoughts that lingered below the surface, happier to just float meaninglessly at the feather-edge. Somewhere between being normal and happy and plunging into darkness and misery. Better, safer, I thought, to just stay blank.
I couldn't stay that way forever, though. With that recollection came dread.
Suddenly my phone vibrated in my back pocket, startling me out of my blank state. Halle glanced at me and sniped, "see you" before hurrying away, leaving me to fumble for my phone. Of course, it was Matt – who else would it be?
"Oi, hello?" Matt asked once I picked up the phone, not giving me time to greet him first. His voice was slightly upset over the phone, though I could tell even then that he was trying to cover it up with a transparent happy tone.
"Hey," I whispered, pinning the device between my ear and my shoulder long enough to grab my backpack and swing it over my shoulder, slamming the door and setting off down the hall.
I can hear him sigh on the other line, and then the honk of car horns in the background. Shifting the phone back into my left hand I start my catwalk to exit the school, only dimly acknowledging the tiny cluster of fangirls grinning and pointing my direction as I passed.
"Look, Mel, I'm really sorry, but I'm caught in killer traffic right now," Matt blurted, sounding miserable as he did. "Can you get a ride with someone else? I'm really sorry."
I smiled a tiny bit at his apology, for a second forgetting that I was on awkward terms with him and allowing myself to think about how adorable it was, how he always apologized so profusely for little, completely understandable things. Then I sighed and remembered anyway. "its fine, Matt. I can get a ride – stop apologizing so much."
Matt didn't reply to that, though I knew he hadn't hung up, because I could hear him breathing on the other line. He was obviously in a similar mood as me. I allowed myself to glance around, searching for familiar faces. I spotted L across the lawn, chatting with Weddy – they were pretty good friends, from what I knew, though they didn't hang out much. I could probably get a ride from him.
