Running Into You

Chapter 21

Emma

It was cold and raining the first day back from winter break. Luckily, I had saved enough money to buy a car. Well, not the whole car. I paid a third, grandpa paid a third, and mom paid a third. I had written fifteen scholarship and entry letters over the break. I charged a hundred dollars for the letter and then if they were rewarded any money I would also get ten percent of what they were rewarded. That wasn't my idea. Tiffany's dad came up with that after she was rewarded a twenty-thousand dollar scholarship. He said I saved them a great deal of money and deserved more. I happily accepted. He told a colleague at work about what I did and even showed him the letter and I got another job. I didn't have to advertise because I had more work than I wanted to do from the parents talking among themselves. Since I was in a cask I would write my letters on paper and then I would pay Jeremy twenty bucks to type them for me.

I am now a proud owner of a 2014 Toyota 4Runner. Mom said I needed a reliable car to get me through college. I think the only person not happy with me getting a car was Caleb. He said I wouldn't need him anymore, but I think he was just teasing. I haven't needed him to drive me around much if any for a while now. I never once asked him about Henry and he never offered any details about him.

Since I didn't have the cask anymore I had to return to P.E. I've been nervous about it all day. When the time finally came to go I almost skipped the rest of school. I even contemplated going to Miss Calhoun instead and getting an early diploma just so I wouldn't have to go, but deep down I wanted to go. I really want to see him. Even if I go back to crying myself to sleep every night like I did for weeks.

So when the bell rang for me to go to third period I get up from Economics and I walk to my locker like I had many times before. I unloaded my books and grabbed my gym clothes and shower bag. I then slowly walked to the gym. The closer I got to the gym the faster my heart raced. I practiced the breathing technics to slow it down, but it wasn't working. When I got closer I saw the doors were propped open; I could see Henry sitting at his desk just like I had expected. Like I had envisioned a hundred times. I stopped there and just watched him as everyone else walked in, pass his desk and onward into the basketball court. When there was no one else to walk in and he stood and picked up his clipboard and whistle I finally stroll in. I stop in front of his desk and waited for him to look up at me. When his eyes met mine my heart stopped beating.

"Hi, Henry."

He just stares without saying anything. The second bell rings.

"Class has started. You need to get dressed," he says in a cold flat voice.

A tear runs down my cheek. I don't acknowledge it.

"Yes, sir."

I walk slowly in the locker room. There's nobody in there. I get dressed quickly holding back the tears. If I start crying I will never stop. Once I make it in the basketball court everyone is running laps around the court. I wait for them to pass me and then start jogging behind everyone. That day we play badminton. I am put on a net with three other girls. I pay no attention to what I'm supposed to be doing and my partner ignores me and just takes over the whole side. I step back and let her. Hzzenry glances over once, but doesn't either notice or care what's going on. When class is over Henry blows his whistle and I walk with the rest of the girls to the locker room to take a shower. I am the last one to get a shower and once everyone walked out I started crying. I couldn't stop it. I sit down on the shower floor and lay my arms and head on my drawn up knees and weep while the water rains over me.

"Hey, is anyone in here." I hear someone yell from the door. Soon the water stops and someone drapes a towels over my back. I look up and see Henry. He helps me stand and walks me over to a bench to sit down. He gets on one knee and looks up at me. He tucks my hair behind my ears.