After School

[Ms. Aliah Latini] September - Friday - 4:12 p.m.

[Ms. Aliah Latini]

September – Friday – 4:12 p.m.

“Are you sure you should be drinking before a game?”

“It’s just a little wine,” Calvin said with a slight grin.

“’A little?’” We already drank half the bottle.” Ali was slumped forward with her elbows on the table. The two sat in the usual table that Ali and Megan would sit during their celebratory after school days. Except this time, it was just Calvin and her. Calvin sat across from her. His elbows were on the table too, his folded in front of him, fingers intertwined into each other, and his chin resting on his fingers. His eyes were locked on to Ali; never drifting from the moment he stepped foot into her classroom.

“You drank half the bottle.” He stuck a finger out to the obvious half filled bottle in between them. “I’m still on my first gla— um… plastic?”

Ali was feeling the alcohol as she giggled at Calvin’s observation. “Don’t lie I just poured you a second plastic a minute ago. Oh, I just remembered we forgot to do something.” Ali picked up the bottle and topped off their plastics. She then held up Calvin’s in front of him, spilling a few drops on the table. Her tipsy expression mouthed an “oops” and a tiny laugh. He took the plastic wine glass, cradling it between his fingers.

“Now we toast,” She said raising her plastic. “To new school endeavors!” She tilted her plastic glass towards Calvin, spilling more than a few drops. As Calvin touched rims, Ali made the traditional glass ting sound. Calvin raised a confused brow. “You have to make the noise.” Ali winked at him.

“Ting.” He let the sound ring longer than she was used to. He sounded like a church bell asking a question.

He smiled at her through the plastic as he sipped.

He set down his drink while Ali continued to sip. His eyes followed her movements as she leaned back in her chair. “So where did Megan go?”

 Ali nibbled on the rim of the now empty plastic glass. She had to quickly think of a lie to tell. She placed the plastic glass on the table and wiped her lips with the back of her hand. “She said she had to run home. She forgot her fiancé made reservation for dinner tonight. Why isn’t a Mr. Tanimoto here?” She felt good about her tactic to switch the subject away from her.

“Orin has his weekly meeting with Benny and Nick today.”

“I thought their meetings were on Tuesday?”

“That was just for Club Rush Day. Fridays are their real meetings since Nick has football practice afterschool Monday through Thursday.”

Ali mouthed an “Oh.”

“May I ask you something?” Ali cocked her head a little at the question that was asked to her. “I know this might be rude, but how old are you?”

Ali grinned “thirty-five.”

“Ah, an older women.” Calvin winked or so she thought.

“Older?”

“Thirty-three.”

“You look amazing for a thirty-three.” She said in shock, “I mean you’re hot.” She quickly caught her words. “Or so the girls in my class say…”

Calvin’s laugh was very hardy. “Thanks I guess, but Orin says I only look good because I have muscles. Besides look at you, you are a gorgeous thirty-five, or so the boys on the team say… ”

Ali felt herself flush. Her eyes were locked on to his. Things seemed right.

She then slapped her hands on the table, snapping them both out of the moment. “Tradition dictated that we finish the bottle. So shall we?”

Calvin eyed the bottle and replied, “Looks like a glass, I mean plastic full each.”

After the bottle was finished and the plastics were empty, Ali sat, alone, her head lying to the side and her arms sprawled over the table. Calvin had already taken his leave to ready himself for the game. Before he had left, he balanced a water bottle on her head; which she still had yet to touch. She gave a heavy sigh and tried willing her body to move.

Five years ago Ali was like Megan. She loved her job, she lived in a beautiful home, and she was crazy in love with her fiancé. His name was Robert. They were together for eight years till he left her. The funny thing was that it wasn’t because of another woman; she never really knew why he left. He just disappeared. The post-it note he left her on the front door said.

[IM SORRY I LOVE YOU GOODBYE]

She never saw him again. After three months of crying and screaming, Ali sold the house and moved into an apartment closer to Liberty. She kept nothing except the post-it that she laminated, framed, and hung on the door of her apartment. Ali wanted to see it every time she left. She didn’t know why. She just wanted to see it.

Her thoughts about her past meandered out the window. The orange sky was being swallowed by the deep azure night. Ali wanted just a few more minutes to hold in her tears. Just a few more minutes and no one would be able to see her. Ali closed her eyes; she could feel a small drop slide down the corner of her eye. It was too soon. That wasn’t supposed to happen she thought. A swelling wound started to open in her body. It wasn’t dark and Ali wasn’t ready.