Secret Haven (HIATUS)

Chapter 19~ Just Friends

"That's all for today everyone! Please remember that even though you'll be on break, you have to finish chapters 11-21 in your textbooks. Feel free to pack up and leave early, and have a good spring break!" my humanities professor says, dismissing us.

I'm first to leave the room, eager to try and run into David before he makes it to the office. I spot him next to a water fountain and I call him over to me.

"Hey, what's up?" he asks, wiping the bit of water that dripped down his chin off with his arm.

"Nothing much, I just have a question," I tell him, pausing for a moment. "I got invited to this light show tonight by a friend, and I was just wondering if you wanted to come?"

"James?" he asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

I lean against the wall "Yeah! You know him? It's tonight at seven."

"Yeah. I'm already going tonight. He invited you?"

I act as if I'm surprised, crossing my arms in front of my chest. "Yeah! It sounds really fun."

"Oh well, I guess I'll see you there then. I've got work from four to seven-thirty, but I can meet you guys afterwards?"

My ears perk up at the idea of possible information. "Oh, what do you do?"

"I'm a warehouse associate. I work over by the old town hall."

He has a pretty good cover story. From the average person's point of view, what he's saying is true. But I know better.

"That's pretty cool." I say truthfully. "Oh! I almost forgot. Do you wanna exchange numbers so you can text me when you get to the light show?"

"Um, I could always just text James. We don't have to," he says nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

I feel a sense of mischief as I get ready for the performance of a lifetime. Changing my expression into one of sadness and disappointment, I look up at David and then back to the floor. "Oh, okay I guess. I just thought since we're sort of becoming friends you might want to... I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked."

He looks uncomfortable for a moment before speaking again. "No, it's okay. Here, why don't you give me your number and I'll text you when I get there?"

I perk up at the sound of him pulling out his phone and look back up at him excitedly. "Okay!" He hands me his phone and I put my number in, giving it back with a kind smile on my face.

"We should probably head to the office before we're late," he says, a small smile tugging on the edge of his lips.

I nod my head in agreeance and start walking towards the office, a small bounce in my step. "So, how do you know James?"

"Oh I met him last year. I saw him having a hard time figuring out where the west wing was, so I showed him around a bit. It just sort of went from there, I guess."

I have to walk double his pace to keep up with him, his six foot frame towering over me.

"Oh, fun. How did you know that he was the one that asked me to go? To the light show, I mean." I already know, I'm just trying to make conversation.

"Oh, yeah. He told me about you a while back, and I go to the light show with him every year so I just put two and two together."

"Ah, that makes sense." It's silent for a moment, before I try to make conversation again. "Hey, I'm just curious but, what year are you in?"

"I'm a Junior. I turned twenty a little while ago. What about you?" David asks, opening up the door to the front office for me.

I thank him before answering. "I'm a sophomore. Just turned nineteen in December."