Crash and Burn

chapter 18

L U K E

"Mom I don't need protractor."

 "It was on the list, so yes you do."

 "So were highlighters, paper, and a binder. Do I really need those? No. It's just a trap teachers use to lure you into buying things you're just going to carry around in your backpack all year long, and give you back pain, and take up unnecessary space, and I won't hoard. I'm not a hoarder mom, sorry." 

"Honey-"

"Mom."

"Ooh look at those shoes!" Amber squealed, out of nowhere

 Luckily mom whipped her head around and scurried over to Amber to gush over some 50-dollar sneakers, that were not squeal worthy if you ask me.

Dad smirked at me.

 "Hi?"

 Nothing. 

"Yes?"

 Zip.

"I know it's rare to come across someone as unbelievably sexy as me, but I swear to you, there's no reason to swear, goose."

 I haven't called him that since I was a baby, it was our little animal kingdom joke, good times. He jumped back and laughed finally speaking. 

"You're just like your grandfather." 

"What?" 

"My father, you too are so similar, from the looks and the acts."

 "How"

 "You're both so stubborn." He laughed walking away. 

"What?" I muttered, rolling my eyes.

Why do some people just.. breath?

I walked away into the snack isle of Target, if I'm here I may as well get something I actually want. 

I took a basket and stuck out my hand to grab some Skittles, some Mike and Ike's, Jolly Ranchers, ooh-

I was bumped out of my thoughts as I fell to the floor. 

What the- did I just have a seizure?

I waited for a moment to see if my body would start spiraling, when it didn't, I looked up to see Mae, my ex, on the floor right next to me. 

Oh crap, okay I've got this. I hope. 

I sprung up on my feet, stabilizing myself before approaching the disoriented girl on the floor. I held out my hand in front of her face. When she didn't answer I bent down and tried to look in her eyes, but her head was down. I made the bold choice, to push her face up using my fingers. That seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she was in because she yelled and hopped right up.

"Hey woah woah woah are you okay?" I asked cautiously.

She looked at me like I wasn't even there, before replacing it with one of her award-winning smiles that I used to swoon over. 

There really wasn't a messy falling out between Mae and I, I guess we just wanted different things. It was a mutual decision, but the friends after dating is so awkward so we naturally just drifted apart. Besides her new boyfriend is a possessive prick anyways. 

"No yeah I'm fine I guess the collision was hard." Her smile faltered.

"No, I didn't mean it like that. You know me sometimes I just speak, and I spoke and that came out, but I didn't mean anything by it I swear" She rushed out.