Confessions

Chapter Twenty-Six

     I carelessly threw the mail down on the table next to my mom, she sipped her coffee as I took a drink of orange juice. I had been following the same routine for the past week. However today was different, because neither of us could pretend that we didn't see the yellow folder on the top of the pile, addressed to Dana Palen. This was undoubtedly the divorce file. I attempted a weak, encouraging smile towards my mom, but the attempt failed.
"Well, the bus should be coming soon..." I said, interrupting the silence. I placed my glass in the sink and hugged my mom goodbye. The hug lasted considerably longer than usual today. I attempted the smile again, and headed out the door, my bag swung over my shoulder.
The sky was dull and gloomy, mirroring my mood perfectly. Cayla soon boarded the bus and sat next to me. She attempted conversation, but, as she had done for the past week, failed.
"Anything new?" She asked cautiously. I nodded without making eye contact. "That's good..." and seeing the look on my face, corrected herself, "that's not good... What happened?"
"Divorce files." I choked. She understood, and remained silent for the remainder of the bus ride.
Just as he had done for the past week, since our fight, Henry attempted to catch me at my locker. And just as I had done for the past week, I avoided him. Cayla notices this. She notices me distancing myself from him, and she notices his attempts to corner me, yet she said nothing. I was grateful for this.
"Sarah!" Henry said as I approached my locker. I ignored his mere existence. "Will you meet me at the oak tree after school?" He asked this same question everyday. I ignored it again. "You know, I still wait for you. Even if I know you won't come, I still wait. Every day..." I closed my locker, and headed to first period. "Okay..."
Henry went through the same routine after fifth period and after school. I ignored his presence during both encounters. A small part of me still believed that if I continued this, he would soon fade from my life all together, but it wasn't that simple.
I knew Cayla was hurting, and she knew I was broken, but neither of us said a word. Cayla and Henry were still together. They hadn't officially split up, but both knew that the relationship was coming to a close. I wished I could be there for Cayla... But right now, I wasn't even there for myself.