Please Write Back

Chapter 21

So I did end up seeing Alex after school. We didn't go anywhere or do anything, we just said bye and that's it. At least tomorrow is the competition, so that's something to look forward to. I walk home alone as usual and just sit at my bed when I get home, sighing. Today wasn't the best day for Alex and me. But we all have those days, right? Days where things just don't feel right, but you don't really care enough to do anything about it? That was me today. I just hope tomorrow is better than today was. 

I won't even bother to text him either, I'm not really in the mood for it. I mean, unless he does text me, then, of course, I'll reply.

I look outside my bedroom window, and it starts raining. I hear the soft patterns of the water hitting against my window, sliding down the glass. My hands are pressed up against the cold glass, my breath starting to fog it up. Sighing, I go downstairs to get something to eat in the fridge, and I hear a scratching sound. It's very faint, but I'm definitely not imagining it. I stay silent, listening intently. It's coming from the door to the backyard. I creep towards the door and look out the window, but there's nothing there. I unlock and open the door, a strong cool breeze blowing in with some droplets of water. I see a cat at the doorstep, just sitting there, looking up at me, its fur all moppy and wet. It's not the usual cat that comes around every day, though, because that cat has orange fur, but this one is small and gray. It makes a soft meowing sound. Should I do something? I don't really want to bring it in, but it's raining outside. I crouch down slowly so I'm more at the kitten's level, but then it runs away, into the rain. Sighing, I stand back up and close the door. I don't know what that was all about.

My phone vibrates in my pocket as I walk back upstairs to my room.

Alex❤️: youre coming tomorrow, right? To my swimming competition?

I immediately type "Yep, wouldn't want to miss it", but I hesitate to hit send. I put my phone facedown on my desk, leaning back in my chair.

. . .

Sarah scribbles something on a bright blue post-it, crumpling it and throwing it to me even though I sit right next to her. I unfold it, reading her neatly written script handwriting in purple ink:

r u going to the competition today?

I stare at the message and write back in pencil:

He invited me.

I hand the paper back to her, and she groans softly.

Ok, so r u going?  U still didnt answer.

I guess so. Are you?

Yea. Of course. Im going to talk to Alex after too.

I'm starting to get the feeling that Sarah only writes to me when she wants to make me feel jealous. I get up and rip the post-it note into pieces before throwing it away. Now I'm definitely going. I'm obviously not going to show that, though. Is Sarah making me jealous, though? 

Yes.

What's even worse is that I know Alex already kind of likes her. And this is just something that'll make them become even closer friends and maybe eventually lovers. But I do want Alex to be happy because of course I do. It still hurts, though.

                                                                                               . . .

"Are you ready for the competition this afternoon?" Alex asks me, leaning both of his elbows on the lunch table and hunching forward. 

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" I say.

Alex chuckles. "Yeah, I guess so," he says, leaning back in his seat. "But you'll be there, right?" he asks me again. He really does want me to go.

"Yeah, of course."

"Okay, good. I've been practicing a lot recently, and I don't want that hard work to go for nothing!" he replies, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Go for nothing?" I ask. "What do you mean?"

Alex tilts his head slightly like a dog would when it's confused. "Hm?"

I fix myself in my chair. What do I say? I really don't want to have to bring this up again. The thing is that he said that if I didn't come, then all his work would go for nothing. Or at least that's what I think he meant by what he said.

"I mean, you said... never mind," I say, shaking my head.

"Um, okay then," he replies, smiling. There's a pause between us, and then Alex says something.

"Hey, I have a fun game we can play. To get to know each other better. It's not really a game, I guess, but it's fun," he says.

"Oh?" I ask. "What is it?"

"All we have to do is just ask a question to me, and then I'll answer, but the catch is that you have to answer it too. So you can ask for a secret, but then you have to give one too. Of course, you can't ask questions that only apply to the person."

I shift nervously in my chair. "Okay, we can do that."

"Do you want to go first?" Alex offers me. I shake my head no.

Alex taps on his chin, thinking. I feel my hands starting to get sweaty as I anxiously wait for a question.

"Okay, here's one: name a strange habit you have. I know it's not a question, but I really want to know. I already have something in mind for myself."

I look at the table, quickly searching for something. Weird habits? I can't really think of anything at the moment. "Um... I guess... biting my nails?"

Alex smiles awkwardly. "That's not strange."

"I-I'm sorry," I say, my face getting hot. "I can't think of anything."

"I mean it's fine," Alex says. "My turn now! I've had this habit since I was I child, actually. Like it started when I was about seven. I really don't mind it now."

Now I really want to know. Since he was seven? That's almost ten years ago when he developed this habit.

"So I have this habit of having to hug a pillow to fall asleep. Like I've tried to stop when I was in middle school, but I just can't fall asleep without it. I don't know, it's kinda weird," he says, slightly laughing at the last part.

That's... really cute. I obviously won't say that to him, though.

"I mean it's not that weird," I say.

"Well, compared to your 'strange habit' it is. I was expecting yours to be weirder so that I wouldn't embarrass myself," he replies.

The second lynch bell rings, and Alex immediately jumps out of his seat. 

"I have a class in a minute," he says. "It sucks that we couldn't ask more questions, but we should do this tomorrow too."

I nod.

"Make sure you're there at the swimming pool after school, okay?"

"Yep, o-of course," I answer.

"See you there!" He says, quickly walking away. 

He's gone before I can even wave him goodbye.

**I'm so sorry for the long delay! The next chapter will not take a whole MONTH to be released!**