Alden Found Me...

The Lake

"So, where are we going?" I asked Alden, about five minutes after we left. At that moment, we were in traffic and let me tell you, I'm not a huge fan of traffic. Why is there so much traffic you may ask? Well, because someone decided to text while driving and they flipped their car right in the middle of the road. 

I sighed as we moved forward a teensy, weensy, little bit. Also during traffic, you are extremely close to the cars next to you. I knew the lady next to me was watching me. I could feel it. I turned my head to look at her and she quickly looked away. 

"Sorry," I heard Alden say. I looked over to him to see him looking sad. I was confused. The heck was he sad for?

"Are you okay?" I asked. He turned to me. "Yes, it's just that... I was going to take you to a movie and I don't think we'll make it." Aw, he was sweet. Wait, what? 

"Alden, it's totally fine," I assured him. "We can go do something else." 

I felt the car move forward a little bit and then abruptly stopped. My back slammed back in the seat. I groaned. 

"Sorry," Alden apologized again. "Traffic was not in tonight's plan." 

"And what was your plan?" I blurted out. 

I saw that the light was red and that cars going for green weren't moving. Why? Because the freakin' messed up car was lying on it's side. Right there in the middle of the road! 

"Well, you were a total surprise. I didn't think I'd have someone come with me. But it's better than being alone, ya know?" Hm, that was... different. I thought he was going to say he was going to go get drunk and get laid. 

"But anyway, I wanted to go see a movie. Desperately. I didn't want to go home after I got out of work-" Alden was cut off with his phone ringing. 

"Hello?" There was someone talking on the other side of course, but I couldn't hear. Alden and that person kept talking for about five minutes. I didn't really listen to his conversation since it was none of my business. Instead, I thought about what college to apply to. I really didn't want to go to the University of Maine. It sounded to intimidating. I was hoping to go to a community college, so I could still be near my aunt. 

"Alright, see ya." Alden hung up and looked at me. "Sorry about that." 

"Stop apologizing," I told him, smiling. 

"It was just... my ex wanted to um... hang out tonight-" 

"And you're going to go to her." I finished for him. 

"Not at all. I know what she wanted to do if I went with her. She wanted to have sex and I honestly don't want to see her face again." I laughed at that.

Alden smiled at me. "What are you laughing at?" 

"Just the way you said that!" I was still laughing. Alden joined along. 

We stopped right when the person behind us beeped at us. I jumped and we went forward. 

"Take off your cap and gown," Alden suddenly told me. 

I looked to see myself still in my white cap and gown. I quickly took them off and I smoothed out my white dress. 

"Did you hate the dress code they gave us?" he asked me. 

At our school, the guys got to wear whatever pants and dress shirt they wanted. The girls on the other hand had to wear a plain, white dress and white shoes. My dress was a simple white dress with sleeves and some lace on the back. Most girls had on white wedges for their choice of shoes, while I had my old, white flats on.