Alright, I just wanna give a thankies to everyone who is supporting me in my epic Odyssey of writing this story! So keep on doing what you're doing, because you're my inspiration! <3
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“After tonight, let’s head straight to school. Not even stop by our houses, k?” I say with a sigh, sitting on the edge of my queen sized mattress. We had rented out a room in a cheap motel, I know I had my dad’s credit card and all—but I didn’t want to go ballistic, and if I didn’t spend too much he wouldn’t be that mad at me—give or take the fact that I already spent about a thousand dollars total. The whole room was cluttered with shopping bags.
“Sure,” Jenna said, closing the curtains, before shucking off her shirt. “Don’t want none of them pervs seeing the girls.” Jenna says, sitting on the edge of her bed.
The room itself was very humble. Not too shabby, not too chic. The walls were a muted blue, the floor a chalky white, and the curtains—matching the bed set were a cream color.
“Fallon, you know what…I had fun today.” Jenna says cheerfully, rising to go to the bathroom, “But it’s all in days work. I’m showering up, and going to bed!”
I nod, and turn on the television. Mindlessly, I watch SpongeBob, before flopping back on the bed, and closing my eyes.
~ ~ ~
I flutter my eyes open from a dreamless sleep. Jenna is snoring softly from her bed, and I rise to my feet, looking over at the blue digital clock on my nightstand. It’s 12:04am. I rub my temples, and sleepily make my way over to the bathroom. Bringing along the new silk pajamas I had bought and other toiletries.
I take care of my hygiene before returning to my bed, and crawling under the sheets. Grabbing fr my phone on the nightstand to see if I missed any calls from my dad. Ten missed calls. What a prick. I think with a chuckle to myself, three unheard messages.
I was guessing all from my dad. I listened to each of them.
“Fallon, if you don’t get your bratty selfish ass back home this instance! Fallon!—Pick up that damn phone, and stop being such a got damn child all the time! Don’t you think it’s about time you grew up, you ungrateful little—”
Delete.
“Fallon…I didn’t mean to be so brutal. Sweetheart, just come home…I miss you, and I’m worried about you. Don’t—uh, honey—don’t turn towards the streets. Next thing you know you’ll be using drugs, and doing side bys or whatever. Honey, just call me back and insure your safety I—”
Delete.
“Fallon, please…come back. I’m sorry.”
I hold the phone to my chest, tears brimming in my eyes, as I click 7.
“Hey Fallon, it’s me Alistair, just calling to say hey…um, text me later on when you get the chance. K?”
The tears in my eyes immediately evaporated upon hearing his voice—Alistair. I frantically dialed his number, to call him back. And listened to the phone ring painfully too long. Then, the line was connected.
“Hello,”
“Uh…hey!—I know you said to text you, but I didn’t feel like using my thumbs and all, and it would be easier for me to talk, because talking is a natural given when you’ve been silent for a long time. Phone calls can sometimes get really awkward when you don’t know what to say, or proper phone etiquette—and—”
He chuckled lightly, and interjected respectfully, “How yah been?”
I close my mouth, and sit there silently for a good twenty seconds. “Great,” I finally pipe up. “Yeah, really good actually,” I say with a nod of my head. “You?”
“Uh, alright—just curious, were you alright today? You weren’t in school.”
“Oh,” I didn’t think he’d actually notice my absences, “I was…sick. I had to stay home; I’ll be in tomorrow though!”
“That’s good,”
There is silence for a good seven minutes, but it’s not a bad silence. Just…normal.
“Well, I’m tired—so I’m going to um, go to bed…” I say softly, breaking the stillness.
“Alright,” he breathes, “Sweet dreams.”
I hang up the phone, and curl under the blankets to drift off to sleep.
~ ~ ~
“Wake up sleepy head!” Jenna croons loudly, shaking me. “We have to get to school!”
“Oh shit!” I jump out of the bed, shower, and get dressed.
I feel so different in my new clothes. I was wearing dark washed jeggings, a floral ruffled top, with a golden waist belt, these killer high heel black boots, and gigantic golden hoop earrings. Jenna even made me go the whole nine yards, by purchasing a few matching bracelets, and a small handbag. “You look stunning!” she said, adding foundation under my eyes. “Thanks,” I mutter.
The drive back is quick, and soon we are pulling up the High School, where a sea of students was still steadily pooling in. Jenna and I hop out of the car like movie stars, and I can tell I’m getting a few glances from boys who—a few days ago, wouldn’t give me a second glance.
“Looking good Fallon!” someone called after me, I blushed, and looked over at Jenna.
“Don’t turn around, that’ll make them seem like you care, and you’re an easy target.”
I nod, keeping my head up.
Then my attention is grabbed by something I didn’t even understand—Alistair…was hanging out with other people. Of course, they were the band geeks, but among them all he looked—like a leader. They all gawked around him, them in their colorful clothing, bright berets, and hipster aura.
They were discussing something musical, when Alistair’s eyes meet mine, and his eyes enlarged tenfold, as he told them to go on without him. Jenna looked from me to Alistair as we starred at each other, and then turned in the other direction. “Hey,” I whispered.
“Hey?” he said, as if a question, examining me. “You look…different.”
“I know, you like…?” I ask, doing a small nervous twirl. “Is that was sickness does to you? I mean—you’re wearing floral print!”
I nod, and say, “I think it was time for a change.”
“I like it, I like it a lot. A little more than I should actually, what lunch wave do you have?”
“D, why?”
“Great, me too—meet me out in the courtyard, and come alone.” he winked, and walked past me. Was it me, or is this school actually turning on the heat for once—because suddenly it was hot. Too hot.
~ ~ ~
Classes went by too quickly, because now it was D lunch, and I was scared shitless. What would I do? What would I say? How would I act? I shouldn’t go—that’s what I should do. I mean, you can’t be alone…in the courtyard. And for Pete’s sake, barely anyone eats out there!
I meander the halls, aimlessly, before being stopped by a Hall Monitor, and boy were these guys annoying, taking their jobs as seriously, as if they were paid!
“Hall pass?” a nasally, stout, red headed girl inquired.
“No…erm…this is my lunch wave. I was just going to the bathroom.”
She looked up from her pad incredulously, and started scribbling. “What are you writing?”
“Your detention slip, you’re not in D lunch—that wave ends in one minute. You’re just a hall wanderer.”
“No, I’m not! I was honestly in this lunch wave—”
“Whatever!”
“You can’t do this!” I protested.
“Mhmm, but this is why I’ve got the badge. So, just why can’t I do anything?” she says monotonously.
“Because!” I shout.
“Because what?”
“Because this—!” I do the irrational, and snatch the pad out of her hand, ripping out pages, and chucking it down the hall. She stares in disbelief before registering what happened; as I started running pass her. “Ha-ha sucker!” I shout, turning the corner, and jetting into the female staff bathroom—where hopefully no one will suspect me.
I hear the girls loud footsteps coming up the hall, as she shouts into her walky talky, “Code Green, we have a runner!”
Ten minutes later, after I am assured they’d given up hope, I slowly emerge from the bathroom.
Just then, I spot Alistair, coming out of the courtyard entrance down the hall. He looks at me, and though he is far, I can see the hurt emanating around him. I had stood him up.