the other side of the curtain

04

"Hey, Rivers?"

"..."

"Rivers?"

"...*snores*..."

"Rivers Walter!"

"Huh? Wha-?"

"Rise and shine, sleepy head. It's 1pm in the afternoon."

"Good afternoon to you too."

"I've got something to ask you, Rivers."

"Yeah?"

"The school you go to...is it called Creekside High School?"

"Um, no, I went there last year. I'm in college now. Creekside College."

"Oh. So you're a year older than me?"

"I guess so. Why?"

"Well...I just heard your conversation with your friend yesterday."

"Oh, Collins? Yeah, I talked to him."

"And you mentioned this girl from Creekside High School."

"Who?"

"I don't know. You were talking about this girl you like."

"Why? Jealous?"

"In your wildest dreams. Anyone who likes you is mental."

"Ouch."

"Anyways, that girl, you mentioned her name was 'Emery'?"

"Yeah. Emery Leens. She used to go to Creekside High School. But her family moved away like last year or maybe early this year. I never got to tell her I like her."

"Well, that's upsetting."

"Great observation."

"Sorry."

"Nah, I don't think she ever liked me anyways."

"We are all victims of unrequited love at some point in our lives. Even if it's just a crush on someone else."

"Deep."

"Thank you. I like to think of myself as a philosopher."

"Yeah right."

"Better than you'll ever be."

"Hey-"

"So, 'Emery Leens', you say? I knew her."

"Yeah, quite a lot of people know her. She topped the school, like, every single year. And since our town is such a small town, I'm thinking she's pretty well-known. She even had an article about her in the paper once!"