Crazy Love

Chapter 2: I'm Andy By The Way

Her deep green eyes and elastic smile burned my memory. They were so familiar and those two seconds of looking into her eyes made me feel okay. My thoughts were put aside when my phone vibrated in my hand. 

Connor: Hey, you doing okay?

Me: Yea, fine.

It was a relief to be able to tell Connor I was okay (not that I really was). I heard the bell echo outside the bathroom walls signaling first period was starting. I didn't bother to leave the bathroom. I couldn't. Humiliation, sadness, and ignorance were all behind these walls. I slid down the wall and sat down. I pulled out my schedule to see what I was missing during this period which happened to be English. 

I sat in the bathroom for four bells. I had missed my first four classes. Did I care? Not really. I shot up when I heard the sound of keys entering the lock on the bathroom door. A large shadow fell past the door when it opened. 

"Boy, what you doing in here?" Skip, the janitor, asked me. 

"Trying to keep myself sane." I replied to him and he looked taken back and surprised. 

"Sane? You don't look crazy. You look like a fine young man who should be in class." He said arching one of his eyebrows while running a mop along the floor. "You should be going now." 

I pushed myself up off the floor, "Yea..." I sighed and walked out of the bathroom. The halls were empty as fifth period had already started. I looked at my schedule. I had lunch this period. I went to my locker quick and grabbed a notebook. I walked past the cafeteria and looked in through the window. It was too crowded for me. I kept walking until I got outside to the courtyard. 

The courtyard was a grassy area and in the middle was a large fountain. That's where I decided to go, to the fountain. I found a spot far enough away from everyone else and sat Indian style on the edge. I took my notebook out and started writing how I felt thinking maybe song lyrics would come from it and we could start the band back up. 

FLASHBACK (Connor's POV):

"Connor? What happened?" Thomas said running through the hospital doors to the waiting room with Braiden trailing behind. 

I was sat next to Toby, mine and Riley's little brother, and looked up at the concerned boys headed our way. 

"He tried to kill himself." I said so softly I could barely hear myself. They both engulfed me in a hug and I felt Toby grab on as well. 

The four of us sat in silence for what felt like hours until Braiden spoke up. 

"We were supposed to leave for tour this weekend."

"We have to cancel it." I told him and that brought Thomas's attention up. 

"Cancel it? What about the fans?" Thomas questioned. 

I sighed and looked down at my lap for a moment to think, "I'm sure they'll understand." 

"What would Riley want?" Thomas asked me.

"I don't care what Riley wants right now! All I know is that I almost lost him today and I'm not going to lose him again. This band is too much for him right now. Everything is too much for him right now!" I said my voice becoming louder.

"So you want to call it quits at the height of our career?" Braiden asked. 

"No quits. Just a break. Until Riley's ready." I replied and that was it. It was settled. 

END FLASHBACK

I felt the presence of someone in front of me but chose to ignore it and kept writing. A few very short moments passed and a sweet voice rang through my ears. 

"Is anyone sitting  here?" She asked. 

I looked up speechless. Those familiar deep green eyes met mine and I suddenly felt shut down. I found myself just staring at her and admiring her beauty until she let out a small laugh. 

"Are you okay? Can I sit here?" She asked again. 

"Oh, yea sure." I stuttered. 

She sat down and her elbow brushed mine. Chills ran over my arm and I could feel my cheeks burning. I looked over at her slightly. She was sitting Indian style just like me in her dark washed skinny jeans, white toms, and a gray oversized sweater. Her long dark brown hair fell over her face and I watched as she placed it behind her ear. She placed a pretzel in her mouth and then opened a Calculus book. She wrote a #1 down in her notebook and copied the problem. I watched her face as frustration and confusion ran through her eyes. 

"It's 27."

"Excuse me?" She asked turning to look at me.

"Sorry. It's just the answer is 27."

She looked at me stunned. Her eyes wide and her lips stretched into a pearly white smile. 

"You did all that math in your head?" She asked me astonished.

"Mhmm." I nodded and then went back to my writing. After a few silent moments a small bag of pretzels landed in my lap. I looked up and she had a shy smile on her face. 

"You can have some." She said. "You're Riley McDonough right?" 

I nodded slowly, "I'm not crazy." I blurted out. 

She looked taken back and confused, "I didn't say you were. Why would I think that?" 

"I don't know. It's just that everyone else thinks I-"

"I'm Andy by the way." She said cutting me off and  holding her hand out to me. I gladly took her hand and shook it. The bell rang and Andy started to pick up her books. She started to walk away but then turned back quick, "I love your old music." She said and then she was gone.