Unlikely

Chapter Seven: Closed Notes

When I arrived home from school, mom wasn't anywhere around the house. As much as I wanted her there, it was probably best she wasn't. I didn't want her to know that I failed at the one thing she told me to do. She believed I could be friends with anyone, and worst of all she had me believing it too. But she was wrong.

I walked over to my bedroom and sat on the edge of my bed, slipping off my shoes. I stared at the wall in front of me, at the mural I'd painted years ago, I admired the brilliant colors. I closed my eyes and thought back to when it'd been painted. School was simple, friends were simple, boys were simple. Everything made sense and everything was possible.

Opening my eyes, I checked the time and saw that study night would start in an hour. I wasn't going to change or bother freshening up, that I'd do when I got back home. For now I just wanted to get some food to take over there and clear my head of today's events, especially those of the last half hour.

Him and Lacey, pressed closely together against her car, basically swallowing each other whole. Definitely not on the list of things I wanted to see today. He hadn't even noticed me. Not that I wanted him to, I nearly turned around when I saw him. But she pulled him close and he was distracted long enough for me to get in my car and drive away.

For whatever reason, I didn't find it at all satisfying that I had been right about his nature. I told everyone he was a player, and I was right. Second day at school and he'd already found someone to play doctor with. Yet, despite having known his nature, I felt a sense of...disappointment? It wasn't exactly that, but it was close. I figured if I had him wrong from the start, then maybe being friends wouldn't be so hard. Maybe we were more alike than I realized. I wanted to be wrong, but I wasn't.

As the saying goes: disappointed, but not surprised.

I opened the fridge to see if there was anything readily available for serving, but there wasn't. I sighed and pulled the ingredients out for a simple ham and cheese sandwich. I glanced out the window to see his curtains were still closed and looked away relieved. Last thing I needed was to see him in there, not that I expected to see him anytime before tomorrow.

Once the sandwich was made, I pulled out a small Tupperware container shaped like a sandwich and gently placed it inside, closing the lid. It reminded me to take the Tupperware I used this morning out of my bag and back into the fridge. I'd finish those grapes later by myself, probably.

In the time while I waited for me to leave, I put away the Tupperware, cleaned the dishes, sweeper the kitchen floor, and re-packed my bags with only the stuff I'd need tonight. Checking my phone again for the time, it was about time to go. I slipped my shoes back on and grabbed my backpack, heading towards the door.

Halfway down the hallway I heard the doorbell ring and stopped in my tracks. I could only see the silhouette of a person standing outside our door and I knew it wasn't mom, I wondered who it could be. I walked out and peered through the small section of clear glass that we used as a peep hole, when really, it was just a mistake in the opaque glass. I froze in place when I saw who it was.

The doorbell rang again and I sighed, stepping away from the door. And placing my hand on the doorknob, reluctantly unlocking it. I opened the door and his eyes immediately met mine. "Liv." He breathed out and I glared at him.

"Olivia." I stated. It felt weird speaking to him after all these hours. Like it's been a month. But the truth is I saw him less than four hours ago. Why did the distance between us shape time so weirdly?

"Olivia." He repeated quietly. "Can we talk?"

I hesitated and looked for an excuse not to talk to him. Then the weight on my back gave me the appropriate answer. I opened the door further and stepped out, making him step back to give me space, something new. He was actually respecting my personal space? I turned around and locked the door as I said, "Can't, I've got a thing tonight. I'm leaving now."