I sleep in late, and wake up with a crick in my neck from falling asleep at my desk. My clock says 10:07, and I have a minor panic attack when I realize that I was supposed to be at school two hours ago.
"Mom!" I scream. She sprints up to my room, nearly breaking the door down.
"What? Honey, are you okay?" She comes over to me, brushing my short hair back and checking me over.
"I'm fine. Why didn't you wake me up for school?"
"I-I just thought you would need the sleep. I'm sorry. Get ready and I'll take you." I stand up and readjust my line, cringing when a few places in my back crack
"You can go now so I can change." She nods and backs out with her head down. I groan and change into a clean set of clothes before she takes me to school. Since traffic is really bad, I get there around lunchtime. When I walk into the cafeteria, I spot Scott sitting at a table alone, eyes glued to his phone. Mine goes off in my pocket and I see thirty-six texts from him, most of them in all caps. My screen shows several missed calls, too.
"Scott." I say, walking up behind him. He stands up and hugs me so quickly that I am surprised.
"Why didn't you tell me you weren't coming?" he says, taking a step back.
"Because you don't own me." It comes out harsher than I mean it. "Sorry. I didn't really mean to say that."
"Whatever. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just slept in late." I sit down next to him and set my lunch bag on the table without the intent to eat. I feel a little nauseous. But I always do, it's nothing unusual. Instead of grabbing the sandwich my mom made for me while I got dressed, I take out one of the many meds I'm require to take and swallow it with a swig of water. "Are you ever gonna tell me who you're romantically infatuated with?" He blushes deeply and says, "Maybe eventually."
"It's Kirstie, isn't it?"
"No! Ew, she's like my sister."
"Is it a girl?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" But I notice his voice crack a little, and he stares straight down.
"Because that reaction says no."
"Okay fine, it's not a girl. Happy?"
"Not until I know who it is." I swallow another pill and have to steady my breath after the heavy exercise of sitting still. "Tell me." It comes out as a whine.
"No."
"Don't you trust me?" He rolls his eyes.
"Of course I do.You've never given me any reason not to."
"Then tell me." He contemplates for a few seconds and opens his mouth to answer, but is cut off by the obnoxious sound of the intercom turning on. I hear my principle's bored sounding voice echo through the cafeteria as everyone goes quiet.
"Please excuse the interuption. It has been recently brought to my attention that the elevator is not in working order as of recently and all students in need of it must come to the front office or take the stairs." The obnoxious sound rings loudly again and I groan.
"I guess I'm going to the front office." Even the short walk from the cafeteria to the office doors has me stopping to catch my breath.
"What's wrong, Lungless?" Some big, brawny guy says, shoving me against the wall with his shoulder as he passes and letting out a vile chuckle.
"Asshole." I mutter once he is in the office. I follow with my cart and walk up to the front desk.
"How can I help you?" one of the office assistants, Ms. Joyce says with a forced smile.
"Uh, I'm one of the kids that needs to use the elevator." She stares at me for a few seconds, seeming to try to figure out what to say next.
"Do you have your elevator pass?" I reach into my pocket and groan when the small orange paper is not there.
"No."
"Then there's really nothing I can do for you. Go back to class." She turns around and walks away, and the big brawny guy raises his middle finger at me and mouths, "Fuck you, you worthless shit." I walk out, dragging my cart along behind me, and go find Scott. My stomach is churning and I just want to sleep. I can practically feel my steps getting slower as I approach him, and exhaustion is nearly weighing me down even though I woke up less than an hour ago and have done nothing.
"Mitch, are you okay?" Scott asks as I fall into the chair next to him.
"As good as ever." I reply, laying my head down on my arms on the tabletop. "I have to take the stairs."
"Why?!" I can tell he wants to yell.
"Because I forgot my elevator pass, so they couldn't prove that I actually needed the elevator."
"Are you joking? Tell me you're joking. Make me laugh." I try to even out my wheezing breath.
"Sorry, pal, I'm afraid that's impossible." I think about the guy sitting in the office.
"Seriously, are you okay?"
"Stop asking that. I'm fine. Just tired. And winded. And not hungry. And tiny. All the things that are usually there." I reach up to run my hands through my short, growing back hair and sigh. "Have you seen Kirstie today?"
"No. Not all day. Oh, there's a rumor going around about her." My head shoots up, causing my neck to crack.
"I'll kill whoever started it."
"No, it's not bad."
"Oh." I relax a little, and I feel my shoulders drop. "What is it?"
"That she has a boyfriend."
"She would've told us. There's no way that's true."
"No, it is. She confirmed it with me earlier today."
"Who is it? Tell me everything you know."
"Okay, calm down. His name is Avi, I think. Avi Kaplan? You've heard of him, right?" I nod.
"Only a little, though. Tell me!"
"Okay, okay. He's in choir, which is where they met. Apparently he's a bass, and he's also in filmography. He's a junior, but only because he skipped a grade. He would be the valedictorian if he was a senior, and he lives on her street. He has a younger sister who's in our grade, and she and Kirstie are friends. I don't know anything about him other than that."
"How long have they been together?" He doesn't answer. He just bites the inside of his cheek and grins. "How long?" I smack his shoulder hard and we both crack up. "Answer me, asshole!"
"Ow, stop! Over a year!" My jaw drops.
"Really? So last year she was dating a sophomore? And neither of us knew?"
"Right. She was hiding it really well."
"Hey, you were about to tell me who you like." I say suddenly, changing the subject.
"I was? I don't think so."
"I really think you were. Tell me before the bell rings. Please!"
"Only if you promise to tell me who you like."
"Okay, never mind."
"Thought so." The bell rings loudly and the sound of groans drowns it out as we all stand up and the crowd moves toward the cafeteria exit.
*****
LelYoGirlAngel do you still want to make me a cover for this?
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I'd Live For You, If Only I Could (Completed)
Fanfiction*Mitch POV* I knew something was wrong when I couldn't breathe. It was in the middle of our social studies lesson for the day, and I tried to take a breath. All that happened was worse suffocation. Being twelve, I didn't handle it well. I opened my...
