Fragments

2.6

                2.6

            My arm hands limply over my bed as I lie on top of the messy sheets, doing absolutely nothing besides daydreaming about before. Since missing another day of school I have homework to catch up on, but since showering and brushing my hair into a braid, I've felt better and more like myself since I became sick and don't want to waste the good feelings on doing something bland.

               When there's a knock at my door, I don't rise to get it.

            "Piper," someone says as they open the door. It's Candace, a girl I've talked to briefly in a few of my classes. We're friendly to each other, but not close.

            "Hi." I rise and hug my jeans to my chest, wondering why she's standing in the doorway and not coming inside.

            "There's someone out front waiting for you. They asked for someone to get you but they didn't know who you were so I said I'd come and find you." She doesn't smile as she looks around the room and her eyes are simple, curious. "Are you feeling any better?"

                I nod. "Yeah, thanks."

            She stands there, lingering, as if expecting me to follow her out and down the stairs to the foyer. She's looking for an excuse to find out who the person out front is, a reason to be introduced. I don't give her one.

            "Bye." She barely looks at me as she leaves and shuts the door. The second she's gone, I race to my window and look out front of the school. Surely enough, Roman is leaning against a short stone wall that encases a growing tree. He's smoking, the wind tousling his hair so perfectly he could be in the middle of a photo shoot.

            I dress in a warm, black pullover and a pair of ankle boots.

            I noticeably leave the jacket.