Chubby ✔️

Red Light

Monday came around. Once again.

And I feared for my life. Once again.

I considered pretending to be sick but then I realized that in the end, I'll suffer because missing classes will affect my grades.
Which will then mean I'll be a complete loser.
My grades are all I have going for myself.

As I'm walking out the door, I can't help but remember how the day I tried out for The Modeling Academy.
I remember how nervous I had been.
And I remember how hopeless I felt after the rejection.
I still feel that way sometimes.

I shake my head, getting rid of the horrible thoughts.

I look up at the sky, observing the clouds and realize that the muscle pull in my neck has gotten better and no longer aches as much when I look up or sideways.

I just hope today goes well.

•••
She's absent today.
She's not here!!
Oh. my. God.
She's not here.

Am I dreaming?

I pinch myself and wince in pain.

Yeah, I'm pretty much wide awake.
I never imagined this would've happened in my wildest dreams.

I can't help the smile that stretches widely across my face and make my way to my locker, my shoulders raised a little higher at the thought of no beatings and insults today.

The bell rings and I sigh happily.

English class.
This is a good day.

As I was walking home from school, I couldn't be happier. Nothing bad had happened today.
I wasn't injured and I wasn't crying.

I unlocked the door with my key and walked in, only to find Buzz curled up on the bottom stair.

That's weird. Casper takes Buzz everywhere with him. Regardless if Buzz wants to come or not. If Buzz has been left alone, then where is Casper?

"Casper?" I call out and get silence as an answer. "Casper? Where are you?" I make my way up the stairs and slowly push open his bedroom door and find no one there.

Okay, now I'm panicking.

The phone rings downstairs and I run to the kitchen, breathless as I answer, "Hello?"

"Willow? Thank God," Theodore says in a relieved voice. "When did you get home?"

"Just now," I answer. "But where is Casper? No one's home. Is he with you?"

"Um," his muffled voice nervously answers through the phone and I frown.

"What, Theodore?"

"Casper and I are at the toy store."

"What?"

"Uh yeah, he was telling me about this new toy that came out and I couldn't resist. He was so excited."

Well, I know that feeling. You just can't say no to Casper.

"Okay, so when're you guys coming back? And does Natalie know?"

"She's with us, actually."

"Alright, I guess I'll be here when you guys get back."

"Okay, bye."

I hear the beep and put the phone back in it's place as I look around, wondering what I should do. I had already done my homework in the free period that we had.