Interstellar

Time

L: hey
E: hi
L: why aren't you in the cafeteria?
E: uh, me, Truffle, and Ryan are hanging out
L: where?
E: art room on the third floor

He stopped typing for a few minutes.

E: hello?

Then, he walked into the room. He waved at Ryan and Truffle before looking at me. He had dark circles under his eyes.

"Emma," Landon said. "Can I talk to you?"

~***~

It was that point in October where it was cold enough to wear a huge jacket and people wouldn't judge you. But I was stuck with my fleece.

"I knew kissing you was a bad idea," I muttered.

"No, I kissed you," Landon said, watching the lacrosse team run around the track.

"No-"

"We kissed each other," Landon flat out said. He turned his head towards me. His cheeks, ears, and nose were red from the cold, and I could visibly see his breath. I zipped my fleece up to my chin and looked him in the eye.

I nodded a little and looked back at the pavement.

"Do you want to work something out?" Landon asked. I could feel his eyes melting through me. The thing is, we only made out once. Once. How was this bothering him so much? I looked at him, saw his exhausted eyes, and looked down at my boots.

"I'll need time," I said, shoving my hands in my pockets.

We continued to stand there, watching the lacrosse team run laps. I felt like I was running. The type of running where you're so tired, your lungs are burning, the sensation of your feet pounding against the ground, but unable to stop.

Maybe if I stopped, I'd lose someone I care about. I don't have any siblings. My father has moved on, and if he saw me, he'd probably barely recognize me.

It wasn't a burn in my lungs, though. It was a heavy feeling. I've only known Landon my entire life, but we've never spoken much to each other.

"We have all the time you need," Landon said. He blew a puff of clouded air out. I nodded.

"What about Kath?" I asked.

"She's mad," Landon said. "Real mad."

"She knows?" I asked, looking up at him. He'd been looking at me the entire time.

"Not about, uh," Landon said.

Making out in your car in the rain," I said.

"She doesn't know about that forever memorial event," Landon said, pausing. "She knows that I saw the video and we hung out. She deleted the video, by the way."

That forever memorial event. I suddenly felt awkward. More awkward, actually. Steam was probably melting off my face. I watched the lacrosse team stretch.

"You okay?" Landon said. The bell rang.

"I'm fine," I mumbled. "Let's go."