savior

twenty four

DAY NINETEEN; TWELVE DAYS TO GO

ASHTON'S POINT OF VIEW

Lauren came speeding down the hallway before I could even get out of bed this morning. When I stepped out of my room, she was already in the kitchen, in her school uniform, munching on a slice of toast. Since I was in highschool, I had the priveledge of wearing whatever I wanted to school. I patted her on the head and opened the fridge, in hopes that their would still be milk in it. 

I had gotten my glass half-filled with milk when Lauren told me something that I would've never guessed that I would hear for a while. If I were to have been drinking the beverage, it probably would've been spit all over the place. "You have a what?" I asked, referring to the small statement she had quietly told me. 

"I have a boyfriend," she said, cautiously. 

"Oh." I took a seat at the island counter, trying to pull it off as if I didn't care. But inside, my thoughts were all jumbled up, and my stomach was twisted in knots. My baby sister has a boyfriend. A boyfriend. I tried to be cool about it, because I didn't want her to think I didn't trust her at all with it. I mean, I trust Lauren with everything. If anything, it would be the guy I shouldn't trust. But I haven't met him, so I can't really judge him. 

A smile plastered on her face as she noticed my calm expression. I took a sip of my drink. "I just wanted to tell you, in case you start wondering why I'm not home. I wouldn't want to worry you, or anything like that." 

"You're going to be out with this kid?" I asked, my eyebrows raised. There was no way on Earth that was going to happen with out my permission. I was starting to sound like I was her dad or something. Way to ruin the cool-brother vibe. I didn't mean to sound so protective, but she was my little sister. Any brother would feel this way.

Lauren nodded her head and finished her toast. Then she sauntered out of the door, flipping her skirt as she did. Harry was already standing at the exit. I wondered how long he had been there. The two of them walked out, headed to school, and left me all alone in our apartment. 

I took in the whole conversation, and immediately I thought of Regan, and what my reaction would be if she ever got a boyfriend. We were becoming such good friends, and I didn't want some other guy to come between that. The things I've been feeling towards her were quite different for me. I wasn't sure whether or not I liked her, or just like the idea of her. She was the only girl that ever interacted with me. I loved that.

I tried not to think about her too much as I got ready for school, but surprisingly, it was hard. She had been running through my thoughts a lot lately, ever since she told me everything that was going on in her mind. I like the fact that she trusted me with all of that. It's not like I had anyone to tell, really, other than Michael, but Regan and I both knew that he wouldn't let anything like that go. He had his own problems. He knew what it felt like to have things bottled up inside for a long time.

Stumblind upon that thought made me realize something else. Michael wasn't telling me things like normal. Usually, if something was going on, I'd be the first one he told. But he hasn't been saying anything about his life to me recently. It made me wonder even more about what was going on. Who was he seeing, and why wasn't he letting me in on it? 

I pulled on a pair of dark jeans. As I peered into my closet, I tried finding a particular shirt, but then I remembered that I had given it to Regan to wear yesterday. Sure, maybe I forced her into wearing it, but I really, really wanted to see her in my clothes. 

Before I left the apartment, I made sure every appliance and light was off. I didn't need to cause a fire on top of everything else. I thought about going to see my mom at the hospital this morning, to see if she was doing any better, but I decided against it. She probably wanted to sleep. I'd go see her some other time.

So instead I headed to Regan's house. She had a smile on her face when she saw me at her door. Together we walked to school, sharing a little small talk the whole way there. We departed when we got to the door, the both of us heading to our lockers, which were on the opposite sides of the hallway. 

My first few classes were a blur. I only really remembered first hour, only because we had an awfully familiar substitute teacher, and Regan was freaking out about it. Maybe she thought he was hot. I wasn't one to judge guys, considering I am one, but I didn't think he was all that attractive. Must be a girl thing. We even talked about how I had met him, and she seemed a little hesitant, but hey: girls are weird. I wasn't an expert of female hormones. 

A little before lunch, my old friend, Luke, decided to talk to me for the first time in a while. I should've been mad at him, but I couldn't find the ability to be. I missed him a lot, which might have been weird to say, but he was my friend. At least, he had been my friend. "Hey, man. What's up?" he asked me, leaning up against the lockers. He was only a few inches taller than me, but he was still sort of intimidating standing there like that. 

"Uh, just putting my books away," I said, throwing my science textbook in the small space. The few seconds of silence were awkward. I had no clue what I was supposed to say. Should I ask him why he abandoned Michael and I, only to come crawling back a few months after being dumped? Maybe that would be harsh. 

"I see that you're friends with Regan. She's a great girl," Luke stated, like I didn't already know that. I nodded my head and closed my locker, twisting the knob to lock it. "Hey, look man: I'm sorry for avoiding you all this time, alright? I was being an idiot. I shouldn't have abandoned my friends for a girl." 

I was stunned. Luke wasn't normally wasn't one to admit to any wrong-doing. I raised my eyebrows questioningly at him. He had been gone for almost a year. Why did he suddenly want to come back to us? Didn't he have greater friends? 

"You don't have to, like, say anything about it. I just wanted you to know that I'm aware I was wrong for leaving you for a girl. We were best friends, dude," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. His blue flannel was the same color as the lockers, and if the pattern wasn't there, he'd look like just a floating head. "I probably ruined that, though, haven't I?" 

The look on his face made it hard not to give in. He looked genuinely sorry for leaving me out of the blue. I sounded like a clingy girlfriend, thinking about that. "Not really. I mean, you can sit with us at lunch if you want. It may be awkward because Regan sits there but—"

"Sure! If you insist, buddy!" he said, before throwing an arm around my shoulders and pulling me in for a friendly hug. He moved his fist in circles on my head, messing up my hair. Then he let go and told me he'd see me then. 

It felt good to have my life somewhat going back to normal.