Unparalleled

Call You

It turns out that
my attempts at studying
were for nothing.
Monday rolls around, and
it seems as though everything
that I'd studied the day before
has just vanished from my mind.
I struggle through English,
and completely blank out on
my geometry exam.
The next day isn't much better,
with biology and history
leaving me confused and
praying that, by some miracle,
I manage to do decently.
I don't think I did.
Next time, I guess I'll
know better than to
occupy my time with friends
rather than studying.

Considering that I've
never had this problem before,
it feels strange to admit
that I had put something ahead
of my studies.
I'm usually a good student,
if not the best at test-taking,
and I think the lowest I've gotten
on an exam has been
somewhere around a C.
This time, I'm sure,
I'll be lucky not to
fail them entirely.

My last exam on Tuesday
ends around noon.
Euni, having crammed
most of her exams
into yesterday, has already
gone on home for the day,
while Thias is staying later
for something soccer related.
Rather than wait for him -
even if I do
need to find time
to talk to him -
I head on home.
After the past couple days
of tests and exams,
I don't know if I can
stay in this school
for one more second.
I've never been so happy
for winter vacation to start.

But before I can reach
the sidewalk leading home,
I hear footsteps running up
from behind me, along with
a familiar voice,
one I'd know anywhere.
"Hey, Matty!"
Natalia calls,
stopping me in my tracks.
She's slightly out of breath
from running after me,
but the smile on her face
is untouched.
It's been a couple days
since I last saw her
at her party, and
something almost seems to
click into place
now that she's here.
But I quickly push
the strange feeling away.

"Hey,"
I say -
and then pause.
"Don't you normally
drive home?
Or is something wrong..."

"I'm still grounded,"
she shrugs with a sigh.
"My parents took my car.
And it isn't like
I'll get it back soon, either -
they're gonna be home
until New Year's, I think."

"Well, that's good,"
I try to assure her,
thinking of the times
she's complained to me
of her parents' perpetual absence.
"That they'll be home,
I mean.
Especially since the holidays
are coming up fast.

"I hate spending
Christmas with them,"
she says bluntly -
and I can only stare.
Her expression hasn't
changed very much
from the smile she'd first
greeted me with, but
something within it
seems to harden alongside
her proclamation.
It's a very strange
look on her.
"Even when they're home,"
she elaborates,
"they're always working.
It's almost better for them
not to be home, because
at least they won't have
a million phone calls
to interrupt my day."

"But they're your family,"
I protest.
"And you don't get to
see them much, anyway, so-"

"Thank god I don't,"
she snorts.
"Whenever they're home,
stuff like this happens.
Goodbye car,
goodbye friends,
hello braindead parents
who only care about their jobs."

"Well,"
I mutter under my breath,
"maybe you shouldn't
hold parties like that
if you don't want
to get in trouble..."

"And anyway,"
she continues bitterly,
apparently not having
heard my comment,
"they're only back because
of my grandpa,
not me.
So they'll either be
on their phones nonstop
or at the hospital.
What a nice way
to spend Christmas!"
Her tone is,
very obviously, sarcastic.

"It can't be
that bad,"
I protest -
but I break off as
a car pulls up
in the street in front of us,
honking impatiently.
I recognize it immediately.

"Hurry up,"
Seth calls to Nat,
obviously in a mood.
Then again,
around her,
when isn't he?
"I'm going to be late
for work at this rate."
And then he seems to
notice my presence.
"You need a ride?"
he asks me, his voice
softening just slightly -
or maybe it's just
my imagination.

Natalia still seems
a little put out by
the mention of her parents,
and slams the car door shut
after she climbs in.
I'm not sure if I want
to be within range when
she inevitably blows up.
I think Seth feels the same,
judging by his expression
as he glances back at her,
but unlike me, he has to
be around her
to take her home.
Or maybe that's just
his general dislike
of Nat on his face.

"I was just going to
walk home,"
I shrug,
avoiding his inquisitive gaze.
"It's not far.
I do it every day.
And besides,"
I add as he
opens his mouth to protest,
"you said yourself that
you have to get to work.
I don't want to
make you late."

His jaw works silently
for a short moment,
as if he's disappointed
or frustrated, but
he finally just nods.
"I'll call you later,"
he promises -
much to my surprise -
and drives away,
rolling up his window
as he goes.
I'm left staring after him
in confusion.

Isn't that what people say
when they're dating?
I don't remember having
anything very important
that we needed to
talk about, and I also
don't remember ever hearing
that we were dating.
Shaking my head
in momentary confusion,
I turn to start home.

It's almost no surprise when,
a few minutes later,
my phone beeps with
a new text message.
Since when are you
and Seth dating?
the message from Nat reads.
He won't tell me
anything :(

Shoving my phone
back into my pocket,
I let out a long sigh
and watch as it coalesces
into a white haze
in front of me,
quickly swept back by
the icy wind.
Since when, indeed?

×

Poor Matty. She's so confused. And Seth is not. And Natalia is the one who set them up, so she has no reason go be surprised, even if they were actually dating, lol.

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