Double -Take

Chapter 2

elijah

what the hell did i just hit?

i brought my hand to my head as i attempted to recover after whatever just decided to bull-dove me over.

finally, my brain decided to start processing correctly as i discovered that not only had i been hit with something, i was also completely sprawled out in the middle of the hallway.

shit.

"are you okay?" i heard a voice squeak out.

my eyes focused and i started to see the shape of a girl in my vision.

wait, this isn't just some girl, it was Her.

double - shit

"i"m so sorry, i was in a big hurry to leave the room, and i must have swung the door into you, and you fell over, and now i look like some weirdo who goes around slamming doors into people, oh man i'm really sorry" she said these words so fast it took me a couple seconds to realize that she was indeed speaking english.

she crouched down and starting picking up my things that must have been ejected out of my arms on impact.

i had to shake my head to clear my mind and realize that if i wanted to not look like a complete weirdo, i was gonna have to reply to what she was saying.

"hey, uh, it's okay. i'm fine" i said quietly.

she met my eyes and i quickly looked away.

"hey, what's this?"she said innocently while holding up my leather-bound spiral notebook.

i used that book to draw in, and it was chalked full of my work.

"oh, that's mine. all of my stuff is everywhere, i'm kinda a mess" i said, proud of myself i had stopped sounding like a robot, and had successfully avoided a difficult topic.

she laughed. something inside me stirred when she did that, knowing i had caused it.

we finished picking up all of my stuff and then stood back. i was at least four inches taller than her, which meant that her eyes were at about the level of my chin. i had never noticed how short she was compared to me until now, but i was used to being taller than everyone else, especially because i passed up my mom in height in like eighth grade, and the twins are still in kindergarten.

"do you have to catch a bus or something? i'd hate to have been the cause of you missing your bus. " she asked me suddenly, as if just realizing it was the end of the day.

"i'm staying after school for something actually, so i'm good"

"oh really, why? i can't possibly imagine willingly being here for longer than the law requires me to" she lightly joked

"it's actually for an art thing" i tried to say uncaring, but i could already feel my damn mutinous cheeks heating up.

"i should probably go", i said quickly, using my long legs to get some good distance.

"see you around, i guess"

"yeah" i replied quietly, " see you around".