Crazy (s.m)

forty nine

S H A W N

I sit on a bench nearby to finish up the phone call I was on with my mom.

"Ok talk to you soon." I finished. I usually never talk to my mom that way--so formal--but I wasn't thinking clearly. There was a girl standing up in front of the bench struggling for something in her backpack.

"Need help?" I asked, pulling the phone away from my face.

She laughs softly and tucks some hair behind her ear. "No I'm just frustrated."

"Having a bad day?" I ask, wanting to know why this beautiful girl was so flustered.

She didn't respond right away so I speak up again.

"I'm Shawn. I'm 16 so I promise I'm not some creep trying to kidnap you." I laugh before extending my hand to shake hers.

She takes my hand and shakes it.

"Alice, 16 as well."

"So do you need a ride or anything?" I asked, noticing she was soaked and I didn't want to just ditch her.

She laughed softly again and nodded.

I stand up with her and take her hand as she slings on her backpack. I open up an umbrella and lead her to my car.

"I was getting ready to leave when my mom called me." I explained, knowing she was wondering why I was parked at the coffee shop.

"Oh. You're not from here are you?" She asks, finally realizing I'm not speaking with her accent.

I chuckle a little and say, "Nope, I'm from Canada."

"Oh I see. Why are you here?"

"My family is visiting here for Christmas. I'm missing an extra week of school so technically I'm having a 3 week break." I explain.

"That makes sense." She says, climbing into my car.

When we're further along the road I ask her for her address to plug into my GPS.

She tells me it and we remain silent until we pass the cabin my family and I were staying at.

"That's the place my family is staying it. They wanted something cozy." I say, putting air quotes around "cozy".

She a little and says, "Oh that's crazy because my neighborhood is righttt....here."

I finished the sharp turn but kept my eyes focused at her.

"Babe keep your eyes on the road." She giggled and blushed.

"Oh..shit." I mumbled and looked back at the road. "I was just um-"

She laughed at me as I struggled to finish.

"I was thinking about when I first met you." I smiled a little at the memory.

"Aww." She smiled and grabbed my hand. "Wasn't long ago."

"I know..we're crazy..for doing this."

"It was your idea." She laughed again.

"And you agreed!!" I argued. We shared a chuckle then continued silently down the road.

Today was move in day.

We had spent so long buying decorations, food, and packing. I had to listen to her rant about how "cute our place would be".

"Hey guysss." I heard, snapping me out of my thoughts for the second time.

Alice moved her tiny vlog camera to my face, hitting my nose with it then bringing it back to her. I laughed and rolled my eyes as she continued talking about the apartment.