Chance Encounters

Chapter 3

Six minutes and two attempts at awkward conversation later (first James, then me), I was about ready to bust this door open. Although that probably wouldn't work considering I had no muscles whatsoever.

I desperately wanted to fill the awkward silence with conversation but I really, really, sucked at making conversation with strangers. And James, despite going to the same school, was a stranger. I had already asked him how he got stuck in here – to retrieve a sweater he had forgotten the last time he was here. He asked me how I knew Charlie – friend of a friend. I mean, what else was I supposed to talk about?

Maybe I should ask him what he has this semester.

Just as I opened my mouth to make more awkward conversation, the door pushed against me. I jumped up and pulled it open and James jumped to his feet so fast he almost fell forward. Charlie was holding the doorknob as he stood in the doorway, looking at us confusedly. "What are you guys still doing here?"

I was so happy I could literally kiss him.

"The door locked," I exclaimed at the same time James said, "we got locked in."

Charlies eyebrows went up, and then he started to laugh. "Damn, yeah, should've warned you about that, huh?"

My mouth dropped open. "You knew?!" I punched his arm causing him to jump back in surprise, still laughing, the idiot. "You said Bob was gonna fix it. Last week."

Still smiling in amusement, he shrugged, "he was, and then he forgot."

James laughed behind me. I turned – for a second I had forgotten he was there, too relieved at my freedom – "well, you should probably remind him before someone else gets locked in here. Or you know what, maybe we should lock you in here for a bit," he joked, bending down to grab the sweater that had landed him in here in the first place.

"Yeah yeah man, just remember that I'm the one that saved you guys."

"yeah after getting us trapped in the first place." I smiled sarcastically.

"I did not– " he started.

"You didn't warn us, so technically," James cut him off, "your fault." His smile made it clear he held no grudge, just kidding around with him. I turned back to Charlie and made my typical "told you so" face.

"Whatever, your whiny asses are now free so," he held the door open wider and made a sweeping gesture with his free hand "be gone". I smiled at his antics and James laughed behind me, shaking his head. I bid goodbye to both boys and left with Carlos' stupid drumsticks in hand. That's the last time I do him a favour. 

*********

"At least you got stuck with someone cute and decent and not like, ya know, a total creep," Amanda said.

I scoffed as I willed my hand to be as steady as possible while applying the final coat of nail polish on my right hand. "Yeah, but now I have to live with the fact that I embarrassed myself in front of someone cute and decent instead of someone who would find my awkwardness relatable."

Amanda snorted, "what, like you haven't done that a dozen times before?"

I glared at her image on my phone propped up in front of me, "ha, real funny." My glare then turned into a pout after actually deliberating her words. "Why am I like this?" I whined.

She gave a slight laugh at my misery. "Don't worry, at least he's not like, a crush or someone we see all the time. You probably won't even have any classes with him."

I screwed the cap onto my black nail polish, then proceeded to wave my hands around in an attempt to dry my nails. I had a bad habit of always smudging them merely a few seconds after painting them. "True, but I'm never trusting doors again."

Ames giggled at my declaration then frowned as her mom's voice sounded in the background. She sighed, "I've gotta go, do you need a ride tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah, I do, 8:15, right?"

"Yup, bye!"

"Bye," I smiled and then turned off my phone.

I put my nail polish away and started sorting out my bag. School was starting again tomorrow – unfortunately – and I needed to get my stuff sorted out since I had left everything to the last minute possible, again. I grabbed lined paper, figured out my outfit, and then proceeded to whine about how much I didn't want this break to end, to Mom. She, loving as always, responded with "finally, now I won't have to put up with you all day, everyday."

Aren't mothers great?