Open This When...

chapter two

The next day at school is strange, I get my things from my locker alone, and put them back in my locker alone, I walk to my first two classes alone as well. My mind tells me that something is missing, I want to scream that obviously something is missing! And that it's not something that's missing, it's someone. But I keep walking, not making eye contact with anyone, because I know that when I do, there will be nothing but sympathy in their eyes, I don't need sympathy from people I barely know, I don't want them to smile at me out of pity, or tell me that everything is going to be ok. I don't want any of it. I silently slip into my third period class. I sit in my usual seat, and right away, people start whispering.

"It's only be three months, is she ok?"

"No! Of course she isn't, Eli was her boyfriend." I turn to face them and they stop talking.

"Look, if you have something to say, say it to me, not to each other. And yes, by the way, I am ok." That shuts them both up and neither of them says anything else. Sarah comes in right before the bell, she squeals when she sees me, interrupting the quiet.

"You're here! I've missed you!!"

"I was only gone Monday and Tuesday." I say.

"I know, but that's two whole days! That's a lot of time in best friend world." I laugh and hug Sarah.

"Hopefully I won't end up sick again."

"I hope I don't! I have way too much crap to do for me to end up sick."

"Speaking of crap, did you finish that history paper?"

"Yes, thankfully, that was the most boring thing I've ever had to do."

"Oh I know! I mean, usually I like history, but this paper was just awful."

"I better get at least a B+ I didn't spend two and a half weeks on this paper to get a C."

"I'm hoping I did well too, I kind of slacked a little, I've been so distracted lately. Eli's mom was clearing his room out yesterday, well, no, not really clearing it out, more like picking it up a little."

"Where did you get that ring? It's gorgeous!"

"Eli wrote me all these letters, before he died, they were supposed to be for when he went to college, the first one had a promise ring in it."

"The first one? How many letters are there?"

"Twenty-five total."

"Wow."

"It's one of the sweetest things anyone has everyone done for me."

"So, what kind of letters are they?"

"It's an 'open this when' type thing." She squeals again.

"That is so romantic!"

"I just can't believe he had time to do them, with college applications, football practice, and school."

"Now that I think about it, I did see him writing letters in study hall all the time, then he slid them into really bright envelopes."

"These are in brightly colored envelopes."

"You two were seriously the cutest."

"Thank you."

"I wish I had a relationship like yours. Jackson is being rude to me, again."

"What's he doing now?" Jackson is Sarah's boyfriend of a year, and he's always doing something to upset her.

"He's acting like I don't exist in front of his friends, again."