If there was a heart monitor on me right now my heart rate would be jumping off the charts. Literally. It was beating so loud he could probably hear it. I gulped. He didn't answer as Mr.Jackson took attendance on the school's computer. Forcing myself to tap him on his shoulder again, I finally earned myself a very short and indifferent,"what?" from the new boy who did not even bother to turn around.
"What's your name?" I asked in the most confident tone I could muster up. The pounding of my heart drummed in my ears as I waited for his answer.
A long pause settled between us. It was eerie and almost threatening like I had just asked a question I was not supposed to. Time seemed to freeze before us when the name," Kaleb," softly tumbled from his lips.
My Kaleb? Kaleb from three years ago? Questions were whirling through my head like a tornado. I thought if I ever meet him again I would cry and squeeze the life out of him but now that it was actually happening, I could not even bring myself to speak. I was stiff and shock stricken.
"What's your name?" He suddenly spoke up. His question was startling, frightening almost.
"Riley Austin," I croaked," but everyone calls me Austin."
He doesn't remember me.
"Nice name Ms.Austin," he teased, mocking Mr.Jackson from earlier.
"Nice name," I echoed after him. Realizing in that moment, I was just a wishful ghost lost in a dream for a little while. I felt pretty pathetic.
"Were you expecting someone else?"
I nodded my head then figured he couldn't see me," um yea. He was a good friend of mine."
"Just a good friend?" Kaleb continued to follow up with questions. For some unknown reason I couldn't help but feel angry.
"Yea, why?" I flashed back, narrowing my eyes at his well structured back and mentally slapping myself for thinking it.
"Why not?" he had an unemotional tone in his voice with a hint of annoyance. He definitely wasn't my Kaleb. I let out a frustrated sigh, feeling defeated for not being able to retaliate to his question. What was this guys problem?
The first bell of the day rang and I immediately stood up, ready to bolt through the doors but instead colliding into the back of the new kid. Ugh, this was not my day.
"Watch where you're going," I muttered loud enough for him to hear.
"You're the one that bumped into me," Kaleb corrected me, unamused. I rolled my eyes at him and he did the same," how annoying."
"You're annoying," I snapped back, turning a corner to get to class. I only knew the guy for a period and I already disliked him. Great.
The rest of the day dragged by slowly. Living in Rhode Island had some of its pros and cons. We lived in a small town where everyone knew each other and where everyone went to the same school. The students in my classes were kids I knew since elementary school and some would say we were pretty tight. Of course, there are some people I had a strong dislike for besides the new boy.
My legs carried me into the gymnasium and speak of the devil, I had the same gym class as Kaleb. I groaned inwardly, glancing down at my black shorts and oversize white t-shirt, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Wait, what the fuck? I shook my head at myself, rolling my eyes at Kaleb as I shuffled to the gym floor through all the girls going goo goo ga ga over him.
"Holy shit, he is hot!" Andy exclaimed in my ear, her eyes scraping over Kaleb's features," you're so lucky he sits in front of you. You get to sit in class seeing his lovely face every morning."
YOU ARE READING
in The Lonely Hours
Romance" you didn't try to fill the contents of my loneliness. You only tried to understand it. And it was enough for me."
