The Friend Zone

Chapter Twenty Seven: Building Bridges.

One look at me and Mr. Chang could tell I was hung-over and maybe a little drunk, maybe I shouldn't have gotten trashed on a Sunday, because it made my Monday even worse that it already was. Mr. Chang kicked me out of his class and sent me to the principal's office.

I did not feel like a lecture from a bloating 40 years old man who has no idea how I feel, I already felt bad enough by myself as it is, and even though I knew a suspension or at least detention was in my future I wanted to prolong the moment for as long as I could.

So I thank by the floor and closed my eyes, and fought back the nausea, I should have just took a sick leave.

The smell of cake and cookies drifted down the hall from Home ed, and I felt even worse, not because of the smell which was strangely soothing to my rumpled intestines but because of Leah and how we stopped sitting together in home ed and how we no longer talk anymore and how Luke's replaced me and....

Screw this, I don't want to sit on this hard cold floor and think of Leah and all the things we're no longer doing.

I decided to leave.

Slowly I got up to my feet and started down the hall to where I knew there was an exit (Long misspent years with Tyler.) They keep a guard at the front gate to stop students from exiting, but they spent so much money on him and front gate security that they forgot about the tiny little door on the side of the building, the one that led to the dumpsters, and after that to the parking lot.

I headed toward there, looking left and right to avoid anyone who tries to stop me, I guess I was too busy being paranoid that I didn't bother to look ahead.

Cause that's the only explanation to why I missed Leah.

"Sam?" she said "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

My heart skipped wildly inside my chest cavity and I wanted to drop to my feet and beg her to come to, to choose me, to forget about Luke and let me kiss her like I did that time, and never stop till she can't breathe and I sure as hell can't, but I didn't, instead I sulked a little to the side wearing a scowl on my face as I said "I got kicked out."

She stared at me for a while her wide eyes taking in my unshaved face, the shadows under my eyes, my pale skin and I could see disapproval clear in her eyes, with another emotion guilt? Regret? Was I happy that she regrets what she's done to me, what she's still doing to me? Does she even regret it?

Those were all question that my headache didn't allow me to answer, so I pushed past her with a growled "Get out of my way, Lee, my headache doesn't allow this right now."

I felt her small palm on my shoulder and I stiffened at the touch, all these times in the past and she's touched me this way, and never once did I appreciate how soft and dainty it was, how it spread heat through my skin and seemed to fill me with life, how could I not notice?

I turned my head till her face in view and I could see that her eyes have softened considerably, and she was looking at me almost...almost as she used to look at me before, her eyes wide and hopeful and..and my breath seemed to stop, I couldn't breathe, I was suffocating, I need to breathe, seeming to sense my distress she pulled her hand away, and said in an almost happy voice "Where are you going?"

I shrugged, flustered "I-I don't know."

"Can I go with you?"

"Don't you have a class to go too?"

"I can ditch for you."

I can actually feel my face heating up, when was the last time I've blushed, surely not with anyone else, I've never been like this with anyone else, I always forgot every one when Leah was around.

I really should tell her to go to class, not to ditch, but a selfish part of me wanted her with me, wanted a minute alone with her like we used in the past so instead of "Get back to class", my mouth was saying "We can go to Bistro get some of those lava fries you love so much."

I was hesitant, insecure, not as confident as I always was and definitely out of my game, and I guess she noticed because she smiled affectionately and said almost as an afterthought "You don't call me Lee anymore."

I gave a tiny smile "Sorry...Lee."

She gripped my hand and pulled me to my car.

It was time I did something and maybe this was my chance.

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