"Hello?" I answered groggily.
"Leslie?" (she asked because this was my landline; my parents still had my cell).
"Yeah it's me. Thanks for waking me up, Sarah."
"We need to talk. What has been your deal lately? And Cody's! He wasnt at school yesterday and he wont respond to my texts," she was obviously fretting over this.
I sighed and weighed my options. I guess i could try to make something up, but Sarah was my best friend and would see right through it. And besides, i was much too tired to fabricate any semblance of a believable story.
I decided i couldn't keep blowing her off. I needed to tell her the truth.
"Sarah, if i tell you this, you have to promise you won't be upset with either of us, ok?"
"Alright. I promise. Now spit it out," she prodded.
"Well, you remember the other day when you found me in the band room and i told you i lost my clarinet?"
"Yeah."
"I lied. My clarinet wasn't lost. I was in there with Cody. We kind of.....kissed." i said sheepishly.
There was dead silence for a few moments followed by "Oh my god! Leslie! Why did you do that? Are ya'll going out or something?"
"Well I don't really know. I mean we aren't just friends, but we weren't technically dating either." I sighed. "It's complicated."
"Geez everything's complicated with you Leslie," she sounded annoyed.
We were both silent for a moment and i could feel the tenstion pulsing over the phone line. I spoke again.
"But basically, this is what all the drama is about: my parents found some incriminating messages about that on my phone. To make a long story short, I am in the biggest trouble ever. They even called Cody and chewed him out. Its all my fault...I should have just deleted the texts. But I'm an idiot. And now I'm afraid that Cody's angry with me." I rambled.
"Gosh Leslie, I really don't know what to say. But you kinda did bring this on yourself."
I sucked in a deep breath and didn't let that comment get to me. I was used to Sarah saying that kind of stuff all the time. And i guess she was partially right.
"Sure. Whatever you say." I said patronizingly. "But i should go. Thanks for checking up on me. Oh and Sarah, please don't tell anyone about this."
"I won't. I'll see you Monday."
"Alright, see ya."
I hung up the phone and rolled back over on my bed. The constant nausea in my stomach was becoming hard for me to handle. I felt like i needed to do something; get something productive accomplished. Anything to lighten this load on my mind.
So i decided to call Cody.
I left my room to make sure my parents weren't around, and when i got into the kitchen i found a note from them on the table.
"Went to breakfast. Didn't wanna wake you. Be back in a little while. --Mom"
Perfect. Now i didnt have to worry about them listening in on my conversation. I went back into my room and dialed his number.
Ring. Ring. Riiiinnng.
After six rings i puffed out air in frustration and threw the phone down on my bed. "Dammit."
I thought for a few minutes and then picked up the phone again. I just needed someone to vent to. Someone who could give me advice and not freak out on me like Sarah did. Someone who always made me feel better.
I dialed Hayley.
"Please pick up, please pick up, please pick up," i muttered under my breath.
"Hello?"
"Oh thank goodness you answered, i really need to talk to you."
The story came out in a rush. I barely stopped to take a breath. I knew i didn't have to hesitate or candy-coat anything for her; she'd done worse things before.
When i finished i sighed heavily and whimpered. "I don't know what to do, Hayley..."
"Wow. I can't even believe all that... it's crazy," she said incredulously.
"Yeah i know."
"I guess there's really not much you can do. Just--try to earn your parents' trust back. It's gonna take a long time but if you have a good attitude it might be faster. And as for Cody..." she fell silent for a moment. "You really told him you loved him?"
"Yeah. That was probably stupid wasn't it?" i said dejectedly.
"Well, you couldn't have kept that inside for very long. It's better that he found out now than later."
"But he doesn't even believe me! He said that i'm too young to even be in love. He practically said i don't even know what love is." Tears stung my eyes as i said this. I blinked them back and tried to push down the lump rising in my throat.
"...I honestly don't know what to say, Leslie. But if he's a real friend he won't let this bother him. It might be a good idea to lay low for a while, for your parents sake, but i think it will end up alright. You'll be okay. And you know i'm always here for you if you need me."
"Thanks. I needed to hear that. I--"
I cut off abruptly. I heard the garage door rising.
"I gotta go, my parents are here. I'll see you on Monday. Thanks for listening to me."
"You're welcome. I love you girl. Bye."
I hung up the phone and quickly put it on the base in the kitchen before my parents came in. I didn't much feel like talking to them today, so i went back into my room and didn't come out again for the rest of the day.
