ADALYNNE
I couldn't help but squeeze the nerves out of Baylor's hand as we glided across the white, icy, slithery floor. It was like gliding across a hardwood floor with socks covering your feet, but it was ten times worse. I felt drunk as I wobbled around everywhere in a lurching manner. But Baylor was a professional at this and he helped me stay off of the cold, icy floor.
"I can't do this!" I declared. By the time I screamed my words, I fell. My butt felt like I had ice melting inside of my jeans. However, Baylor hadn't lost his balance, but his hand was still molded into mine. He laughed quietly and asked if I was okay. He skated in a backwards method and strolled in front of me and reached for my hands. He pulled me up from the floor. After I was towed beside Baylor with a few episodes of staggering, I began getting the hang of it. A couple of times felt like I were about to hit the iced floor again, but Baylor kept me in check with his strength. He'd pull me carefully by my arm if I nearly fell.
"I can't believe you've never been ice skating before."
I stepped with my left foot and glided forward with my right. I remembered the technique that Baylor had taught and told me. As if you were walking, take a step with your foot and glide with the opposite: vise-versa, he'd say.
"I never had anyone to go with. Aiden was always busy and I was in AP classes so we never had any time."
Baylor didn't say anything, but he turned backwards beside me, not anywhere close by me so he'd make me fall. He skated rearward in front of me and clasped his hands with mine.
"Why aren't you in AP classes now?" Baylor questioned, gawking at me.
"It was kicking my butt. I barely got any sleep. I was sleep deprived a few times and Aiden sworn on his life that I had a few hallucinations," I clarified. I grinned after.
"I'm guessing it was English that kept you up all night," Baylor conjectured, ecstatic by his correct choice.
"Definitely. I pulled all-nighters just to get three assignments done in a day. Two of them were for English and then I had, like, this six-hundred page book to read and I had only a week to read it." I sighed, reminiscing the thirty minutes worth of sleep every night and then got a nap in except for eating lunch. I never used my phone as I was busy with projects and duties for my AP classes.
"Did you like to read?" I shook my head.
"I dropped AP English this year because it just gets harder and more tasky," I prompted.
"I used to be a book worm before high school," Baylor chuckled, seeming chagrined with his confession.
"What did you like to read?" I wondered. There was a possibility that I knew every author out there.
"I was a fan of Nicholas Sparks, J.K Rowling, and Stephen King." I was correct. Due to all of the books out there that I've possibly read - rather it being Shakespeare to Nicholas Sparks, I've read a lot in just two semesters of my freshman year.
"I do like Nicholas Sparks," I beam. "But John Green is my favorite."
"The author who wrote "The Fault in Our Stars"?" I smile at his knowledge. I've taken a liking to his "book worm" persona.
"Yeah, I wanna go see the movie. I've read the book over and over again," I acknowledge.
"Then let's go see it." I smile, nodding my head in approval.
As the music played in the background, it felt like my feet were getting used to the method of ice skating. That was until someone ran into us. Baylor went down first and I came sprawling down on him quickly. He wasn't mad, but he was a bit frustrated. I laughed and the scowl disappeared as soon as he knew I was okay.
We left about forty-five minutes later as it was already seven in the evening. When we left, Baylor wasn't ready for our departure so we swung by the café that we fell in love with; and we ordered the same beverages as always.
I palmed my mug in my hand and took sips here and there. Baylor was still adding artificial sugar to his coffee. I watched as he added a packet, and then took a sip. He was dissatisfied with the taste, so he'd add another packet. After six packets were applied, he was finally gratified.
"Y'know, every time I talk to my mom, she always asks about you," Baylor stated. The happiest thing is that he's talking to his mom, and I couldn't be better off knowing about the forming relationship he's tending to make with his mother.
"Does she know?" I inferred, generally speaking about Baylor's and mine bond.
"Definitely. She's always known that I've liked you," he smirked. As I bowed my head from him noticing my blushing cheeks and the big grin to randomly play with the artificial sugar package, he still kept his eyesight upon me.
