Today was Tuesday. Again I stuck with a grey tee, light shorts, my grey TOMS, and put on the set of bracelets mom got me for my birthday last year. I ran out the door with a piece of toast in my mouth.
“Hey Lucy.” I said stepping on to her bus.
“Morning Ro.” She said back. I sat in my usual spot and as I did every day had my ear phones in.
I got to school and made my way to my special spot. I was taking the third corner when I felt someone behind me. I turned around and punched the person in the chest.
“Oh my god! I’m so sorry!” I said kneeling down next to Alexei.
He groaned in pain as he lay there on the concrete.
“I. Am. So Sorry.” I said slowly as I helped him sit up.
“Its fine,” He began groaning again. “I shouldn’t have followed you here without telling you.”
I grabbed his hands and stood him up in his feet.
“Did it really hurt that bad?” I asked him as we walked into the building.
“Just a bit. I’ll be fine though.” He said trying to reassure me.
As we entered the main hall I looked at him looking at me.
“What?” I said once again.
“You don’t hit bad for being a girl.” He said with a smile.
“Is that a compliment?” I asked returning the smile.
He nodded. “Yeah, it’s a compliment.”
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I got to sleep pretty early that night. School had kicked me in the ass. Before I left campus, Alexei ran up to me and we exchanged numbers. I looked at my phone one more time before rolling over and closing my eyes.
We were the kings and queens of promise, we were the victims of ourselves, maybe the children of a lesser God, Between Heaven and Hell, Heaven and Hell.
I jumped at the sound of my phone’s ring tone going off. I looked and rolled my eyes. What does he want now?
“What Alexei.” I said sleepily.
“Did I wake you?” He asked concerned.
I looked at the clock and saw it was three in the morning.
“No… I’ve been up.” I said sarcastically.
Alexei laughed and apologized to me.
“Well, I was wondering if you wanted to take a run with me.” He said to me completely serious.
“Alexei. It’s three in the fucking morning, and you want me to take a run with you?” I said to him.
“Well, yeah. I mean you don’t have to but the sun rise is beautiful.” He said back to me.
I closed my eyes shut and replied back to him. “Fine.”
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“Come on slow poke!” Alexei yelled to me as I trudged up the hill out of breath.
“I’m dying and you don’t even care.” I said in between gulps.
He laughed and grabbed my hand.
“It’ll be worth it.” He said and I gapped at him.
“Me dying would be worth all of this running?”
“No, Rowan. This is worth all the running.” He said turning me to the orange, pink, and red-ish sky.
My mouth flew open and I was amazed. I’d lived here all my life and I had never seen something so beautiful.
“This is…” I began.
“Beautiful. I know.” He finished me.
I hugged him in a tight hug and thanked him for the lovely view.
“I’m not responsible for the sun rise Rowan but I’m happy you liked it.” He said back to me.
I looked at the watch I happened to take from dad while he was still sleeping. It was four thirty and by the time we got back to the house’s it would be five thirty which is when I usually get up if I need to take a shower… which I totally do after this run.
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When I got home from the run I took my shower and then braided my hair, put a little more work into my eye makeup but not much and applied my lip balm. I also put in set of earnings to all my seven piercings. I made my way back to my bedroom and picked out my black and white plaid shirt, black ripped jeans, and my cherry red combat boots and slung my lip canvas tote bag over my shoulder. I also put on my black round aviator glasses.
I ran out of the house and just made it to the bus.
“Sorry Luce.”
“It’s fine dear.”
We pulled up to Alexei’s stop and I sat up with a smile on my face. Wait. Why am I smiling again? Because of Alexei? No. Oh god no.
“It’s nothing Rowan. You’re just in the moment, that’s all. He showed you a beautiful sun rise but that’s all.” I said to myself.
Alexei sat next to me and he smiled brightly.
“Well it’s an improvement.” He said.
This confused me at first but then I understood that he was talking about my outfit.
“Thanks.” I said crossing my arms over my chest.
“Nice bag.” He said pointing at it.
“Right? The cig made me want to buy it. It was more badass than the other lip bags there.”
We were quiet for a moment and then he looked at me.
“So you know the Halloween party is this week. You’re the only girl friend I know so I was wondering if you’d go with me.” He said to me but once he heard how it sounded his face turned red, and I can’t lie… so did mine a little.
No! Stop Rowan!
“Yeah sure. But don’t expect anything special. I wear the same shirt every year so…”
“Oh! Yeah that’s fine.” He said quickly out of his mouth.
“Great.” I said with a smile and then we pulled into the school.