Please Write Back

Chapter 16

The test was hard (for me) and didn't go so well. I didn't even finish it in the time given, and I still had five questions left. I walk out of the math classroom with my head low. I've never not studied for a test before. I've never not finished a test before. I can't imagine what my parents will say when they see my grades. But I don't want to think about that. I don't want to deal with anymore negativity; I can't deal with anymore negativity. 

                                                                       . . .

Alex is standing by my locker by the time school is over. He's wearing a dark gray hoodie, which is different from the pastel pink t-shirt he was wearing this morning, but it has gotten chillier. I'm just wearing another knit sweater. We didn't sit at the same table during lunch, which was strange. I saw him sitting with some girls two tables next to me, and I just kept staring at him until someone saw me. The girls were getting all weird with him, laughing at anything he said, and one of the girls sitting next to him were touching his arm. He's like a magnet when it comes to girls. Or anyone, for that matter. Like it seems like everyone respects him: teachers, guys, girls; it's not surprising, because he is nice and smart and respectful and caring and talented and attractive and tall and strong and—

"Are you ready to go, Earnest?" 

I'm snapped back into reality by Alex. "Hm?"

"I was just asking if you were ready to go. You were just standing there, so I thought..." he trails off, fixing the strap of the messenger bag over his shoulder. I've noticed he does that a lot when he's talking to me.

"I just have to put some of my books in my locker," I say as I open the locker. I place some books in, and close it, pulling out my wallet just in case (I accidentally left my wallet in my locker yesterday.) "Okay, I'm ready to go."

Alex is looking at his phone. "We should get going now anyway," he says. "If we want to catch the bus."

"I don't have a bus pass," I say quickly as we start walking.

"We can use mine," he replies, holding his card up. 

"Oh, okay." We walk to the bus stop together, Alex walking ahead of me the whole way there.  The bus I already turning down the block by the time we get there. The bus halts to a stop in front of us, and we board it. Alex swipes his card two times, once for him and once for me. He sits in a seat toward the back, and I sit next to him by the window.

"It's good we caught this bus," Alex says. "Or we would have had to wait twenty minutes for the next one."

The skies are clear today, and the sun shines on my face as I look out the window. I'm just trusting that Alex knows what he's doing.

"Where does this bus go?" I ask.

"It goes downtown. To the stores and office buildings and all that. We can walk around, go to a few stores, or whatever."

I nod. That doesn't sound that bad. We stay on the bus for a little longer, and Alex taps my shoulder, saying, "This is our stop."

We get off and step onto the sidewalk. The streets are noticeably busier, with cars beeping and people filling up the sidewalks. It's pretty close to a bustling city.  I don't remember the last time I came here, but it was probably only last year. 

"So what do you want to do first?" Alex asks me as the bus pulls away. 

"We can just... walk around," I say. "If we find something, we can go inside."

We start walking, and we pass by a small shop with a pink and white awning. There's a group of girls who come outside with drinks in their hands.

"Oh, bubble tea! We should get some!" Alex says, taking my arm and pulling me to the door of the shop. We go inside, and walk right up to the counter. There's a fairly long line.