Twelve Months

June

June

It's exactly one month after I broke up with Nick. For a few days after we broke up, he's been calling and texting me non-stop. My parents know what happened, and refuse to let him in the house. I don't argue though. At school, I do my best to ignore him, but when he confronts me, I act casual, as if we never dated. Eventually he's stopped trying to talk me into dating him again, and even stopped trying to talk to me. Now we're strangers that try to stay out of each other's way.

Rumors say he has a girlfriend. Although those rumors also say I'm going out with Max; not true. The other day, I thought I saw him and Penelope making out in a dark corner, but I could've been imagining things. The rumors about me being asked out are true. Multiple cases from Max, and some from other guys. I do see Nick hanging around other girls, that I try to ignore. I'm completely over it though; I'm over him.

I walk down the hallway of the school. The last day of school to be exact. The school is full of tears of people missing their teachers and their friends etc. I really don't cry on the last day. I did in eighth grade, because it was the last day of middle school. I still have one year left in high school before I graduate. I can't wait until senior year.

“Emily!” I see Amanda running towards me and tackling me to the ground with a hug. “I'm gonna miss you so much!” I laugh and push her off me in a playful way.

“Amanda, your coming over my house tomorrow,” I point out. We both get up.

“But in a few weeks your going off to France for a month! What am I going to do then?” she whines.

“Sorry,” I say with a shrug. “I'll promise to get you something.” She crosses her arms over her chest with a fake glare.

“Yeah you better, or else you're getting hell from me,” she jokes. “And along the way, you might meet a boy or two.” I blush slightly. Amanda's been trying to set me up with guys ever since my breakup. I've had a lot of takers, but denied every single one. I'm not ready for a relationship yet. I roll my eyes. I see Sherri go to her locker, which is a few away from mine. She catches me staring and smiles, waving. I do the same.

At first when I confronted her, our parents thought we were going to get into a physical fight. We didn't, thank goodness. For a few weeks, Sherri stayed with her parents in the guest bedroom until we thought it was safe for us to be in the same room together again. Even if I'm not wringing her throat, our relationship will never be the same again. I'm oddly fine with that.

Throughout the day, I spend it with Amanda as much as I can, until she's called to the office. I'm left to wander the hallways alone. I ended up making my way to the empty parts of the school. Everyone's mostly loitering outside and the front. As I pass my old math classroom, I see something move inside. Curiosity gets the better of me and I go inside.

The math classroom is just like every other classroom in the school; desks, teacher's desk, bookcase, etc. Windows go along the wall opposite of the door. Sitting at the desk in the farthest back and closest to the window. The person has his back to me and is staring out the window. He has muscled arms and soft-looking black hair. I can't see his face, and he doesn't seem to notice me. I lean in the doorway. I decide to make myself known to the stranger.

“Hey,” I say. The person, clearly startled, turns and looks at me. My body goes rigid as I see green eyes. “Nick.” My voice is barely audible. I haven't been alone with Nick since the break up.

“Emily,” he says back. I get slight shivers from the way my name just rolls off his tongue. I'm mesmerized by him. He hasn't changed much from the last time I've seen him, appearance wise at least. I feel my knees start to get wobbly as he's the first one to speak. “What are you doing here?”