Love Hurdles

11. Natalie (part 2)

When I'm finally alone, I loose it. The tears quickly form and roll down my flushed face. Soon, I'm silently bawling so nobody can hear me. I adjust my sitting position on an overturned bucket.

It's not like anyone could hear me anyways. I'm in a supply closets that is all the way on the third floor of our high school. The only classroom up hear are music classrooms and they are all on the opposite side of the floor. This closet has been abandon for years now, excepted for Cam, Kris, and I when we discovered it in ninth grade. It was always a place we could just cool off, and that's why we are hear now.

I stare straight a head at the door. There are pictures of all of my friends from ninth grade. One particular photograph catches my eye, its of Cameron, Kris, Heather, Sam, and I.

I miss Heather, I think. Heather was one of our best friends. The five of us were inseparable, and we did everything together. In the picture, we are all soaking wet in our wetsuits and holding our surfboards. Everyone is laughing and huddling close because it was so cold at six in the morning, before school. Heather loved to surf and she taught me how to, but I was never very good. Sam and Kris, on the other hand, we natural surfers. Heather was always laughing. She wore sundress and sandals to school and never a speck of makeup was on her face, her blonde, beach hair was always sandy. Everybody loved Heather, there was no reason to dislike her. Quickly, I tuck the photo into my hoodie pocket.

Right before ninth grade ended, Heather's dad moved her family across the country to Rhode Island. She used to keep in touch, but then she just stopped replying to our emails and calls. I tear up more thinking about all those fun times the fabulous five had on that sunny beach.

Glancing lower on the door, I see initials carved, that are surround by a heart, into the door.

N.S.+C.W.

Last year, tenth grade, I brought Carter to the supply closet. We skipped class, just like I'm doing now, hung out, and maybe kissed a little. Before we left, Carter carved our initials into the door. Angrily, I kick at the heart and all the lies that go with it.

Suddenly, a sharp knock scares me half to death. I hold my breath and hope whoever it is goes away, but instead they open the door. The bright light blinds me for a moment so I can't tell who it is.

"Hey, Nat," Kris's voice says. "Are you doing okay?"

"I can't believe you remember this place," I shockingly point out.

"How could I ever forget!" She replies with a smile on her face.

"I knew you would be up here," she explains. "So immediately after fifth period I ran up here to talk with you."

"Thanks, K. I'm doing better than before."

"Well, you should know that Cameron is bent out if shape over this," she tells me. "His practically ripping his hair out, worry about you."

I let out a little laugh at the thought of a bald Cam, soon both of us are cracking up.

"Did you and Laila make up?" I ask.

"Ya, she apologized and said she had no idea I liked him," Kris says. "She even said that she would break up with him for me, but I said no way they should be together."

"That's great that everything worked out."

We sit for a few minutes before Kris notices that I am staring at the carved heart, again. Quickly, she shoves her backpack in front of the initials so I can't see it anymore.

"The bell will probably ring soon," Kris says.

"I didn't realize I had been up here for so long," I reply right as the screeching bell rings, signaling that school has ended.