The Lies We Told On Thursday Nights

21a. Thursday Meeting (On Monday): Deep Dark Secrets (Levi)

Hi everyone! So slight change of format for today's (and tomorrow's chapters.)

 So I write on a google doc and my typical chapter is between 3-7 pages. This chapter is 15 pages, I intended a slightly longer chapter due to my absence, but it ended being very long.. Instead of plopping it all at once (and having to edit it all at once) I'm going to split it into two chapters (21a and 21b) both in Levi's POV. This one is going to be longer than usual (10 pages in my document) and then hopefully tomorrow I will post part 2 (which is around 5 pages in my document)

Oh, and the title calls this Thursday meeting (on Monday) because in the previous chapters it got changed to a Monday. And yes, it does say meeting while in this chapter they don't arrive there yet. The part b chapter, they will.

Levi

Monday- 6:38 p.m

I was nervous and giddy, fidgeting with the broken price on my phone case. I had several reasons to be nervous about meeting Emery tonight.

First off, she's Emery Nates that type of girl that hates football players.

Two: she knows my darkest secret that I promised myself if anyone at school found out I'd run away.

Third: I had around an hour drive with a girl who I had little in common with besides the fact we're both effed up. And I don't think one car ride will help us open up.

Fourth: I'm going to the group meeting, and that's the third to last place I want to be right now.

We had changed our meeting place because I wanted to avoid the football team. I felt bad for making her walk across campus, but I know both of us appreciated the discreteness from others.

I saw her approaching. She didn't have the pep in her step and her head hung low.

"Emery" I called out her name, beckoning her.

We were meeting outside the senior cafeteria. A place she probably isn't familiar with.

She looked up and her expression quickly changed.

Her eyes sparkled and I was sure if it was tears or the sun, I assumed the latter.

A forced smile grew on her face; I knew it was fake, as I too have perfected the act.

I was tempted to ask what was wrong because, despite the smile, her shoulders were tense.

"Hey" she greeted, giving me a casual wave.

"Hi," I responded, putting my phone back in my pocket and pushing myself away from the brick wall.

"Let's go," she said, her voice cracked slightly at the end. I knew she was nervous too.

I swallow hard as I ambled behind her. I let her stay a few feet in front of me because I didn't want us to have to chit-chat.

"Your driving?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder.

I debated telling the truth, despite being 17 I couldn't drive minors yet.

I knew she was a stickler for the rules, so I told her I couldn't drive minors yet.

She paused and sighed, with relief I might add.

Did she think I was a lousy driver?

"I'm a good driver y'know" I explained, being driven by the inert longing to prove myself to her.

"I know," she sounded confused as if that wasn't why she didn't want to drive with me.

"Oh, I just thought-" I began but stopped because this was fruitless to discuss. "Never mind."