Invisible

Forgetful Minds Think Alike

I forcefully swing open my locker, put my phone in my back pocket, and hang up my backpack so I can start getting out my books for homeroom. I grab my laptop and my binder, and realize I don't have my saxophone for 3rd period. For once I hadn't left it in the storage room where everyone leaves all their music stuff because I actually wanted to practice for once. "Shit," I mumble to myself as I pick up my phone and start to text my brother.

Chris says he will bring it as soon as he can, which knowing him will be right before I actually need it. I put my phone back into my pocket again and walk into homeroom. I take my seat next to Kayla who flashes a smile at me, and Aiden, who nods in my general direction, still staring at his phone. 

"Hey, Connor." Kayla turns in her chair to face me. "So where were you yesterday?"

"My brother totaled the car so I didn't have a ride, and I was just figuring stuff out."

"Sorry about your car. And by the way, the 'figuring stuff out' thing is totally vague," she lightly punches my shoulder.

"I'm always vague, Kay."

"Kayla, don't you know he was figuring stuff out with his boyfriend," Aiden mocks me.

"Shut up you know he's just my friend. He's not my boyfriend," I roll my eyes at him.

"Yet," he says with a stupid grin. So I kick him from underneath the table. Hard. "Ow, dude, I was kidding!"

I shrug and turn back to Kayla just as the bell rings and Mrs. Seans walks in. She quickly takes attendance right before the morning announcements come on.

"Good morning Eisenhower High. Today is Tuesday, October 14. Soccer tryouts are postponed to next Thursday due to rain. Would Connor Westfeld and Ethan Rice please come to the front office?"

Aiden and Kayla both look at me.

"Dude, what'd you do this time?" Aiden smirks.

Without saying a word, I grab my books and head out the door to the office.

When I pull open the office door, I see my saxophone on the table, and I walk straight to it. I didn't notice Ethan walking in through the second door. I slam right into him, both our books slamming into the ground. His folder tears and papers fly across the floor.

"Shit, sorry..." I mumble. 

"Connor, language," the lady sitting at the desk says, looking over her computer.

I just shrug and kneel down to start picking up some of his papers. I make a small pile and hand them to him.

"Thanks," he almost whispers. He avoids eye contact with me as he grabs the papers and shoves them into his folder, which is now in two pieces. "Sorry, I should have been watching where I was going."

"No, no. I should have. Anyway, I was just grabbing this." I awkwardly step a bit around him and grab the handle of my sax case.

"K, I'll see you in 7th period." I could tell the second he said that, he regretted it.

"Oh, you're in my Geometry class?" I genuinely didn't know, but I can't tell if he thought I was kidding or not. He lets out a slight, awkward chuckle. Then walks straight out the door.

I just stand there for a minute. I'm kind of dazed. I don't know why that interaction with him made me feel so weird. I compose myself, and put my hand on the doorknob, ready to leave. Just then the door is pushed back open, and it hits me square in the nose.

"Ah!" I take a step back and drop my saxophone. I put my hand to my nose, and when I pull it away, there's blood on it. "Shit," I whisper to myself.

"God, I'm an idiot, sorry Connor." It was Ethan. "I walked out without grabbing my science notebook so I was coming back to get it, I didn't know you were there, sorry," he nervously rambled.

"It's fine, just a bloody nose. It'll be gone in ten minutes. Don't worry about it." I grab a tissue off the table, and pick up my saxophone just as the bell rings. "I should get to the nurse. I guess I'll see you in 7th."

I walk out into the hallway and am immediately swallowed by crowds of people talking and going to 1st period. I make my way back to my locker and shove my sax inside. Still sort of dazed, I just stood there, staring into my almost empty locker. I couldn't stop thinking about Ethan. I felt bad for making him embarrassed. "I'll talk to him at lunch."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Time skip~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I step into the lunch room and, out of habit, immediately find my seat with Kayla, Aiden, George, Jason, and Jenna. Then I remember I wanted to talk to Ethan.

I grab a $5 out of my wallet and walk into the small room where the food is. I grab a can of Coke and pay for it.

Coke in my hand, I scan the room, looking for his almost black hair and blue eyes. I spot him across the room sitting alone. I start to make my way over. As I pass my table, Kayla calls my name.

"Yo, Connor, where you going?"

"I'm just going to talk to Ethan for a sec."

"Dude, who the hell is Ethan? Just come sit back down." She pats the seat next to her.

"I'll be back in a minute." I turn and walk away.

I get to Ethan's table and put the Coke in front of him. I startled him, he jumps, and turns to look at me. Taking out his earphones, he looks up at me, and after a second a slight smile forms at the corners of his mouth. He looked into my eyes. Straight into my eyes.

"Oh, shit, Connor. You, you-uh scared me. "

"Sorry, didn't mean to. I was just trying to give you this. Sorry about this morning, for like, freaking you out."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I'm sorry about your nose. Does it still hurt?"

"Not much. It's fine. I'll just have a bruise for a bit."

"I'm really sorry. I should just stay out of your way. You probably shouldn't be seen with me," he looked around, cautiously.

"What do you mean? Why not? I think you're pretty cool. I could probably persuade my friends into letting you into the group-"

"Wow, I knew I was super unpopular, but I didn't realize I was that invisible," he said more to himself than to me.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" I sit down.

"Look, just go back to your friends. Forget about this morning. Please." He pushed the coke back at me and put his earphones back in.

Confused, I took the Coke and walked back to my table without another word.