Fighter

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The weekend came and went uneventfully. It rained the entire time, storm clouds gathered in the sky constantly. I went outside a few times. A run through the forest was completely necessary for me. But hanging out in the rain wasn't fun, so I spent most of the time in my room alone. Or at work.

Daniel wasn't picking up the phone. I didn't know what his problem was, but I gave up after the sixth try. I ran into Mason a couple times in the forest during my runs. He'd run with me, but when I was ready to go back home, he stayed out there. I hadn't seen anybody else.

My mom and her new boyfriend were definitely living it up in the house though. I avoided them like the plague, even if it meant climbing out of my bedroom window and into the tree in the front yard to leave the house. I was up all night with them, listening to them party by themselves. They were loud. And annoying as living hell.

I felt like a sleepless zombie when Colton's black truck pulled up next to my house on Monday morning. It was like clockwork for him, showing up at the same time every school morning. Even though most of our rides together were quiet, I really was growing fond of him. I was even looking forward to the car rides from him.

I watched him walk away once we reached the school. His voice was quiet and soft when he spoke to me. He said that he'd see me during lunch. And then he left.

I was grumbling to myself as I climbed the stone steps. My mother was on my nerves, along with her boy toy. In my head, I was reliving an awkward conversation I had shared with them over the weekend. My mind was in a bitter place when I finally neared Mr. Darwell's classroom door.

I rounded a corner, passing ugly green lockers. I nearly ran into him.

Daniel. His arm knocked into my shoulder. Apologizes sputtered from his mouth as soon as it happened. We turned and faced each other at the same time. He noticed it was me, and suddenly had no words.

He looked like a deer caught in headlights.

I wondered what he thought when he looked at me. Did he expect me to say something like, "Oh, no problem" or "How have you been, best friend?"

If he did, he should've known better.

"What the hell? Are we not friends anymore?" I growled lowly. I glared up at him.

His eyes grew wide. I hadn't seen those blue eyes in a while. The color was soft and deep. Not ice and bright like Jordan's eyes, but darker and more subtle. Like water.

"Of course we're friends." His voice was gentle and low. It was similar to the way Colton had spoken to me in the parking lot before we parted ways. But Daniel's didn't have the strength behind it. It didn't give me comfort like it used to.

"What happened then?" I urged. I needed an answer. Something was different, and I needed to hear what it was.

"Nothing happened, Sky." Ah, the nickname. It once would bring a great amount of irritation to me. Hearing now though brought a warm comfort. It made me feel like I was crazy, that things weren't changing. I was overreacting. "I've just been busy, that's all."

"Busy?" I asked quietly. He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. I moved the strap of my backpack higher onto my shoulder.

"I've been studying for that midterm in my Calculus class," he told me. "It's been a lot of work. I'm just swamped."

So he was actually busy. How could I yell at him for that? Or even allow myself to be upset? He had an excuse, one that I couldn't fight him on. I forced to let it go.