"When were you planning on going to Boston?" I pick the conversation back up once the redness in my cheeks disappeared.
He hummed, "I have no idea. I haven't really thought that through."
"You know what I like about us so far?" I quiz, hoping he might get the idea about what I'm about to say but he probably wouldn't guess correctly.
"What would that be?" He beamed intensely. He placed his hands under his chin as he stared at me with interest of what I had to say, which made me grin.
"We haven't had an argument since we've gotten together," I notify.
"That's true; I noticed that too. I guess we're compatible."
With only being in a relationship with nearing three months, I'd consider us a serious couple. And if we're willing to make this relationship between us work, then of course there's going to be arguments and fights between the both of us.
***
Tuesday morning came around and it was time to head to school. We'd receive our finals scores back today, and I have confidence in myself, telling myself that I passed.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and grabbed two granola bars from the box in the pantry with a bottled water.
"You ready?" Aiden yawned, which caused me to yawn. I nodded my head yes and followed him out the door. The ride to school was quick and warm.
"I think my best friend is helping you," Aiden spoke.
"Huh?" I confusingly asked.
"You didn't have a nightmare last night," he smiled happily.
I grinned sheepishly, joyful of the happiness he drowned me in.
"That's amazing."
Since Mr. Tress was my first period teacher, he would be the one to give our finals scores to us. He walked around the room, handing out slips by alphabetical order. When he came around to my last name in the alphabetical order, he laid the slip on my desk and smiled at me with a pat on my shoulder.
I passed every test. I smiled, relieved of the test scores. That means that I'll have good grades in my records. And when I have good grades in my records, it'll lead to them looking stunning on my college applications.
As the class talked, I conversed with Jo.
"I can't believe I passed," she huffed in relief.
"I know, I'm so happy. And I'm not being arrogant, I just thought positive about the finals."
"Aiden told me that you didn't have a nightmare last night," she beamed. "Seems like your boyfriend is doing something right."
I giggled with a lilt, "He is." I finally felt happy.
At the end of class, Mr. Tress stopped me. "Congratulations on your scores, Ms. Claire. You did terrific, kid. You're an outstanding young lady." Mr. Tress knew about my situations back home, so he never really scolded me to do better in class, except by telling me the missing assignments and telling me what my average score was in his class.
"Thank you," I grinned. "You're an amazing teacher."
"Now before you walk away, can I ask you a favor?" he pressed, crossing his arms against his chest and peeking through the lens of his glasses.
I nodded.
"Keep this between us two, but Derek Cage is failing this class. I need someone to tutor him and I recommend that it was mandatory if the person in this class had the highest score."
Oh, God.
"Mr. Tress, please tell me I'm not the one with the highest score . . ." I trail off, waiting for his reassurance.
"I'm sorry Ms. Claire, but that would be you; however, the thing about this tutoring is you get extra credit until you end it when I see progress in Mr. Cage's physics grade."
"Do I have to?" I bit my lip and rocked onto my toes and back on my heel.
"Yes - it is mandatory."
I huffed. The bell rung, signaling to retrieve to my second class of the day. Jo had already gone for sure so I couldn't tell her the terrible news. I was so nervous about this. Knowing Derek, he'd cause problems between Baylor and me. But I'm promising myself one thing: I'm not letting him come between us. With feelings so strong for Baylor, I can't lose him.
I heard the ripping of a paper and Mr. Tress handed me a note tab. "Take this to your next teacher so you aren't counted tardy. Have a good day, young lady." I began heading to my second class, and just before nearing the end of the math hall, he called out my name. I turned.
"Tutoring starts tomorrow."
I sighed. My stomach dropped, not ready for tutoring Derek tomorrow. Can this day get any worse? No because the worse thing that could happen is tutoring your enemy. All thanks to my brain and Mr. Tress and Derek's skills in physics.
My phone buzzed.
Jo: why did you get stopped by Tress?
