A/N: Not edited, so excuse the grammatical errors if there are. By the way, I perfectly know that "bestest" is wrong, it's just an expression the most friends use. Enjoy!
"It sounds crazy, to think that I cared so much without ever talking to you."
— Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me
"Okay, just breathe Gwen. They'll be back later." I comforted myself.
"And that later is like, after dinner which is at nine." I added, "And I have like six hours left to think of a solution for the situation."
Cool, it rhymed!
I thought to myself and smiled.
Focus!
And then, out of nowhere, an idea hit me.
I called Esme right away, after three rings she picked up the phone.
"Thank the bloody Angel that you answered!" I exclaimed.
"Gwen?"
"I'll be over your house, I need to talk to you. Be there after three minutes." I told her swiftly and hung-up.
After precise three minutes, I'm at her door. The perks of being besties next door.
"Esmeralda?" I knocked at her door.
"Esmeralda?" I knocked again.
Lastly, "Esmeralda?" I knocked.
Esme opened the door, and the moment I saw her, I observed her look. Her brown eyes looked lazy and confused and her blond hair was bizarre.
"You know, every time you do that. I wait for you to finish knocking three times?" She said as she leaned on the door side.
Esme is a sweet, lovable girl, if you're in her good side. We became friends since third grade because she noticed me reading Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling. Unfortunately before freshman year started, we don't go to school together anymore. We parted ways because her parents wanted her in a "better" school.
I shivered because of the cold. "Are we going to talk about how I knock or why I'm here?"
She stepped out of the way and let me enter. She tilted her head and uttered, "So?"
"I forgot my sister's envelope at school." I informed her.
This time, she raised her left eyebrow, "So?"
"She needs to pass the papers in the envelope tonight."
"Do I have to ask why?"
"I'll tell you anyway," I said and continued, "The papers in it are for her future and my sister and mom assigned me to get the envelope from the school's administration. I did get it but I think I forgot to get it back from my locker."
"So?" She patted her foot on the floorboard, evidence of impatience.
"I need a ride." I finally admitted.
"Would, if could. I'm grounded. I cannot leave the house. Mom even confiscated my phone." She said dramatically.
Well that explains a lot.
She continued, "I can't even use the house phone, but if someone calls and no one is around, I could answer."
"Why were you grounded?" I asked her.
"Long story short, never ever forget to remove the utensils on the plate if you're going to use the microwave." I frowned at her. I looked back at her kitchen and see significance of combustion.
"Fortunately for you, there's a loophole. She didn't say anything about being forbidden to lend you my car." She walked toward the key bowl.
"Here." Esme handed me her car keys. She grinned evilly. "I love loopholes."
"Yes, your majesty. You're the queen of loopholes." I curtsied.
I continued praising her, "Thank you! You're the 'bestest' of the best friends in the whole universe." I hugged her tightly.
"You're killing the queen here."
"Oh! Sorry." I let go.
Since I never removed my clothes when I got home, I was ready to go. I ran, heading towards their garage and went inside her car. I love Esme's car, she always leaves her sweet vanilla scent.
I put on my seat belt, turned on the engine, checked my shifts, turned on the radio and lastly started driving. I listened to the music.
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clo--
I scowled and pushed the next button.
I won't make a list and send it to the North Pole for Sai--
"Seriously? People get it! Christmas is coming. Please, I'm in a Taylor Swift spirit, not Christmas. Play a Swift song!" I chanted to myself as I pushed the next button.
Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree, for me
I've been an awful good girl, Santa ba--
I groaned in frustration. Sure it was Taylor Swift singing, but... just no.
I turned off the radio and switched the music with Esme's jam.
Why, do you care what people think? Are you hooked up to the leash
You know, anklebiters..
I sighed in relief. Much better.
***
When I arrived at my destination; the school, I looked around my surroundings and noticed a car parked in the parking lot.
"Who with the right mind would want to go at school in this time of night?" I asked myself. And then an answer gets to me. "Someone like me." I sighed.
I ran towards the back of the school and went inside a small door. I know all the ins and outs here at school since Esme and I when we were younger, we spent all of our free time exploring it. It was just precaution if an apocalypse is happening and we need to go out of the school.
Keeping my head down, I walked consistently on the grass of our football field, which was covered in snow.
While I was walking, I was planning how to go to my locker.
My locker was at the main building. The main building was clearly locked so I need another opening. Then I remembered that the theater auditorium is connected to the main building, ergo, that's my opening. Also, I recall that it has a broken back door, therefore I could slip in.
My scheme worked, I was in the main building already, apropos of minutes. I cautiously walked in the hallway, heading towards my locker.
I was cautious because I was actually breaking in school. And I just committed a crime. I need to be really careful. I reached my locker and before I opened it, I observed my surroundings to check if it's truly safe. Once it was clear that I was safe, I opened my locker's combination nervously.
All the nervousness disappeared and relief appeared to my entire body.
I was right. I did forget to get it back from my locker.
I pulled out the envelope from my locker. I was about to close my locker, however, I heard someone cuss loudly. Heavy footsteps were coming near my way.
This is it. I'm caught. Maybe if I don't run, they won't find me guilty.
So I stay put. I'm going to face whoever is coming. I hope this won't ruin my record.
It's like all of a sudden I was in a horror movie, like I'm a minor character who stupidly came out of her hiding place because she thought it was safe. I can hear the suspense background music drilling my ears, evidence of a killer coming near me.
I closed my eyes and wait for my End.
I heard the footsteps more loudly, my End's coming near me. My heart's beating so fast, it's more likely that my End can hear it too.
But then the all of the suspense stopped when the voice called out. "Is anybody back here?"
Comfort finally soothed me when I saw that my End was actually a student. He was familiar. I swear I've seen him somewhere.
"By the Angel! I thought you were a killer or something." I sighed in relief.
The student was taken aback by my reaction. "What? Why did you think of that?" He came near me and I finally recalled why he's familiar when the lights shines on him. He's Herondale, the friend who distracted Weasley boy.
I genuinely smiled. "Well I heard you cuss and your footsteps were pretty heavy." I told him.
He looked at me thoroughly and frowned at me, "Didn't I see you somewhere?"
"Perhaps." I answered quietly. "In the cafeteria, when you called your friend, Ron."
He shook his head lightly. "No, I know that I've seen you somewhere before."
"I don't believe so. Our only acknowledgement of each other was earlier at lunch." I protested.
He frowned for a second and didn't pressed his statement further more. "I'm Luke," he introduced himself.