Early Bird | ✓

15 | owl

           Mateo nodded, understanding shimmering in his countenance. It made Lizzy want to shout in relief because maybe now things between them—the three musketeers—could finally return to normal. "What do you think I should do?" Mateo asked, his dark eyebrows furrowing. "I don't want to give her the wrong impression and hurt her more."

           Lizzy clapped excitedly, her sparkling teeth materializing as she smiled. "Thank goodness, I'm so happy you're finally getting the whole idea and seeing the whole picture. She already knows how you feel and you know how she feels so that's all settled. I think the next best move is for you to apologize to her and help her move on from you by—I don't know—introducing her to other guys? Not being super-duper sweet in a way that would lead her on? That sort of thing."

           "You're a lifesaver, Lizzy. Honestly," Mateo told her sincerely before exiting the comfy, red booth in order to return to his fretting girlfriend who was staring at them in mystification and wondering what was taking him so long.

           "That's what I'm here for. Now get back to your girlfriend so that I can get to my pizza," Lizzy said, shooing him away. Mateo sent her a grateful smile and then he retreated to his date. Her goal completed with hopes of a fresh start on Monday, Lizzy rose from the booth, grabbed her pizzas (unfortunately, they were slightly less warm now but hopefully her family wouldn't mind), and headed home.

❁

           After a wonderful late lunch with her family, Lizzy withdrew to her bedroom, complaining raucously about the terribly large amount of homework she had to complete. Her mother, father, and brother all grew sick of her grievances that they begged her to stow away in her bedroom. "You're not getting anything done by complaining about it," her father pointed out, his patience with his daughter wearing very thin. In reality, Lizzy's homework load was lighter than usual; she just yearned for some peace and quiet from her family for a few hours, undisturbed, whilst she texted JJ. Sending pictures of each other's faces seemed to cement their friendship and it made it all that more real to Lizzy. It wasn't just a stranger with some number, a random person whom she was confiding in; it was JJ, a living, breathing human, a boy, a friend, someone Lizzy trusted who actually existed somewhere out there in the world.

            Well, since he lived in her time zone, perhaps he existed somewhere closer than she had previously thought. The idea was too intoxicating, dizzying her head, and Lizzy pushed the thought away.

           JJ, how r u, my dude? I literally have nothing going on for the rest of the day if you wanna talk about, idk, anything really and ask each other questions about each other.

           JJ must have had a lull in his schedule because his reply caused her phone to resuscitate a few minutes later, the screen glowing to life.

           Same here. Sundays are the best tbh. I need days like this to get some energy for the school week.

           Ikr, school is exhausting af. I'm surprised I haven't died yet. I have considered dropping out a couple times lol.

           Who hasn't? I'm pretty sure that thought comes to me like thousands of times during the school day.

           What's your favorite class?

           AP Biology. Which usually doesn't come as a surprise to anybody because I have a major green thumb and I work at this florist shop/greenhouse that's only a few miles away from my house.

            That's so cool! I only work in the summers for one of my dad's farming friends who owns a shitload of cows. That pun was unintended lol. My brothers and I all have worked there ever since my oldest brother Chase was old enough to work. It's hard but at least I'm getting cash, am I right?