The Graduation List

7 - A School Day

Anna

The next day I wake up groaning feeling exhausted from last night's party, I smile right after remembering what happened between me and Eli. My phone vibrates on the nightstand so I grab the device happily, when I see a text message waiting for me, I open the app,

Eli: Good morning darling

Anna: morning handsome

Eli: have a good day of classes, I'm heading out on the road with the team in a few hours

Anna: have a good trip, i'll be cheering for you

Eli: when I get back we're still going on that date

Anna: I can't wait!

Eli: I better go, I still need to pack some stuff

Anna: okay, text me when you get to your hotel

Eli: will do gorgeous

I grin at his message and lock the phone placing it on the night stand again as I slide out of bed to go take a shower before getting ready for a day of lectures. 

In the kitchen an hour later i'm making some food for breakfast when my friends all come into the room in different states of being ready. Sierra sits at the kitchen counter with a smile, "how was the frat party?" I bite my lip as I sit across from her with my plate of food, "it was good, Gwen was out there getting it on with Graham" her eyes widen and Emily comes over sitting on one of the other stools. "Did they go all the way?" I shrug, "no idea I was with Eli" Emily smirks, "did you guys also get it on?" I blush and look down at my plate, "no way!" I bite my lip and nod, "we kissed a bit but that was it" Sierra hops off of her stool and runs over to me, "that's so great! i'm so happy" I smile as she hugs me. "I can't wait to go on a date with him, he makes me so happy" Sierra kisses my cheek dramatically, "and that's all that we want for you" she lets me go and I finish eating my breakfast before gathering my things for class.

At school I find that my lectures go by slower than ever with my thoughts circulating around Eli and his away game tonight. My notes get written as if i'm on auto pilot but none of the content gets into my brain. When the professor dismisses us in my last class of the day, I stuff my things into my bag and jump out of my seat while shrugging on my coat. I try not to run as I leave the room to catch my bus back to the house so that I can get ready for the game night me and the girls are having. As i'm riding the bus I take out my phone to text Eli one last time before the game, 

Anna: Good luck tonight, you're going to do great :)

Seconds later i'm surprised to get a reply figuring that he would be busy,

Eli: thanks gorgeous! i'm going to score a goal for you 

I smile at his response, and I see that my stop is coming up so I get up tugging the cord to request the stop. 

+

A few hours later the four of us are sitting in the living room with my laptop hooked up to the TV so that we can watch the hockey game on a bigger screen. We are all in our badgers gear with a pizza on the coffee table and bags of chips on the floor for later. "Guys we need to take a picture!" Sierra exclaims, "yesss let's do it!" Emily interjects as she pulls out her phone, "uh how are we going to get all of us in the picture?" I ask as I curl my hands into the sleeves of my hoodie, "the timer on the phone camera" I nod as I watch Emily set up her phone on a piece of furniture that is at the right height and angle to get us in the frame. When she presses the timer button she runs back to the couch and we squish together as the 5 second countdown starts. I grin for the photo and the screen flashes notifying us that the picture was taken. Emily hops off the couch before getting her phone to check the picture, we pass around the device agreeing that it's a cute picture, "send it to us" Gwen says with a smile, I nod and our friend does as we request. 

Once I get the picture on my phone I smile as I send it to Eli, even though I know he won't see it until after the game. I suddenly get a whole bunch of notifications telling me i've been tagged in several photos on Instagram. I laugh but go into the app I rarely use to like all my friends' photos. "A you really need to use Instagram more" Sierra tells me, I look over at her and shrug, "I don't have anything to share with the world" Emily snorts, "you will now" I blush knowing that she means Eli, "you could always make it a part of you graduation list" Gwen suggests. I sigh, "I don't think I want to, I'd much rather keep things like this moment and things with Eli private" my friends nod, "we get that, we won't bring it up again" Emily says, I smile, "I love you guys" Sierra smiles before hugging me, the two others join the hug making me giggle. We let go of each other a few seconds later and I open up my laptop getting to the live stream of the game before turning up the volume as the four of us get comfortable, eating the pizza as the first period starts.

+

Hours later the game is done with Wisconsin winning 2-1 over Michigan State, a smile is permanently on my face because of the goal that Eli scored to get the lead at the end of the game. We have all gone to our own rooms at this point in the night, i'm under my covers reading when my phone vibrates on my night stand, I grab the device seeing that Eli has sent me a text.

Eli: even in a hoodie and sweats I want to be by your side

Anna: we can do that for our second date

Eli: woah you're already planning a second date and we haven't even had our first

Anna: I guess i'm feeling good about what we have going for us

Eli: me too Anna :)

Anna: your goal was really great

Eli: I knew I had to making it special just for you

Anna: wow that was way corny

Eli: and you're still talking to me, I call that a success

Anna: i'm barely awake, I'm going to go sleep, good night superstar

Eli: good night beautiful, I can't wait to see you when I get back

I grin at his message before turning off the phone placing it back on the night stand. I shut off the lamp and get in my preferred sleep position sighing as I fall asleep.