The Girl Across the Street

The Girl Across the Street 25

I get out and throw on pajamas then check my laptop. Kate's online so I chat with her for while. She asks me to come over but I tell her that I'm too tired and it's getting a little late for a school night. She's disappointed but understands. At 10:15 she logs off to finish her English homework so I log off of LifeTyme and turn off my computer.

I'm not quite ready for bed so I decide to hang out on the roof for a little bit. I grab a book and turn away from the window so that the pages of my book pick up the light spilling from my window.

Two chapters later, I check the time on my phone and see that's it's after eleven. I yawn and decide to go back inside and go to sleep.

Wednesday, December 12 my alarm goes off and I hit snooze once, getting up at 6:35 instead. I take a fast shower and brush my teeth. I shrug into today's clothes, a black band shirt and a bright blue short sleeved button down shirt. I grab my black converse and go downstairs.

My mom glances at my outfit and raises her eyebrows but doesn't comment, instead simply telling me to have a good day as she kisses my cheek and hands me my toast.

I start to eat and jog down my driveway to meet Simon. Through the windshield I see Simon has a purple shirt on. Emma comes out of her front door as I open the passenger side and I see she has a pink scarf on but her hair is otherwise the same, as are her shoes and bag.

"Nathan is getting a ride with Martin today, the asshole." Simon says instead of greeting me.

"I thought he was kidding. Whatever, all he did was complain. It's his loss."

"Hey guys!" Emma cheers as she climbs in the car.

"Morning." We chorus, not by any stretch matching her cheery morning-person tone. She laughs and buckles her seat belt.

"Nathan has ditched us so you have a choice. I can pick you guys up later or we can have more time at the school in the morning." Simon announces.

"I'm fine with either." Emma says, looking to me to make the decision.

"Let's just go at the same time and just have more time to run."

"Fine with me." "Sounds good." Emma and Simon answer at the same time.

We pull into the parking lot and make our way to the gym. Emma stops at the end of the hallway. "I'm going to the library today. I want to start working on the French project." Simon and I nod the continue to the gym, leaving Emma to walk down to the library.

Simon and I run for a good half an hour and I get that great after a good workout feeling of the slightly sore muscles. I jump under a cold shower quickly then change back into my clothes. Running my hands through my damp hair, I grab my backpack and meet Simon outside the locker room. We walk to home room without Emma or Nathan.

When we get there, Simon dashes to his desk and frantically starts to scribble down his math homework from the previous night. I seriously wonder why he doesn't do it the night before but I've never cared enough to ask.

Emma walks in, waves to me and takes her seat, pulling out her notebook. She writes in it for a few minutes and puts it away when the bell rings and Mrs. Olivers walks in.

After attendance is taken, the announcements come on and we all listen. I recognize the voice overhead, Kelley is doing the announcements today. I had forgotten that she was student council vice president. "Musical auditions are today after school in the choir room, come support the basketball team on Friday in their big home game vs. the West High Knights and the boy's varsity soccer team as a short but mandatory meeting after school in room B151. Thank you, have a great day!"

The speakers crackle as Kelley turns the microphone off and a few people glance around at Simon, Nathan and me but we remain as clueless as they are. Obviously it isn't an emergency meeting because otherwise Coach Kran would have called us down immediately. It must be about Will.

Sure enough, once Mrs. Olivers turns her back to us, a note written on lined paper lands on my desk. Any idea? -S it reads in black ink. I shake my head but mouth "Will" and shrug my shoulders to show I'm not sure. Simon nods and turns back to his math.

At the end of home room, Emma asks about the announcement on the way to English. "Is everything okay with you guys? That's the second time the soccer team has been called down in the week and a half that I've been here."

I nod. "It's really weird but I have no idea whatsoever. I think it probably has something to do with what happened to Will, I just can't imagine what it would be about."

Emma shrugs and mutters, "oh."

We walk to English all together and get a lot of stares for our bright, casual clothes, facing the whispers together. I flash a few sophomores girls a wink and my best smirk and they swoon, actually swoon. It's so freaking funny that I say "hey." They turn to one another and twitter. Simon nods to them and they all blush and wave back then spot Emma and glare at her for simply being with us. Emma notices and waves sweetly at them. They sneer and stalk away from us, leaving us cracking up and almost late to English.

Miss White gives us a disapproving look but smiles after a moment and nods to our seats. Most of the class watches us walk to our desks, analyzing our movements, scrutinizing us.

Math goes similarly, with everyone watching me and whispers following me but not as much as yesterday. Nick laughs at my bright blue shirt, "that's great dude." I laugh too and Mr. Byrd shushes us, pointing to Nick's desk.