Me: I'll tell you at lunch. it's a long story. :(
Jo didn't text me back, but I received a text from Baylor.
Baylor: I missed you in the hall today, where were you?
Me: I'll tell you at lunch, long story.. you're gonna hate it.
Baylor: tell me.
Me: I can't, I'm on my way to class. tress held me back late.
Baylor: on a scale of one to ten, how bad?
Me: like a million...
Baylor: meet me in the library.
Me: I'll just tell you at lunch. it's not that important that doesn't involve you.
Baylor: you're so damn stubborn. I love you.
Me: :)
Baylor: :)
I clicked the button on the top of my phone and slid it into my back pocket. How am I going to tell my best friends, Baylor, and Aiden in one day?
Lunch came around, and I was dreading it so badly. I was so nervous that I lost my appetite. I saw Derek at his lunch table who was already looking straight dead into my eyes. I shuddered and quickly looked away. I had my nose in my phone and scrolled through Instagram.
Baylor and Jo sat beside me, along with Lindsay and the rest of Baylor's friends. Baylor intwined his hand with mine and gently squeezed it. He kissed my lips softly and rested our linked hands in his lap.
I kept glancing at Derek, and every time I did, he was already staring. He'd have an envy expression mixed with a flat one. What's his problem?
"Adalynne!" Lindsay and Jo shouted at me, causing me to lose my stare down with Derek. I looked between the both of them, their faces with curiosity.
"What's wrong?" Baylor asked, catching all of their attention around the table.
"Huh?" I asked. "Oh, nothing."
"Nothing means something is on your mind that's bugging you," Lane announced.
I huffed and leaned my head on Baylor's shoulder. "You aren't even eating and that's a first," Lindsay proclaimed with a slight smile on her face as she teased with my love of food against me.
It wouldn't be a big deal if I told all of them, would it?
"I have to tutor Derek," I softly stated.
Baylor heard me, but he was shocked, clearly angry with the tone he was using. He sat down his bottled water on his tray and I could feel his stare.
"I have to tutor Derek," I spoke louder.
Everyone at the table shot glances at Derek for an uncalled reason. He splinted his eyes, as if he were giving his angriest appearance. Lindsay and Baylor held his the longest. Jo was shocked as she kept her stare upon me. I glanced at her and then upon the rest of the girls and guys.
"Ah, shit, that ain't good," Steph announced, breaking the silence.
"No the hell it isn't," Baylor hissed back at Steph. I shuddered at his voice's growl and picked my head up from his shoulder.
"It's mandatory. It's not a big deal, though," I counted, hoping to lighten the pressure.
"Yes it is a big deal, Adalynne. You don't understand the freaking things he's done and you say it isn't a big deal!" Baylor screamed. I unclasped my hand from his and slide away from him, closer to Jo is where I felt more comfortable.
"Baylor, calm your damn temper and don't yell at her, dickhead," Steph scolded, sticking up for me.
"You didn't have to yell at her," Lindsay added after Steph. I looked around the cafeteria and peered at all of the eyes that were near us, staring at us.
This is Baylor's first time yelling at me, and it somewhat upset my feelings.
"Well it is a big deal!" Baylor screeched. "You should've said no!"
"Baylor! What the hell man?!" Chase hollered at Baylor. I shouldn't have said anything. I felt my eyes tingle as a tear slid down my cheek. I wiped them away.
"I couldn't say no! I tried to tell him I couldn't because he said I had to! I can't stop him," I yelled back.
I grabbed my binders and a few of my folders and my bag and stood from the table in anger and upset feelings.
"Wait -" I heard Baylor say, but he stopped as he watched me walk away. It felt as if every set of eyes were upon me as I walked out of the cafeteria. The tension that was caused between Baylor and me made another tear stream down my face as I remembered the two times he yelled at me, and it was the first time. This day has gotten worse. I shouldn't have yelled back, I should've just said sorry, and went to Mr. Tress at the end of the day. But I'll know what my physics teacher will say.
