Sad Girl

thirty one - say something

Song of the Chapter: Hurricane - Halsey

***

CAMRYN's POV

Being in the car with Courtney had become one of the most awkward things I had to encounter after she found out about Evan and me.

Our conversations were dull and filled with too many questions and one word replies. It was terrible.

I sat there in the passenger seat, staring at the blurred trees and road signs we passed by. Courtney kept her eyes on the road, but occasionally, she'd ask me something.

"I haven't seen JC in a while," she started. "How's he doing?"

You never cared, why do you suddenly care now? "Good," I say, because I really don't know. JC and I had stopped texting a few days ago. We'd talk in school, but it was just as weird as talking to Courtney.

"What about Sam? How come you don't invite her over anymore?"

Again, why do you care so much?

"She's been busy," I reply blandly. It's true. She never answers my texts and it seems as if she avoids me at school. She's always with Tyler. The other day in the hallway, I passed by them and I wanted to approach, but other than my shyness around people I'm not friends with (Tyler), they seemed to be arguing about something and I didn't want to make it worse.

Courtney doesn't ask anymore questions about them. She moves on to a different subject as she slows the car down and eventually stops in front of a red light. "How're your grades?"

"Good," I lie. Well, it isn't really lie, I just haven't been keeping up with my grades, that's all. I'm sure they're fine.

"You know testing starts next week," she informs me.

It felt as if my throat was closing up. Oh my God, I thought. I totally forgot. All I have is this weekend to study for my math final. I notice I'm uncontrollably tapping my shoe against the floor of the car. "Yeah."

"Once I drop you off I have to study," she tells me. "You know, for my SATs."

To hide my sudden panic about state testing, I choke up something random. "You nervous?"

"Of course."

That's all before the red light turned to green and she stepped on the gas.

Soon, after a few seconds of driving through a widely spaced and secluded neighborhood, she pulls up to a large house with an abnormally large driveway and front yard.

"Call me if you need a ride back home," she tells me as I open the car door, staring up at the house.

"Thanks," I say. Then, I shut the car door and watch her speed away down the street.

I look up at the house. Riley's parents must be millionaires just like everyone else in this town, I thought to myself.

I think about my mom, and how she's so hardworking yet our house doesn't compare to what everyone else's in this neighborhood looks like. I'm still grateful.

I spend a few seconds just staring. I'm holding my phone close to my chest and the somewhat chilly air is blowing through the tiny knitted holes in my sweater. Why am I wearing a sweater in April? Well, you probably already know.

The grass smells and looks as if it were cut just a few minutes before I arrived. The driveway leading to the house seemed too long, but still, I began walking.

I could hear the birds flying through the leaves of the trees, which at first startled me because I mistook it as someone walking through the woods and crinkling leaves with their shoes.