Vortex

Chapter 4

   Thursday. Thomas hadn't stopped thinking about his gorgeous neighbour, it was too complicated to forget her really, her whole graceful and happy appearance never disappeared from his complex mind, no matter how much he tried. He looked for her all week but she wasn't there. Her car wasn't parked either, maybe she was away. The thought of the distance between him and her made his heart sink inside his chest. He had started feeling away too, like he wasn't mentally present in most conversations, something that started occuring after he last saw Eleanor . He wasn't even excited about playing at the coffee shop that night, he couldn't focus on his music, although his family specifically asked for him to do his best, they needed that contract for as long as possible. Thomas promised to do so, the last thing he wanted was to disappoint his parents, whom had worked so hard to get there. Yet his mother noticed something was off in him, he was living in his own world, not bothering to even speak most of the time. She was worried but certain it was just momentary, her son had always been so close to her, they told each other everything... It would still stay that way, right?

     "Thomas" Tasha called, sipping her green tea. "Are you ready for tonight?"

     "What's tonight?" he replied, staring down his own cup of tea, his tongue still burning from trying to drink it 5 minutes ago.

     "Are you serious?" she sighed, rubbing her temples with her fingers. "Thomas, you promised you'd focus more. Tonight is our gig day. What's been happening with you? Is it the place, don't you like it?"

      "Mom" he sighed as well, realizing what he had been doing for the last few days. " I've just been tired lately. I love the place, don't worry." 

       He reached out his hand to touch his mother's, squeezing it gently as a smile spread through her face. Thomas felt bad he hadn't been paying much attention to the band, he knew it was crucial to his whole family. He felt self-centered, but all his thoughts weren't about him, but Eleanor. Tasha noticed his hair was messy, she felt the need to pass her hands through it and tide it, but Thomas wasn't 'there' again and it wasn't worth his mom's efforts. A sudden sadness occupied her heart, she was worried their relationship would never be the same again. 

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    "Grace, you're too dramatic..." Rachel complaint, taking a bite from her apple.

     " I am not." Grace replied " I need you tonight at the coffee shop, please. This really cool band started playing there last week and it was so full, I couldn't deal with it. Can you please come?"

    "I don't know, I'm kinda busy tonight." famous Rachel words. "Johnny is coming over tonight, we're studying french."

      "A french kiss is not studying." Grace lightly smiled, making her friend blush instantly. "But it's fine, I get it."

      The rest of the lunch was boring and Rachel was just being her usual selfish person, only talking about Johnny and how much they were in love... Sickening. Not because she minded listening to her talk about it, but because she could never talk about her own problems. She wanted to talk about the bass boy and how excited she was to see him again that night, but Rachel wouldn't let her. Their so called friendship had been that way since freshman year, before Grace realized she was like that, but then it was too late. Just like it was too late to miss her History class (Mr. Bower had already seen her right before 3rd period, and he had the best memory out of all teacher, can't fool him). But she wanted to miss it, she needed to go home and train a few words in front of the mirror before the band arrived. Grace knew that night she would speak to the bass boy for the first time, she was ready and she was NOT making a fool of herself. So she went home. She didn't care if Mr.Bower had seen her, she didn't care about him at all. What did she need History for anyway?