Absent

Chapter 9: Not-so-perfect attendance

I get ready for school early, but I don't see Lindsey up. I'm about to knock on her door, when Javier, half-dressed, holds me back. "For the sake of our newly-found relation, I'm warning you. She broke up with Galileo yesterday, when you weren't home." He sings.

"Then how am I supposed to get to school?" I reply.

"The bus?"

"It doesn't drive through this street anymore."

"Woops."

Javier walks away without any more help to offer, while I stand there, testing any ideas that come to mind. I guess I'll just have to call someone. I turn on my cellphone, thinking about calling Jimmy or Vicky, but the first I see is (1) Missed Calls. It's from an unknown number, and it was made yesterday at 8:23 p.m. I press call. I hear it ring five times, then to voicemail.

"Alex here. Leave a message. Or don't. I'll probably not return it."

I immediately save the number as Alex Magal-no. Just Alex. Then I search through my contacts list:

Alex.

Chester.

Dad.

Javier.

Javier's grandparents.

Jimmy.

Mom.

Vicky.

Great. I have almost no friends. Jimmy doesn't answer, nor Chester. I sigh and call Vicky. "Hey. Who is this?" She says strictly.

"Vicky? I'm Heather Peacock. I'm sorry to bother you, but can you give me a ride?"

"Sorry. Jimmy and I are skipping-he says hello. And sorry that we can't take you."

"Never mind. Hello, Jimmy."

This is perfect. I'm going to miss school. I admit that wouldn't be too silly compared to fleeing through my secret door. I decide that by walking, I might reach the last classes. Better than nothing, right?

I exit my house and find Galileo waiting. I enter the car uncertainly. "Hey." I say.

"Hey. I'm still driving you, if you need it."

"But you're not with Lindsey anymore." I answer, scared of his reply.

"Well jeez, aren't we friends?" He says and laughs nervously.

"I guess..." I murmur, looking out the car window, anxious of our silence.

"Why did you two break up?" I ask.

"It was no big deal. We had a disagreement, no more." Galileo explains, making a U-turn too closed for this street.

"Really, fine? Why was she crying then?" I say.

"She was?" He asks surprised, then truthfully concerned. "Well... I didn't think she would... I told her 'I love you', and she complained that I was rushing things. I thought we felt the same way. Yesterday was our anniversary."

I stare at him, seeking for the right words of comfort. I can only think of how, if math doesn't fail, they began dating a week, give or take, after I fell on comma. Does Lindsey care that little about me?

At school, Chester texted me saying he was sick. I didn't find Alex with his usual companions, nor outside the secret door. No one attended today, except Galileo, because he failed a class on his last year.

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I thank Galileo for the ride, and enter my house carefully. Lindsey's bedroom door is hanging open. I look around for signs of her presence, and hear sobbing in the kitchen. She's lying on the floor, finishing an Ice Cream with a spoon. I kneel close to her.

"What'you want?" She asks, between tears of misery.

"Galileo told me-" I begin to speak, extremely cautious around her.

"-You wouldn't understand boy-problems. The only one who has ever loved you was Ashton, and he's dead!"
I know I should be patient and tolerant with her, but fuck her. I stand up, lacking empathy towards Lindsey in any sense, and my face is reflecting my sudden hatred. She notices, reading my expression, and laughs eerily. "Oh please. You want information from me, don't you? About how much he loved you in his hour of death?"
I remain there, rooted in place.
"It was 3 months ago; Ashton's birthday. We were dining together, but he kept having these feelings about something wrong. He returned home on a cab, and we had to follow him. By the time we had arrived, the thieves were long gone, and Ashton was next to your bed, lying in a pool of his own blood. He died protecting you! That as*hole only gave a damn for you! What about me? What about Javier? We always felt his indifference towards us, but his undeniable love reserved for you! Come back here, bit*h!"
But I'm running to my room, and I won't stop. I close the door and cry desperately.
Ashton, I'm sorry!