Meet Me On The Roof

Chapter 11

Phil hops out the window first, and I quickly follow.

It's an average night, not many stars and the moon is slightly blocked by the dark clouds surrounding it. I lay down on my back, staring at the night sky. Even if it's not much tonight, it's still as beautiful as always. Phil's has now sat cross legged beside me and is studying my face.

"Dan?" He asks. I turn my head to face him.

"Hmm?" I mutter in response.

"Why do you love the stars so much? You seen mesmerized by them." He says. I smile, looking back to the night sky.

"I love the stars because they are so beautiful and they don't have to try. They don't have to remind themselves to come to the sky when the sun goes down, it's just natural. The sky is so complicated but the way I look at it, it's all so simple" I tell him.

"Wow Dan." He says slightly, breath taken. "I never really thought about it that way, actually." He admits.

I laugh and turn to him again.

"Most people don't."

•••

I took Phil home last night at 8, an hour before his curfew just to make sure. I was extremely hesitant to let him go back to his dad, but for now I had no choice. There was nothing I could do.

I'm now sitting outside Ms. Riggs office, waiting for her instead of sitting in class. I'm a little nervous for this appointment but it could be good for me. A few minutes later, a short woman with short brown hair who looks like she's in her late twenties steps out of the office.

"Hello! You must be Dan, I'm Ms. Riggs, the school counselor." She says cheerfully, extending a hand to me. I shake her hand.

"Yeah, I'm Dan, Mrs. Williams made my appointment." I say wearily.

She nods. "I know, come on in"

She motions to the door. I step into a small room with a table in the middle, a desk with scattered papers in the far corner, a huge filing cabinet probably filled with all of the students deepest secrets, and motivational cat posters everywhere.

"Just have a seat right there." she says, pointing to a chair tucked under the desk. I pull out the blue plasticky school chair and plop down into it. She rolls her chair to one side of the table and sets a clip board down in front of her. I twiddle my thumbs, not knowing what else to do. She clears her throat.

"So Dan, why did Mra. Williams make you an appointment?" she says in a calm, cliché counselor voice.

"Well, I wasn't exactly paying attention in class and she thought it had something to do with my parents." I say quietly.

Dammit, Dan. That gives no explanation as to why you're sitting here instead of going to class. I mentally hit myself in the face. She nods and writes on her clip board.

Wait, I'm gonna end up in the cabinet. Oh no. Anyone could ransack that cabinet and see all my secrets oh god.

"What about your parents, Dan?" She asks. I take a shuddered breath.

"Um, my mom and dad are never around. They work to much and are never home. Like, the other day I saw my mom for the first time in 2 weeks and all she said was, 'just wanted to let you know I'm here.' Then went up to go to bed." I tell her quickly.

"She didn't say hello?" Ms. Riggs asks patiently. I shake my head.

"No 'hello.' No 'how are you,' No 'goodnight.' Not anything" I tell her, the words tumbling out of me. She scribbles more of my secrets onto the paper in front of her.

"And how does that make you feel, Dan?" She asks.

"Alone," I blurt out. "Like I don't have any parents, I have to figure everything out for myself. I have... Nobody." I confess

More writing. I'm now tapping my finger quietly on the table. She looks up at me, clicking her own.

"Well, Dan, maybe next time you see your mum or dad, tell them how you feel. A parent hearing that from their child will click something in their brain and they'll realize that they should spend more time with you." She suggests. I nod.

Just to my luck the bell rings and I'm forced to leave for lunch. before she can say anything, I rush out of the tiny room and make my way to the cafeteria.

I keep a steady pace on my way to meet my friends for lunch but I am stopped by Mrs. William.

"Hello Dan, how was your appointment?" She asks with a hopeful smile wrinkled on her face.

"It was... Great, actually." I lied. "I figured out a lot of stuff."

She nodded eagerly, still smiling. "Well that's good, anyways ,I came to tell you that I need you to come by the classroom after school because I have a few worksheets I need to give you." She explains.

"Okay, thanks." I say.

"Anyways, have a good lunch Dan." She tells me.

"You too, thanks." I say and continue my pace to the table where all my friends are already sitting. I take my seat beside Phil.

"Where were you, Dan?" PJ asks.

"I was uh... Just talking to Mrs. William about some class work." I chuckle nervously.

"Alright, whatever. You guys wanna come over after school today?" Chris asks.

"Can't, I have to get some worksheets from Mrs. William." I say, stealing one of Phil's fries as I do.

"Why didn't you just get them in class?" Phil questions.

I choke on the fry.

"Cause I wasn't here this morning. I was sick." I cough out.

"Mhm, alright." Phil says. "I can come though, one of you has to give me a ride though."

"Meet me in the front after school, I can drive you." PJ volunteers. I see Chris cheekily eyeing me again, as if he's saying

"Bitch, we know your secrets, and we're gonna be alone with the secret."

I eye him back.

They better fucking not.

A/N

meow I updated yay. so a lot of you asked for an update like a day after the last chapter was up like CALM YOSELFS. but remember to vote for the story cause its almost at 500 votes and that makes me happy. also comment cause I like reading what y'all have to say. and sorry this wasn't really that much of a fluffy chapter bUT THERE WILL BE FLUFF IN THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS I PROMISE OKAY BYEE.

-Kiwi