One Way Bridge

Chapter 52

Somewhere in those early hours of the morning I found my way back to my room because, when my alarm went off, I was curled up on my bed, staring out at the door at the yard. I hit snooze and wiped at the dry tears on my cheeks. School's going to be fun. The thought made something between a chuckle and a sigh come out of my mouth.

Luckily for me, Grandma took my quietness during breakfast as a sign of my tiredness and only expected an answer from me when she asked why Justin wasn't there. I gave her a shrug and continued eating my cereal.

"Maybe I should call over there and see if he's running late." She started to get up.

"No!" Grandma turned to look at me with an eyebrow raised. "I'll just go by there on my way to school."

"Alright then," she took my empty bowl, having forgotten about her cup of coffee she left on the table. She didn't really drink the coffee. I had realized that a few weeks earlier. Every morning she brewed exactly one cup in the coffee maker and then poured it into the same baby blue cup that said 'World's Best Grandpa'. She would keep that cup of coffee with her all morning, long after it had gone cold. I think the smell reminded her of grandpa.

I grabbed my bag from the floor next to the door. "Bye Grandma!"

"I'll see you later sweetie. I figured I'd make some cookies, why don't you have Justin come over after school for some?"

"Uh yeah, sure!" I hurried out before she could say anything else.

Needless to say, I didn't go to Justin's house instead I drove over the green bridge towards school alone. The ride seemed long, but it felt like I had gotten to school earlier than normal because I didn't have Justin there to talk to.

As I walked towards the school, Ally and Vince came up from behind me. Ally put her hands on my shoulders and jumped, only pressing a little bit of her weight on me. "Hey," she greeted coming around to stand on one side of me. "Where's Justin?" She looked around before she noticed my silence and her eyes landed on Vince who was on my other side.  Her lips formed a small 'O' before she looked down. Vince threw an arm around me and squeezed my shoulder.

"Oh look, it's the happy couple!" Of course Justin had to be right inside the school's doors.

"Why do I get the feeling he's not talking about us?" Ally muttered with a sideways glance.

"Oh poor naive, Ally," Justin slurred.

"Is he drunk?" Vince asked under his breath.

"There's something I need to tell you about your boyfriend," he threw the word at Vince with a glance, "and my EX-girlfriend." I braced myself for his eyes to land on me, but they didn't. Ally's, however, did. I shook my head not wanting to answer the question I'm sure her eyes were asking though I was looking towards the ground. She placed a hand on my arm before walking towards Justin.

Vince steered me towards an empty classroom with his arm that was still around me. "Are you okay?" Both his arms found my shoulders.

I nodded my head, swallowing back tears. "You better go get Justin before he tells Ally you're cheating on her." My voice cracked.

"Don't be ridiculous," he pulled me into his chest, "you need me right now." I allowed myself to cry into his sweatshirt. His hands rubbed up and down my back and his chin resting on my head. He didn't even stop when the door opened.

"I sent him into the bathroom. You better hurry and get him before someone finds him." Ally said. I couldn't see her reaction to finding me in Vince's arms after being told we're dating behind her back, but she didn't sound rattled. Vince pulled back to look at me. I gave him a quick nod and he was out the door. Ally busied herself with one of the windows. "Dang childproof locks!"