Thε Spαrklε Tooƒus (ACT I: Fall Term) ✓

twenty-seven

A Regular Start to a Regular Monday

A cool breeze swept my hair back and made goosebumps form on my skin as I set foot out of the house. I wrapped my scarf tighter around my neck and double-checked to see if all the buttons of my jacket were done.

"It's starting to get chilly," my dad said, peering up at the cloudy sky. "Kind of gloomy for fall, isn't it?"

I nodded, following his gaze.

"Be extra careful May. Don't want you catching the flu that's going around."

I nodded once again, and smiled at my dad from behind the thick scarf that covered my mouth.

"You better be careful too. Can't have my old man falling sick under my watch."

He chuckled, brown eyes lighting up at my words before he leaned over and gave me a soft kiss on my cheek. "Have a good day at school!" With that, he stepped back into the house and shut the front door behind me. Turning, I set off down the street toward school.

Two weeks ago, it had rained several times, starting with the Monday that Damien caught a cold. I still remembered the look on my dad's face when he'd returned home from work to see Damien in our living room, sneezing and coughing all over the place and wearing his shirt, no less. Dad hadn't minded though and had invited Damien to stay for dinner, much to Damien's delight. On Tuesday, Damien hadn't shown up for the first three periods but had come in tardy during first break.

Nick and I had scolded him for showing up at all. He was practically coughing up snow balls worth of germs and looked like a walking ghost, but he had refused to return home. Leo had informed me that Damien hated missing a single day of school, even when he was sick, and always behaved adamantly.

The skies weren't as cloudy as they had been last week, and the week before that when the gloomy weather had first started, but a few storm clouds still lingered in the air, ominous as ever. I'd heard that Philadelphia was a beautiful place to be during the fall but I was starting to have doubts on that.

My phone buzzed in my pocket once. A text. I decided to ignore it. It buzzed again. Another text? Just as I was reaching for my pocket, it buzzed a third time. I let out an exasperated sigh and pulled my phone out, pausing in the middle of the street to read the texts I'd received.

Nick: It's quite chilly today May - make sure you're wearing enough layers! (^.^)

Leo: Siri tells me it's only 39°F but there will be strong winds this Monday. Keep warm Makayla.

Damien: Brrrr, I'm cooooold. Get your butt to school faster. I wanna hug you.

I snorted at each of their texts, but especially at the last one. It's funny how I could easily see each of their personalities shine through their messages. Nick, with his chipper voice and love of cute emoji faces, had the 'social' streak running through each and every text he's given me to date. Leo maintained his serious, bored voice, and always called me by my full first-name, in both text and reality. Damien, on the other hand, was ever the joker. He didn't even tell me to wear something warm like the other two did!

I didn't bother replying to him.

Thanks Nick! Make sure you are too. And don't forget to check on Amy! ;)

Siri tells me that Leo depends too much on his iPhone. But thanks for the heads up Mr. President. See you in AP Lit.