Hours

10- Tuesday, May 15th

3:34 PM

The final bell rings in Chemistry, but there's still no sign of Micheal as students stream through the hallways, desperate to get home. I'm the last student out of the Chemistry lab, my book bag tucked close to my sides as I navigate the ever-churning hallways. I turn down a staircase, heading towards my locker. But as soon as it's in view, so are Lindsay and Ashley, staking me out. I hesitate, needing to get my binders for studying but also needing to find Micheal, and I highly doubt I can retrieve my binders quickly if they're there, waiting to interrogate me. Of course. Why else would they be there?

I weigh my options, then, holding my shoulders and chin high, proceed to walk past the girls, ignoring their looks of surprise, and from Lindsay, a look close to a glare. It feels like it should hurt, getting that look from what's supposed to be my 'best friend', but instead, I feel no worse than I did when I was walking down the upstairs hallway. But there is something about Ashley's expression that causes me to pause. I round another corner and wait, wanting to go back, knowing I shouldn't. Hugging the wall, I close my eyes. Thoughts whirl through my mind at a speed faster than I can comprehend them, but a few stay in the foreground of my mind, waiting to be acknowledged before flying away.

Is Micheal Sawyer really worth my closest friends?

But how close were we really? It's not like they were accepting of me when I made the decision to work with him. That was practically treason in their minds.

I sigh, trying to prevent an oncoming headache. Shaking the thoughts away, I continue down the hallway and out into the parking lot. I weave through the lines of busses and noisy teenagers until I reach my car. As I place my book bag inside, I look around for Micheals blue Chevrolet, hoping he's still here. I see a flash of blue, and a small butterfly of hope inside me wakes, fluttering uselessly in my chest.

And then I see him, dark clothes, white earbuds. A sense of irrationality comes over me and I find myself running over to him, meeting him on the passenger side at the same time he reaches the drivers. Micheal stares at me, and I notice what I think to be a shade of putrid yellow circling his eye.

"Where- Where were you?" I stutter out eventually, after way too much time spent staring at him.

"Don't do this again Kayla." He sounds defeated, and so, so, incredibly sad. "I told you to stop. Please."

"Why?" I demand, rounding the hood of the car to face him, "What happened?" I say quieter, my hand reaching towards his face almost automatically. But one look at his face has me frozen; he looks terrified.

He looks back down at his car, choking out a strangled, "Nothing," as he tries to unlock his door.

"Come hiking with me tomorrow." I blurt, causing both our heads to swing upwards in surprise. Where did that come from?

"What?" He looks at me like I'm crazy, saying exactly what I'm thinking.

"I... Come-" I sigh, not knowing where the brashness came from and having no idea how to get it back. "You heard me. Come hiking with me tomorrow, take your mind off things."

"Kayla..." He scrubs at his face with his hands, confused and upset and lost. "I-"

"Please just think about it?" I interrupt him, the boldness having apparently returned of its own accord. "It's not far, 15, maybe 20 minutes? I go every Wednesday and I thought..."

"Thought what?" He demands,

"I thought you'd enjoy it. Just...text me?" I say, looking at him hopefully.

He says nothing so I begin walking away until I hear, "Sure." I turn to look at him, and he shrugs, an almost smile on his face. "Sure." He repeats, "Why not?"

I smile at him, heart lifting. "Cool." I say, trying not to show how excited I really am, "Okay. I'll...meet you out here."

"In the parking lot?" He asks sceptically. 


I shrug, "We can take my car if you like."

"Okay." He says, getting into his car, closing the door and starting the engine. I head towards my own car and sit behind the wheel, traffic no better than when school ended. My eyes drift over the students in the lot, some laughing, some talking, others standing alone. Then my eyes catch on two figures, away from the general populous, looking smug and greedy and about as happy as those two can look and I know.

I know where Micheal was for the afternoon block. I can see it plain as day, and I have to grip the edge of my seat to prevent myself from running across the parking lot to confront them.

Because what use would starting a fight with Andy and Alisa be?

I think back to Micheals general posture, his confusion, the yellow ring around his eye. My blood boils and I look around for his car again, only to see that it's already long gone, syphoned into the busyness of the main roads and traffic. I want to text him but I know I can't. He would be so ashamed.

For what feels like hours I sit there, fuming, unsure of how to confront them or anyone, until almost all the bus kids are gone and Andy and Alisa have disappeared, dropping their cigarette butts on the ground without a care in the world. The parking lot is almost empty and teachers are starting to leave the school. Glancing at the clock, I see it's nearly a quarter to five.

How long have I been sitting here? I wonder, glad I wasn't driving because I'm not entirely sure I would've gotten home safe. Wiping my hands on my pants, I put the car into gear and slowly inch my way out of the parking lot.