𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄, 𝐬𝐭𝟐

TWENTY-THREE. sal's well

NATALIE D'ANGELO

—

i dread every minute that gets closer to me meeting mike at sal's well. every single tick of the clock makes my heart beat faster.

"no go back!" i would say in my head when the minute hand move forward. but it never did it just kept on ticking, kept on moving forward!

i ate lunch alone today, sitting underneath one of the trees in the back of the school, almost falling asleep as i munched on the sandwich my mom had packed me for lunch.

ham.

my all time favorite.

but now i sit in my last period hating the fact that the meeting with mike is close. now you're probably wondering or thinking, nat why don't you just cancel on him?!

i am thinking the exact same thing but mike already has it engraved in his brain that i sm going and you're also probably thinking.

why don't you just not show up?

i think of that too but i don't want to leave the boy high and dry. especially if he's taking time out of his day to meet up with me. that would be bad.

plus even if i skipped, i live right across the street from him. i'll see him eventually.

the final tick of the clock comes and the bell rings throughout the room.

"no!" i yell loudly, standing up in my seat. everyone in the class stops their commotion to turn and look back at me. they all have confused looks on their faces as they swing their bags over their shoulders.

"sorry" i mumble softly as i pack my bag up, shoving my pencils and folders into the pouches.

if looks could kill someone, i would be dead right here.

i ignore their gazes and make my way out to my locker. my finger twists the lock open, grabbing the bouquet of now-wilting flowers. i guess a day in the dark locker did not do them good.

i really do admire them but the fact that mike got them for me pains my heart. i have to get over him. there's no reason a gift should make my heart do flips and turns.

my legs take me out of the school and towards my dads car. christie is already sat, fastened in the passenger seat of the car. when i walk up she is talking about this upcoming summer.

she's telling him that she's going to take this summer off. she's going to go to school not next year but the year after. the year that i start my sophomore year of high school.