What We Once Were | ✔

29 | Vincent

It was late when I finished grading all the essay's, I couldn't believe all the grammar errors I found within a sentence.

I seemed to be the only one at school, the janitors were finishing up just as I was leaving. I glanced at my watch, it was almost six! I sighed, I couldn't be more tired, with graduation coming up for the seniors all the teachers were in a hurry for missing work to be turned in so some could actually graduate. I pulled coat tight, buttoning it all the way up, it was predicted to snow tonight again, but since February was coming to a close they were getting fewer. I could almost smell spring, I love the snow but I love warm weather more.

I locked my door shutting it tightly, my hair was getting longer again so I mentally made plans for the barbershop. Mom owned a salon when she was younger so she was always the one cutting my hair, even when I graduated college. I stepped out of the of the odors to the cold wind softly blowing, as I began walking I noticed a figure sitting on the bench by the doors, they held themselves tightly in their coat as their breaths puffed out. Is a student still here? I turned to them, the snow piled up around the bench melting slowly as the warm weather barely showed.

"Hey," I asked, "you okay? Need a ride home?"

They looked up suddenly, my heart stopped when I saw it was August, her face was pale but memorizing.

"August? Why are you here?!" I asked in a panic, "you should be home! You're gonna get sick!"

She looked down, she stood up holding herself, "I wanted to talk to you......"

My heart fell, "you couldn't do it after class today?"

She shook her head, "not at school, I couldn't."

I sighed, I looked at the graying sky and the empty parking lot, "do you need a ride home?"

She nodded, "yeah.....if it's okay with you."

I smiled, "it is, come on."

I turned to my car, August hesitantly followed me behind, I unlocked the car doors climbing in, I tossed my bag in the back seat just as August sat herself in the passenger side. I revved the engine backing out, the melting snow slushed under the tires.

"Does your mom know that you stayed behind?" I asked, I glanced at August, she leaned against the fogging window.

"Yeah..." she replied in mumble.

"Okay, don't do that again." I said turning to right, "nearly gave me heart attack."

She chuckled, "you're not old enough for that."

"Well, I feel older than my age." I said smiling, I loosened my tie as well as my black vest, "so, what did you need to talk about?"

She kept quiet.

"Graduation?" I asked, she shook her head no, "then what?"

She sighed, sitting up she kept her brown eyes on me. "How do you tell someone you lo-" August cut herself off.

"Tell someone what?" I asked I drove slowly against the slush, careful to drive off, "that you love them?" I guessed.

Her cheeks flushed, crap, did I say something wrong?

"Yeah...that you love......them." August mumbled.

"Well, I don't know, depends on who I guess." I said, the clouds up above grew thicker, threatening to snow even though spring is around the corner.

"But how?"

"Well, August, I'm not sure. Love can be tricky sometimes," I said earnestly, "it's also been abused so I'm not sure what love really is nowadays. "