Chapter 13

6 0 0
                                    

Online school. I hate and I haven't even started it yet. Sure, the school was worse in some cases, because it wasn't as easy to cheat, but I miss the in-person vibe and seeing all my friends.

I suck it up and click on my first lesson: Math. I have to watch videos of the lessons first, then take quizzes to see if I learned anything. Not my type of learning.

As I click on the video and am about to hit play, my phone dings, and when I check it's Michael.

He texts me hey and asks me what I'm doing. I send him a picture of my computer screen and say 'schoolwork'. He then asks to call me, which I'm surprised about because I thought he was in school.

He calls me, so I answer and put the phone up to my ear.

"Hey." He says, a hint of excitement in his voice.

I smile, that feeling coming back when I hear his voice. "Hey. Aren't you supposed to be in school?" I ask him.

"I am. It's a free period."

"Oh. Your teacher just lets you make a phone call in class?" I laugh because if I did that, Mrs. Galigher would have written me up and got me detention.

"Well, I'm in the bathroom right now. And she's not my teacher, she's one of the sisters." He says matter-of-factly.

I'm confused for a second, but then I catch on. "Sisters? You go to catholic school?" I'm trying not to laugh and make fun of him.

"My parents are hella religious. They don't trust public schools." He pauses for a second. "It's okay, you can laugh, everyone does."

I can't help it. I start bursting out laughing. "What? Do you have to say a prayer every morning or something? You got to read from the Bible every day?" I would lose it.

"No...Maybe. The point is, I'm talking to you so-"

I look over to my door because it just opened, and mom peeks her head through. I quickly think of what to do, because she obviously cannot know I was on the phone with a boy, and if I just hang up, she'll be even more suspicious. "No...I will not give you any money. This is obviously a scam...and I'm...hanging up!" I hang up and look at mom, who's confused.

"I heard laughing..." she says nervously.

"Oh, that? I just...saw something funny. and these damn robocalls you know?" I wave my phone at her.

"Yeah...Oh, I see you started your schoolwork." She nods her head as she looks at my computer.

"Yeah. I'm almost done." Who am I kidding? Even I don't believe myself.

She gives me a 'really' look. "You didn't start did you?"

"Nope. Not one bit." I say truthfully.

"Well start. Now." She leaves, leaving my door open so I have to get up and close it. I text Michael that I'll talk to him later, and then I turn my phone off and actually get some work done.

***

I'm finally done at 2:30 and get to shut my laptop off. I'm about to call Michael, but I remember he's still in school. He should be getting out soon.

I really want to see him, and that's when I come up with the idea to surprise him. I grab my phone and put on my shoes.

It takes a lot of begging, but I finally convinced my mom to let me hang out with my 'friends'. She only said yes because I finished school early.

I hop in mom's car and drive over to Michaels's house. I had to look at snap maps to see where he lives.

I park outside his house and text him to come outside. He comes out and sees me, and rushes over.

The ghost of himWhere stories live. Discover now