I began to head to the picnic tables outside and cool off. I wanted to be by myself.
"Adalynne!" I heard Baylor's voice scream, his voice being the only one I hear as I walk outside.
I didn't turn to look back at him, but he caught up with me in time. He yanked me by my arm and tugged me back. His fingers pressed deeply into my flesh, causing me to screech.
"Ow, Baylor, that hurts," I tug my arm away from him. His fingers let go of my arm.
His face wretched with sorrow and disbelief. "Adalynne . . . I'm sorry," he inched closer to me and I backed away.
"Leave me alone," I demanded, softly spoken.
"No, I'm not going to leave you alone - not until you forgive me," Baylor insisted with a high-pitched voice.
"I said to leave me alone! Now leave me alone!" I snapped.
I turned away from him and tried to walk away. His arms connected around my torso and pulled me to his chest. "I said I'm sorry."
"Just go away," I elbowed him. My heart pounded, hurt because I hurt him and hurt because he hurt my feelings. Never would I ever see this day coming. And I don't see anything worse happening. Today's been the absolute worst.
"Dammit Adalynne, I said I'm sorry!"
I scowled at him and he frowned, perhaps remembering the yelling he caused in the lunchroom, making a lot of people stare. He didn't yell at me once, but twice. I don't know why it upset me deeply since he just screamed at me like everything was my fault. But I know I should've demanded Mr. Tress not to let me tutor Derek, although he's an adult and that'd be sincerely disrespectful, but I knew something like this would've happened.
I only walked away and listened to the angry groan he caused just a few yards distance between the both of us.
Jo ended up driving me home and stayed over.
"I just don't know why it upset me badly. I mean, he has every right to yell at me like he did. Mr. Tress won't let me back out and just - ugh!" I screamed. "Why does everything have to be so complicated?!" I asked myself, really, instead of Jo.
"Because life is complicated," she stated, completely agreeing with her.
"I know how you feel, I've been there before with Aiden."
I looked up from my daydream and frowned. "He yelled at you?"
She nodded. "It was a while ago, but I guess it's because when something happens and it was its first, you never would expect something like that happening because you're too involved in all the happiness."
That's exactly how I feel right now.
"I bawled my eyes out for, like, three hours straight. I guess we're just both sensitive."
I wasn't going to ask her why he yelled at her (albeit, my brother yells all the time and I don't know why).
"My brother can be a dick. Don't mind him," I grinned.
She chuckled. I heard my phone begin to ring and vibrate on my nightstand.
Six missed calls in the last two minutes from Baylor.
"Why don't you answer?" Jo asked.
It wasn't in me to call him back or pick up my phone. I received two voicemails and three text messages.
Baylor: Answer your phone please.
Baylor: I'm sorry
Baylor: This is hurting me as much as it's hurting you and I'm so sorry. Please answer your phone babe.
"I'm home!" I heard my brother's voice echo down the hallway.
"I think you should tell him." Jo patted my back.
Aiden opened my door and plopped down on my bed in between Jo and me, laying on both of our bodies.
"Get off of me," I scolded.
"I come home in a good mood and you're being that bitch on her period again," he huffs.
I don't respond and he realizes. "What's wrong?" he asks.
"I have to tutor Derek," I announce. I wanted to cringe at the expression on his face.
"If you try hollering at her I will slap the living shit out of you," Jo hissed, looking down at Aiden, noticing the same expression I saw.
He frowned. "I wasn't going to yell. Out of all people, why in the hell are you tutoring his ass?"
"Because I had the highest score on my physics final and Mr. Tress recommended the person with the highest score tutor Derek, since I guess he was the only one that failed. I don't know, but I really don't want to."
Aiden only shook his head.
His phone began to ring. He took his phone from his pocket and glanced at it. "This is unusual."
Jo mumbled 'Baylor' as she looked at the phone again.
"Hello?" Aiden answered into the speaker of his phone. I heard Baylor's voice in the background but couldn't comprehend his words.
