Numb ✔️

4: Talk

I pushed open the glass doors of the Diner.

The building was practically empty. The only people here sat alone, sipping morning coffee.

The woman at the register was the same from the weekend.

I held out my green folder to her.

"I'd like to submit a job application." I smiled.

She took the folder from my hand and smiled.

"Of course sweetheart."

"Also, can I get a double double to go?"

"Yes," she tapped a few keys on the register. "One fifty."

I handed her the change and she went to prepare my drink.

She gave me the warm paper cup and I headed out the door.

###

"Alright," Ms. Devon said, pacing back and fourth across the front of the classroom. "So for your project, I would like you to re-write an article of your choice, but you may only use the information provided by the article. Also this will be a partner project."

People started eagerly looking at their friends from across the room.

"And I will be picking your partners."

People groaned, and rolled their eyes.

Whenever Ms. Devon picks partners she never puts people with their friends.

She started listing off who would be with who.

I didn't pay it much mind, until she called Caiden and I.

Why?

Why me?

He's likely still mad at me.

I glanced over my left shoulder to look at my partner.

He seemed to be sleeping.

His head rested on his crossed arms. The sleeves of his Crooks & Castles hoodie were pushed up.

His tattoo sleeve on his right arm was partially visible.

The visible part of the tattoo consisted of a boy and a girl who sat in a bare, dead tree. Below the tree was a cemetery. The clouds in the sky were dark and had lightning-bolts jolting out of them. And an old fashioned stopwatch sat next to the tree.

Just as I was about to swallow my pride and wake the sleeping beast, Ms. Devon spoke again.

"Just so you all know, this assignment will be due Thursday."

Wow. That's just fantastic.

I slowly pushed myself out of my chair, and approached Caiden.

Tapping him lightly in the shoulder, he raised his head groggily.

"Hmm?" He raised a brow.

"Umm, Ms. Devon partnered us up for a project." I muttered.

"Well I'm kinda resting up for practice later. Do you wanna go somewhere after practice, to get this over with?" A small smile formed on his pink lips.