"Hayden!" My mom's voice interrupts my thoughts and I shake myself, quickly finishing up with brushing my hair.
I had woken up really early this morning with a slight feeling of confusion, like I was forgetting something. But even though I was up early, I seem to have lost track of time, well either that or my mom is reading the microwave again instead of the clock.
"I'm coming!" I yell back, picking up my backpack from where it says beside my study table.
The weather is warmer today so I wear a very thin sweatshirt, I'll soon have to go back to short handed tops and shirts if this keeps on - it isn't my favorite kind of outfit because I feel like my arms are too skinny.
I pick up Apple from her basket on my way down, she yawns a little and winks open one eye to check who's lifting her, once she confirms who it is, she promptly falls back asleep in my arms.
She's getting bigger but she's still a kitten and even though I know she can get up to my room all by herself, I'd made it a routine to always take her down with me whenever I'm going down to breakfast.
I sit at the table, raising an eyebrow as my mom places a bowl of cereal in front of me. "None of your spectacular failures today?" I ask, already digging in.
She makes a face as she quickly placed a bowl of milk on the table for Apple - she did it quickly because the first time I brought the kitten to breakfast, she dunked her entire head in my cereal bowl trying to get to milk.
"You complain when I cook for you and you also complain when I don't." She pouts. "Try making up your mind, would you?"
I look at her in amazement. "When have you ever taken my feedback?" I ask her. "All you do is listen to what I say then let it hit your face and fall to the ground." I sass.
"Ouch! That's a horrible thing to say to your mother." She places a hand over her heart.
"What can I say?" I shrug with a mouthful of food. "The truth stings."
She just levels me a look then slips off her apron. "I need to get my keys so I'll drive you to school, your friends say that they'll meet you there." She informs me, already walking away.
I continue my meal, absently watching Apple lap up her milk with tiny kitten licks, I'm not the biggest fan of cat food and neither is my mom but we might need to buy some soon so that she isn't underfed.
I hope I'll see Virgil and Dale today, Dale hadn't been in school for the past two days, he didn't come over either so I'm a little worried.
Virgil was around but I barely saw him, we have lots of free periods on Wednesdays so I'm looking forward to seeing him, nevermind that the free periods are after gym.
I mentally die a little, I'm pretty sure it comes off as no surprise that I hate sports. It's not my fault really, trust me, it's very hard to like something that you're terrible at.
My mom comes back out in a skirt and my worry mounts, my mom never wears skirts. She says she feels like she's in a plastic tube and if she makes a wrong move, she'll trip and fall, sprawling on the ground. First she gives me cereal straight up without attempting to cook and now she's in a skirt, what's going to come next? The bloody apocalypse?
"Mom?" I call her as we start for the car, Apple is fast asleep again and I had dropped her on a pillow.
"Hmm?" She hums, opening the car.
"Should I be worried?" I ask, getting in the front beside her.
"Huh? About?" She looks at me, pausing in her action to slip the key in.
"Well let's see." I tap my chin in a playful manner, like I'm thinking deeply. "First you give me cereal and now you're in a skirt? Like an honest to God full skirt, not even a mini one, like you're a secretary in a convent. Is something wrong?"
She looks in my direction at my outburst, then she bursts out laughing. "You're just precious!" She gasps, putting the car in gear.
"Well." She shrugs. "Virgil has been blowing up my phone because he made some stupid bet with Dale that both of them can't come to your house until they do something or the other so I figured that the faster I get you to school, the sooner I'll get some peace. He's killed my phone twice now."
I gape at her explanation, that was the furthest thing from my mind. "They did that?" I mumble, still trying to wrap my head around it.
Here I was, getting worried and worked up when the real reason I haven't seen them is because of a … bet??!
"But that doesn't explain why you're in a skirt." I look at the dull, black pencil skirt she had on.
"I honestly don't remember putting this on." She says matter of factly and I'm lost.
"Excuse me, what?"
"Pretty much what you heard me say, I don't even remember buying this skirt." She gestures down with a hand and I simply give up.
"Take care okay?" She says to me when we arrive at Pine Creek High, kissing my forehead.
"Yes Mom." I reply cheerily, slipping on my backpack. My mood has improved now that I know that all my friends are fine.
"Burn that skirt." I advise her, already making my way out.
She pouts at this. "I actually like it."
I give her an affronted look but start off across the parking lot when the bell rings, a particularly loud 'bye baby!' from her has me cringing but I quickly forget about that as I join the throng of students milling in.
I keep my head down, not wanting to attract attention to myself, news of what happened between Tyrone and I was still in the air. That's why I wasn't even extremely devastated that Virgil and Dale kept their distance for the past two days that I resumed, because the publicity would have killed me for sure.
Whispers start up and I'm tempted to lift my head up but my anxiety spikes when I think that they might be talking about me.
"Elise and her crew…"
"Have you heard the news…"
"Dance…
"The new guy…"
Whispers reach my ears but I can hardly understand what they're saying but at least I don't think I'm the centre of attraction.
I sidle up to my locker and start to put in the combination, if the hallway is in an uproar like this, Virgil would have been surrounded so most likely he was on the roof with Shana.
It's still pretty early but the school is already full, I'm curious about what is going on but I can't bring myself to look up from my feet. It's a good thing I know the way to the roof like the back of my palm because there's nothing in my line of sight except legs and shoes.
As I start up the stairs a malicious voice cuts through the noise.
"Get out of my way loser! Have anyone seen Virgil?"
I don't wait to hear the replies if there are any, already hurrying up to the roof.
I get there with my heart in my throat, only to get snatched from my feet and pulled into someone's arms.
I let out a short scream, closing my eyes in terror."Oh my god!" I gasp, panting.
"Calm down Hay, it's just me." Virgil's soothing voice pierces through my haze and I blink open an eye.
"Virgil?" I open my eyes wide. "Why did you grab me like that?" I accuse, still recovering from the shock. He's hugging me so hard that my sneakers leave the ground, looking at me intensely.
"Fine, you win." Dale's irritated voice comes from behind Virgil. "You can put him down now."
"Hard pass." Virgil scoffed. "Don't be a sore loser, Dal."
I just roll my eyes, trust them to come up with something like this. "I can't believe you betted on who would hug me first." I say, stepping out of Virgil's hug to go sit beside Shana on a bench. The roof is still beautiful, flowers in full bloom because it's the end of spring and most of winter's effects were gone.
"I would have won too if Idiot there hadn't tripped me." Dale grouched, quickly sitting beside me to Virgil's dismay.
"Hey that's my line!" Shana protests and I smile at her antics.
"Did something happen in school today?" I can't help asking.
The three of them look at me with fond looks.
Shana facepalms. "How did you not see it? Flyers are everywhere. It's on the school board and posters are in every corner of the school."
"Hey!" I protest. "Just answer my question." I pout, I'm definitely not telling them I never looked up once after I got to school except when I was at my locker.
"The Spring Dance is coming up."