Across the Bridge

Across the Bridge - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Things felt different at school come Monday. Camilla and Lydia and Sam sat with me, since I was the first to get to homeroom. They included me in their conversations. It was like all of sudden we were friends. I mean, I was their  friend. I worried that Camilla knew Duke had followed me out of the party, but apparently Matt was keeping all of my secrets. They knew I was Alex's best friend, so they were cool with me. For now.

   "Hey," Matt smiled at me in first period, sliding into the seat beside me.

   "Hey."

   "How was your weekend?" His hair was such a light blond color. I'd never really noticed before.

   "Oh, fine. I didn't really do anything," I answered, pulling out my binder for the class.

   "Ah, yeah. So, do you want to hang out after school? Lex and Lydia and I are going to -"

   "I have to work," I interrupted, looking away.

   "Oh, damn."

   "Another day, okay?" I asked, trying - for some reason - not to disappoint him.

   He smiled, at least. "Yeah, for sure."

   Lex was disappointed, or maybe even mad, when I he heard that I had to work, too. His eye brows furrowed and he curled up his lip, annoyed. I could tell he was upset even though he was trying to hide it.

   "Tomorrow?" he suggested, at the end of the day.

   "Sure," I nodded, agreeing.

   He grinned, happy with my answer. And I was happy, too, that he was trying hard to include me. But I was still waiting to feel like I fit in there, with them. I still felt like I was a piece of a totally different puzzle, and someone was just jamming me in, hoping that I fit. 

  I wasn't surprised that Duke strolled into the library fifteen minutes before it closed that evening.  I wasn't upset about it, either. I was just about to sign out, but I was taking my time. I had a feeling he would show up, even though he hadn't replied to my last Facebook message.

   He smiled, but he didn't look his confident self, let alone arrogant. His hair was messy and his leather jacket was unzipped, a t-shirt under it. 

   "Hey, friend," I said, then realized how dumb it sounded.

   Duke let out a laugh. "Hi."

   "Need a book?" I asked, then shrugged.

   He shook his head. "I think it's obvious I'm just here to see you, now."

   I kept a straight face. "I'm leaving, though."

   "I was hoping you'd say that," he grinned.

   I swallowed hard. "I have to study tonight."

   "So, I can take you home?" he suggested, stepping back a bit. "I mean, I'd like to drive around again with you, but if you need to get home, I can drive you."

   "Duke..." I didn't even know what to say.

   "It's Winston."

   I stepped out from around the desk and he stepped back again, almost as if he was afraid of me.

   "I told you, I don't think we should hang out," I managed to say.

   "And yet you keep telling me when you work, and messaging me on Facebook..."