neighbors ~ mileven

serendipity

~*~

El woke up to her father waking her up, which only meant one thing: she overslept.

"ELLA HOPPER GET YOUR ASS OUT THE DOOR AND IN A SCHOOL SEAT RIGHT NOW!" Hopper yelled as El jerked up from her bed and frantically put on a yellow sundress with a leather jacket and put her hair up in her car just now noticing her bedhead. The bell had blasted throughout the courtyard as she jumped out of the car. And bolted to her locker. As she practically fell into class she didn't feel anything less of embarrassment, as she has never been late.

"I'M HERE! MS.JONES I AM HERE AND I AM SO SORRY I'M LATE!" El pleaded with her teacher.

"El Hopper, to the principal's office." Ms. Jones said, monotone.

"AM I THAT LATE!?" El asked, looking at her watch, panic-stricken.

"No, Miss Hopper. I received a memo saying to send you down there today, unfortunately I have no other info for you." Ms. Jones informed the brunette.

"Oh, well ok." El said, nervously walking out of the classroom and down the hallway.

As El's sweaty hand reached for the doorknob she could hear Principal Jensen in the middle of a conversation with someone else.
"Ah, Miss Hopper so glad you could join us. Please have a seat." Mr. Jensen said kindly while gesturing towards the seat next to an already occupied chair.

Occupied by one, Mike Wheeler.

"Now that I have the both of you, I can deliver this wonderful news: Michael Wheeler and Ella Hopper, you both have received an internship at Wabash University!"
Giant grins found their way onto the students faces. El covered her mouth in excitement as Mike bit his thumb to prevent himself from smiling any wider.

"Now amongst all that excitement you must be feeling, I must elaborate. As I'm sure you both are aware, there was only one internship position available so I'm sure you are confused as to how you both are accepted. Usually the internship goes towards the students with the higher GPA and letters of recommendations, but as luck would have it, you both have a 4.4 GPA and submitted 3 letters of recommendations for your internship application. So you have both been accepted as interns in the Art program at Wabash University."

El's smile began to fade as she came into a realization
"Wait, I'm sorry did you say 'Art program'?" El asked, very confused.

"I did." Mr. Jensen answered.

"I applied for the internship in the music program, how is it that I got into the Art program internship?"

"Yea she doesn't even take art." Mike said.
El could not help but turn her head into his direction and lock her gaze with his.

That's the first thing he's ever said to me since he ended our friendship
Could I even consider that as a saying towards me? He was talking about me.
But to Mr. Jensen.
Hm.

"Oh well, if you'll excuse me I will be more than happy to make a call to the university while I go find your intern application. I will be just a moment." Mr. Jones said

Silence filled the room.

El reached into her bag and brought out her pack of gum as she instantly remembered that she had no time to brush her teeth this morning. As she popped a gum stick of Trident Layers in her mouth, she silently, reluctantly offered one to Mike.

He shook his head.

El then placed the gum pack back in her bag as she took down her ponytail to redo it again in a neater fashion.
Mike couldn't help but look over at her and analyze her demeanor.

She overslept. She has those bedhead fly aways. And I actually do want gum.

"A-Acutally can I have a gum?" Mike asked nervously. Silently scolding himself for stuttering, as it showed a crack in his distant and cold manner he'd always kept around her.
"Yea sure." El replied, giving him the gum as their fingers brushed against one another.

Now THAT was his first sentence to me since we "broke up" if I can even call it that.
Also, it's literally a stick of gum, not a promise ring dear god stop sweating El.

Just as El had been reprimanding herself mentally, Mr. Jensen walked back into the office.

"I am terribly sorry Miss Hopper, it is clear on your application that you were very interested in the music program, however, I just got off the phone with the university and it appears that there was a mix-up with your paperwork and your application wound up in the art programs mailbox. I have asked if it is possible to transfer you to the music program internship but it seems that another student has already filled that position. The spot is still yours if you want it, now I know that it is not the program you intended to gain knowledge about but, it is still a spot reserved just for you at this very prestigious university. And you can always explore the music aspect of the school and meet the professors of your preferable academy in your free time. And you will have Mr. Wheeler here to guide you throughout the program, seeing as how it was his chosen program." Mr. Jones informed
El stayed silent as she was processing all of the given information, but Mike couldn't help but ask a question.
"Well wait, just because we're both interns for the same program doesn't mean we have to spend time together." Mike said

He's such an ass.
El thought as his comment brought her out of her ellipses.

"No, now although it is a prestigious school and Miss Hopper was accidentally placed as an intern in the wrong program, you both were set to be interns under the same employer and professor. So Miss Hopper if you were to accept the position, which I advise you do, then you and Mister Wheeler would both be working pretty closely. Miss Hopper?" Mr. Jensen said, redirecting his attention towards her.

"C-Can I have the day to think about it?" El asked.

"Of course. The internship is set to begin November 5 so if you could let me know your decision a week before then, that would be greatly appreciated" The principal said with a smile as both students exited his office and began walking in opposite directions with the same thought:

Fuck.

AUTHORS NOTE:
helllooooo ty for reading :) seriously it means a lot. srry this was shorter than the other parts but the next should b pretty long. please leave comments lmao they make me smile and I hope u guys r doing well. i'm currently so tired as it is 4 am so goodnight 💤