Word Count: 1662
For Millie, today was one of those hectic and disorganised days. She'd left her laptop and home, assuming it was in the laptop case in her bag. Much to her dismay, all that was in the case was a few handouts and her planner.
For this reason alone, she was fumbling around inside of her locker in search of any pens and highlighters she could find when there was a soft, but loud knock on the locker door.
Her head peeked out from the locker, Caleb standing awkwardly beside her, "hey?" Millie took a step back from the locker to get a better look at the boy. He looked tired, but seemed a lot less stressed than he had been recently.
"Hey." Caleb sighed, pondering his next words. "Millie, look. I'm really sorry about not coming to your birthday dinner." He raised his hands defensively, his apology sounding sincere. Millie wasn't mad about him not coming, she understood she was just a bit worried about him, and also Sadie. She was about to respond when he continued, "there really is no excuse. I've been so occupied with my own problems recently that I haven't even thought about anyone else."
"Caleb," Millie smiled warmly, reaching forwards to gently touch his arm. His words had sped up and Millie could tell he was getting a bit stressed out and upset. "It's fine, really. Please don't stress."
"Thank you." Caleb had let out a sigh of relief, but his mouth was still pressed in a frown and forehead still creased. "I feel awful, still. I've been so selfish recently." He spoke sincerely whilst taking his back pack off and reaching inside, "I got you something, though. I was planning on giving it to you the other night and well... you know." He shrugged, handing her a neatly wrapped gift. Millie couldn't help but chuckle briefly at the wrapping, knowing for sure that it was Sadie who had done it.
"Thank you, Caleb. This is so kind." Millie grinned, her heartwarming at the kind gesture. Caleb nodded and looked at her with anticipation. "You want me to open it now?" Millie presumed.
"Yes!" Caleb's voice was excited and Millie could tell he was really proud of himself. His eyes were wide and eager, and Millie realized that this was potentially the first time she'd seen him not stoned in a while.
Millie put the books she was holding in her locker and started to unwrap the present, her eyes growing wide when she was the word 'Fleetwood' unravel, "you didn't!" She questioned rhetorically, unwrapping the remainder of the gift at a faster pace and squealing when done, holding a collectors edition of Fleetwood Mac vinyl. "Caleb! What the hell!" She engulfed him in a one-armed hug as her eyes remained on the present.
Caleb smiled wide, ecstatic she liked it. "I remember the first day of middle school we were in our first class," Millie squeezed her eyes shut and mentally facepalmed at the memory, Caleb chuckling as he continued to tell the story, "and the first thing you said to me was 'wow I love your Fleetwood Mac shirt!' Before you leaned so far back in your chair it slipped out from under you.
Millie couldn't stop herself from laughing at the embarrassing memory, recalling the excruciating headache she had had for the rest of the day. Even after the two of them had stopped laughing, they smiled fondly at one another; it felt like old times. It reminded Millie of before Caleb had gotten into drugs and alcohol – of when he was happier.
Her eyes darted to the present in her hands before back up to Caleb's face, softly and quietly speaking, "you know, I'm always here, Caleb." The concerned tone she had in her voice made the words that were considered to most generic and pitiful seem kinder and sincere.
Caleb nodded slowly, telling himself he had to take her up on the offer someday and embracing Millie in a tight hug. The contact was short-lived, a voice startling the two only moments after, "what did I miss?" Gaten chirped as he looked at the two with eager eyes.