"Yeah, why?" he looked at me with an arched eyebrow. He stared out into the hallway as he listened to Baylor speaking.
"Here, talk to him." Aiden gestured for me to take his phone.
I shook my head no violently as if I couldn't get my thoughts across Aiden's stubbornness.
"What happened?" Aiden questioned into the phone. He glanced at Jo and then at me.
"She'll get over it." They hung up about a minute later.
Aiden began to scoot off my bed and Jo stood up. "You hurt his feelings." His tone was full of amusement.
I kicked him in his back as Jo said, "Shut up, Aiden."
He only laughed and right before he left my room, he left a smelly surprise.
I was crawled under my comforter, the lights out without any sound except the living room TV running. Jo had left about four hours ago, and it was at least 8, 9 at the latest at night. I was in and out of consciousness from my cellphone that finally went dead a few minutes ago.
I began to think over and over again, thinking about how stupid it was to get this upset with Baylor. He's apologized over and over again, called and texted me a billion times, called Aiden, and I began to feel terrible. Emotionally and physically.
I escaped from my cave and picked up my phone from the floor (it's vibrated so many times that it fell off of my nightstand) and plugged it up.
I got out of bed and left to retrieve some Tylenol that happened to appear in the cabinet.
"My God, the wicked witch of the west has awoken," Aiden joked. "You need to brush your hair."
I popped the two pills in my mouth and swallowed them with a glass of water.
"Shut up." He was too busy eating a whole bag of Doritos while watching something with boxing on Netflix.
I checked my phone as it was on four percent. One hundred and seventeen missed calls and forty-six text messages. I answered the text messages by reading them, all of them consisting of 'I love you's', 'answer your phone', 'I'm sorry', more 'I'm sorry', 'I'm a dick, I know.'
I decided to call his phone but on the first ring, the robotic voice in the background said this number was disconnected. I called it again and it said the same thing. I began to worry about all the things that could've happened, and began to feel worse than before.
I tried to fall back asleep to squeeze this headache away, and shortly, it disappeared. I waited for a text message or a call from Baylor, but one never popped up or my phone never rang.
I was nearly unconscious until my bedroom door opened. It was completely dark and I couldn't see. The body that was in here scurried across my bedroom floor and came on my side. Since I was lying in the middle of my bed, it was easy for someone to slip in in front of or behind me.
It was Baylor, just by knowing the way his figure laid and the way his arms snaked around my body and lips kissing my forehead.
"I'm so sorry for hurting you and hurting your feelings. I never want to do that again."
I didn't say or do anything except listen to his raspy voice as he spoke.
"'Cause I felt so stupid and pathetic and felt like a screw-"
I immediately found his lips and pressed my index finger over his lips. "Don't say that," I whispered.
"But I did feel like it. I'm such an idiot." Baylor spoke against my temple.
"No, you're not."
I could hear Baylor's breathing and I could feel his chest rising and falling against my arm as he breathed in and out.
"I hurt you and that isn't okay with me," he argued.
"I yelled at you and you're too much of a good person to be yelled at and I love you so much and I just feel like a horrible person. Just-
I stop his babbling. "I forgive you. I'm sorry as well. For yelling at you and not answering your calls and messages." I ended up kissing his chest as I forgot his lips weren't by mine.
"You didn't hurt me." He squeezed me tighter to his body.
"I just love you and I don't like you going to bed mad at me or going to bed upset at me, so I had to come over here since you weren't answering your phone."
"I know."
Then I began to realize: the only reason it hurt was because I love him. If you do get your feelings hurt, it wouldn't be as strong as someone who you love. So maybe that's why I was so sensitive about it. Jo was sensitive about it. Because she loves my brother. She loves Aiden. Baylor loves me. And I love him. I know I do.
Just say it.
"I want to tell you something," I whispered into Baylor's chest.
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
"I love you, Baylor." I kissed his neck and moved to hold him as he's holding me.