Without The Words

Chapter 8

"Poppy?"

I stopped chewing my sandwich and stilled.

"Hey, Poppy," Vera then said, sliding into the chair across from me at my empty lunch table on a Friday.

"How about after practice today you come with me to the mall?"

I shook my head, already preparing to make up an excuse as to why I couldn't go.

"It'll be just us," she said quietly, patting her petite hand on mine. "I promise."

I considered her invite, staring at her pretty complexion and eager expression. It wouldn't hurt to go shopping, except I didn't have any money with me.

I wrote on my notepad:

I don't have any money with me.

"I'll pay."

I already began to write, but Vera took my pen out of my hand. "I want to." She said.

I grabbed the pen back and quickly wrote on the notepad again.

Let me ask my dad first.

"Okay."

I texted him and asked for his permission while Vera waited patiently, looking just a little too excited. I didn't want to be responsible for her happiness. What if she didn't like my company? Besides, I don't even remember the last time I've gone shopping.

He replied with a short and simple "yes."

It was obvious he didn't give me a certain time to be home because he knew I wouldn't be home late. No rules applied to me because I didn't do anything. His judgement is fogged because he's realizing that for once in my life I'm going out somewhere with a friend.

I wanted to lie to Vera and say no. I really didn't want to go, but who in the right mind would pass up the opportunity to shop? Well, besides me, of course.

Reluctantly, I scribbled a quick "okay" and she squealed with delight, excitement bubbling in her lively blue eyes. When she left the table, I sighed and focused back on my uneaten sandwich, my appetite already nonexistent. I grabbed my stuff, dumped my sandwich in the garbage and headed to the indoor track where I could sit and wait for practice to start.

Most of the seniors drove to the nearest diner to get lunch around this time. As seniors, we had the privilege to leave the building after our last period of class. Whoever had school sports had to come back. Since I didn't have my own car, I was stuck here.

I didn't exactly like that I couldn't go anywhere else, but I made the most of it by taking a nap in the bleachers of the indoor track where nobody could see me. At least, I thought nobody could see, but hell was I wrong.

"Are you alright?"

It was Mr. Lee. Again. I wanted to mutter a thousand curse words under my breath and slam my head into the wall, but I just opened my eyes looked up at him. My backpack was under my head as a pillow, while my sleeves were pulled all the way out so my hands could rest on the inside of my shirt, pressed against my belly. My cheeks instantly flushed with the realization that I looked disgustingly awkward.

I sat up and shoved my hands back out, grabbing my notepad along the way.

I wrote:

I was just taking a nap.

He briefly glanced at it, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"You know," he said, taking a seat on the bleachers aside me. "I don't have any students in my classroom during seventh or eighth period. You're welcome to rest in there, if you prefer. It would probably beat hurting your back on these uncomfortable bleachers."