The Carter Project ✓

fourteen

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IT WAS WORSE than I thought.

          I had expected Carter to be okay after a good night in and that I would see him again, but I actually hadn't seen him at all. After debate practice, I took the bus with David home, only to be home and hear nothing on the other side of Carter's door. That was easily chalked up to him practicing late with Jack and Ryan, so I decided I would sneak out later at night to see him. I didn't want to seem crass, but I was definitely feeling antsy after going for so long without hooking up with Carter, and if he could help me get rid of this feeling, then that would've been greatly appreciated.

          So I spent my night at the kitchen island doing my homework and definitely taking a look over that lab we did in Mr. Ali's class. Reading it at home, it made a lot more sense than in class and I had a feeling we would have to start over in class tomorrow. My parents came in a little later than I did and kept me company in the kitchen while they made dinner around me, but I still felt a little empty and alone.

          We had dinner and I had sent Carter a text to ask if he was okay, but he still hadn't answered an hour later.

          Then two hours later.

          Three hours later, even.

          My parents had gone off to bed, so I used it as a golden opportunity to check and see if Carter had gotten home by now. But even as I stood by his door and listened out to see if I could hear anything, there was nothing to be heard. He and his parents were probably fast asleep by now since it was nearing midnight. Or Carter was doing his homework, there was no way I could tell. I didn't hear him come in and I was too afraid to knock, not wanting his parents to answer the door and probably yell at me. That was the last possible thing I could've asked for.

          So I retired to my bedroom, just hoping I would see him in the morning. I had to admit, a girl like me who was the furthest thing from a guy like Carter Abrams, I sure missed the hell out of him. He was getting to me.

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THE UNEXPECTED WAS beginning to become commonplace in my life ever since that fateful night when Landon come over and ripped my heart to shreds. Literally anything happening at this point felt like fair game, be it a meteor shower during third period or getting married to the Pope. But there was some things that I instinctively ruled out, even if they were a lot more probable than the aforementioned events. Which led to me answering my door at six-thirty in the morning and finding Jack Behrs and Ryan Christiansen standing outside of my door.

          In fact, I jumped back and ended up slipping over the hem of my pajama pants. It was embarrassing enough that they were seeing me in my pajamas, but that I had tripped and made a clumsy fool out of myself as well, that really took the cake.

          "What are you guys doing here?" I asked when I finally recovered, lifting myself up on my palms.

          "What are you wearing," Ryan asked, not answering my question. He cast a distasteful eye over my outfit at the moment, a pair of fuzzy pajama pants and an oversized shirt my dad gave me a year ago. I don't know what else he thought girls wore to bed, I wasn't just going to sleep in a lingerie set.

          "Pajamas, dickhead," I spat back before getting off of the ground so that we were all standing. "Anyway, why are you guys here? That's clearly the more pressing matter at hand!"