Perfectly Imperfect

17

Monday rolled in and I was early for college. Not that I was planning to bump into Chris or anything. I also hadn't styled my hair down, with soft waves to look pretty. Or put one of my favorite's sequin sweaters, just to make sure he wouldn't miss me in the park.

My shoulders sagged. I am bordering into the pathetic lane.

It was pitiful to see the extent I was taking to gain his attention. Yet, there I was. Ten minutes before class, all set up, waiting for my classmates to reach our designated spot.

Since I still had time, I took a seat on the closest bench. I grabbed my phone and started to scroll through my Facebook feed, learning useless things, like the fact that one of my classmates back in California had broken up with her boyfriend and another had tainted her hair bright red.

Sighing, I crossed my legs trying not to look at the time. The minutes passed and a couple of my peers arrived. I had rarely spoken to them, so we didn't exchange more words than hello.

I met Caitlin's eyes just as she was stepping through the path to our meeting point. Smiling, she walked to me. "Hey." I waved with a small grin on my lips, at the same time she sat next to me. "What are you up to?"

Shrugging, I turned off my phone's screen. "Not much. You?"

Her golden curls shimmered under the sunlight. "We should definitely get together sometime. There's this karaoke place that it's the bomb."

I pursed my lips. "I don't do karaoke. My voice is squeaky and high-pitched like a banshee's when I sing."

She pulled back her head as she laughed at me. "You're so funny, Farah! But I won't make you sing if that means torture for the rest of us. We can have laugh at other's performances." She winked at me at the same time Michael walked into our little group.

"Good morning guys!" I didn't pay attention to what he was saying, because I was too busy scanning our surroundings. Chris was nowhere in sight.

Where is he?

My left foot started to tap against the floor nervously as I clasped my hands together. I didn't feel like I could text him because I didn't want to seem clingy or anything. I mean, not that I was being completely pathetic before.

Ugh. I hate this uncertainty.

As usual, Michael gave us time to do our daily picture. I couldn't concentrate at all. No book title came to mind and everything in the park seemed pointless and lame to snap.

The hours seemed longer than usual. When the time was up, thankful, I stepped to Mom's car to pick up my sisters.

Where the hell is he?

He wouldn't miss class if it wasn't something important.

Riley wasn't in the best of moods either. She had a fight with one of her friends and was as grumpy as hell. We both were. The ride back home was silent and somber. Haley's brown eyes were just wide as they glanced from Riley to me. She pretty much sprang out of the car as soon as I parked it in front of the house.

To make things worse, Mom called and asked me to start assembling a tuna salad for dinner because she didn't know if she was going to make it on time. I was just opening the second tuna can, when the doorbell rang.

"Haley could you get the door?" I shouted from the kitchen, pouring the tuna into the salad bowl. Either she didn't hear me or she ignored me completely. Groaning, I grabbed a paper towel and cleaned my hands as I walked to the door. I took a deep breath, trying to appear more calmed than how I actually felt.