Our Sandbox

fourteen - piper

I lean my back against the bathroom door, breathing heavily. 

A bubble of guilt begins to build inside my stomach, but I don't know why. I mean, I've talked to Nolan about boys before, but that was always when they weren't real. As in, the possibility that they would approach me wasn't real. 

But when Mike kissed me. 

I'm pretty sure that was real. Like 94% sure. Like a crappy dollar store hand sanitizer. 

I reach down to my pocket to pull out my phone. I've been checking it nonstop but Mike still hasn't texted me. I feel like I'm in a disney middle school drama. 

But my phone isn't in my pocket. 

Crap, it's on the kitchen counter...where Nolan is. 

I burst out of the bathroom and sprint to the kitchen, and freeze. In relief as I see Nolan lounging on the couch, a bowl of popcorn in his hand and his mouth covered in stray butter. Phew. 

"What's up, Ducky?" I say, forcing my voice to be casual. I quickly grab my phone from the counter and  head over to the couch, plopping down on Nolan's shins. 

"Seriously? We have like three couches." He complains, but I just put more of my weight onto his legs, and he moves them apart slightly so my butt can rest on the couch. 

"Aw, but if I sat on those I wouldn't be able to bother you." I tease, pinching his nose. He picks up a piece of popcorn and chucks it at me, landing in my hair. 

Before he can retort back, I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket and I quickly stand up to see who it is. 

My heart sinks when instead of Mike's name, I see my mother's. I stare at it for a moment, my finger hovering between the "accept" and "decline".

"Answer it, Piper. You're going to have to answer her eventually." Nolan says, and I sigh, relenting.

"What?" I answer sharply, beginning to pace back and forth. 

"Piper!" My mother's shrill voice fills my ear and I wince. "I have been worried sick about you, you've been gone for like five days!"

"Three days, mom." I interrupt. 

"Well, whatever! You get home this instant! Jerry wants to apologize to you about how he-"

"Save it, mom. I don't want to see him again, so either he goes, or I go." 

Silence at the other end. 

"I can't believe you're imposing yourself on them! Do you realize how rude that is?" She shouts. 

"Give me the phone." I turn around to see Nolan hovering behind me, his jaw clenched tightly. 

"What-"

"Let me talk to her, Piper." 

Reluctantly, I hand the phone over to him and he places it to his ear. 

"Mrs. Reynolds? Yes, this is Nolan. Piper is always welcome here and she isn't imposing on us at all. And I can't believe that you are asking her to go back to that house with that man."

I hear my mother's muffled response vaguely. 

"Alright, goodbye." And he hangs up, handing the phone back to me. 

I just stare at him, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I tackle him with a hug, knocking him back slightly but he regains his balance and returns the hug, placing a kiss on the top of my head.