"Well if I'd known that I wouldn't have gone out with mom to get myself a nice shirt." I hissed into the speaker of the phone, hearing Daniel sigh on the other line. "We're teenagers dude, we're not adults going to some fancy restaurant." He told me. I knew that but at the time I thought it would be nice to dress up but now I realize that I'd be overdressed and feel like everybody would be staring at me. "Just.. what am I going to do with it?" I asked him as I filed through my closet looking for something nice, but casual. "I don't know, picture day is coming up soon. So why don't you just wear it for that?"
I didn't reply and I heard Dan inhale in realization. "Right, you don't dress nicely during picture day to spite your dad- I forgot. Well you can always wear it on a nice date with Stephen. You.. like Stephen, right?" Daniel asked casually, and I looked over at the phone sitting on my desk. He was right, I did like Stephen. When we first spoke about it, I mentioned how I wanted to connect with him again and be friends.. but Daniel knew the truth. He always knows the truth.
I didn't reply. Chuckling echoed from the other line which soon became a soft laughter, but once I told Dan to 'shut up' he couldn't hold it back anymore and lost his shit. His laugh was loud, and it was honestly annoying me to no end but that was just because I was embarrassed. I looked at the leather jacket Stephen had made fun of me for and thought about it..
I smiled as I undressed and put on a cool-guy outfit with black ripped jeans and a V-neck shirt, with the jacket over top. I looked at myself in the mirror and decided that I would do something cool with my hair, like parting it instead of slicking it back into a pony tail. I started doing that, but it just.. didn't look right. I tried again, but it still didn't look right. I thought about tying it back up into a pony tail, but I didn't want to do what I normally did either.
Eventually I just brushed out my hair and then I just let it hang over my shoulders. I'd look like a female if it wasn't for my chin and for the way my eyes were shaped. I took awhile just to stare at myself, and eventually I found myself blushing when Stephen came into my mind. He would playfully poke at me all night if I wore this for a date.
That would be really nice, a date with Stephen..
"Are you ready yet?" Dan asked over the mic, and I mumbled a small: "Yeah." There was silence on the other line. "Just bare with me here Hos." Daniel spoke as I kicked on my black sneakers and ran out the bedroom, jogging down the stairs to the kitchen. "Mhm." I replied, flining open the fridge door. I heard him sigh on the other end of the line. He knew I didn't want to be doing this. I grabbed a water bottle and drinking it's contents. "Whatever. I'll see you soon." And I hung up before he could reply. I looked around the house. My dad was out with his wife. Walking over to the sink, I took a glance outside. We had a nice, big backyard.
It was much nicer than Stephen's. I looked out among the trees, only to see more trees on the side lines. I sighed. I wondered what my actual mom was doing right now.. or where she was for that matter. I glanced over at the chalkboard. There was a grocery list written on it, and a few other reminders. But what surprised me, was that there was a photo taped onto it. That was weird.. it wasn't there this morning. I walked over to it, hearing something crunch beneath my foot and I looked down. A fucking cookie.. if I didn't clean this up I was gonna get yelled out for it later even though it wasn't mine. But I really didn't feel like cleaning it up..
That doesn't mean that I didn't end up cleaning it up though. I took off my shoe and smacked it on the side of the trash can, just in case there was any residue or crumbs on the bottom of the sole. Leaning against the counter, I struggled to get my shoe on and then I continued my mission. To check the photo.
It was of me and my boyfriend. Well, friend. Boy. Boy who was a friend. Fuck it. It was a picture of Stephen and I. I looked it over. We were in my kitchen and he had an arm around my shoulder and I was hiding my face from the camera while he had a soft smile on his face and beautiful eyes. His skin looked so soft, and he seemed so happy. He was leaning towards me slightly and his teeth were showing. The only way to describe him was.. pretty. Sure, he was handsome too.. but the first word that came to mind was 'beauty'.
I heard a loud honk outside and turned away from the chalk board- ready to run outside. But I couldn't help but turn around and run back over to the chalk board to grab it. The car outside honked louder. "JUST A FUCKING MOMENT!" I screamed from inside, but I doubt that Dan would hear me. I carefully peeled the tape off and I shoved the photo in my pocket before making my way outside and taking my backpack along with me. Another damn honk. "I SAID, I'M ON MY FUCKING WAY!" And I flung the door open.
In the driveway sat a black jeep, that looked brand new. It's dash had some cool designs and stuff, but I couldn't care less about that. I shut the door and locked it behind me with the house key, letting myself into the car to see Dan scrolling through his phone, though it was quickly put away and the car was put into reverse just as I shut the door and sat myself down in the passenger seat. "Jeez.." I mumbled as he relied out of the driveway and took off down the road. I lived in a pretty quiet neighbor hood, so nobody was usually out peddling around on a bike or walking down the street, so Dan didn't have a high chance of running somebody over, but that wasn't the point. "Snazzy car." I fumed as I played with the buckle of my seatbelt for a moment, before clicking it into place.
"What took you so long?" Dan asked as he drove onto the main road and stopped right before a light, making him let out a long peeved sigh. "What's got you so fucking angry?" I asked back. He didn't reply. "Hm. Stupid reason. Not yours, but mine. My mom took a photo and Stephen and I, and I had no idea. Found it all strung up on the chalk board in our kitchen. Well- taped up." I sighed, leaning against the seat and I couldn't help but let out another long needed sigh. It still didn't feel.. right. But I didn't care. "You and lover boy. How did you not know?" Dan asked.
"I was hiding in my jacket and being a little shit." I replied back, watching as the sun slowly set among the houses, and people's lights slowly flick on throughout the main roads and side streets. "Like usual." He replied. I didn't answer back, slowly moving my backpack off of my back with a ton of shit restriction which pissed me off, because it was from the stupid fucking seat belt. I unbuckled it. "FUCK YOUR SEAT BELTS!" I screamed as it hit the back of my chair- and Dan surprisingly lost his shit, laughing and snorting through his nose as I struggled to find something in my bag.
I pulled out my box of cigs and a lighter, pulling one of the sticks out and placing it in my mouth before I put the box back into my bag. "Your bag is smelling up the whole car." Dan noted as I rolled my eyes. "Shut up and roll down the window asshat." I replied as I lit the cigarette, dropping the lighter into the front pocket of my bag, zipping it up before throwing it to the ground beneath my feet. The window made a small 'rrrrrr' noise as I took a large inhale. "Jeez, okay what's on your mind?" Dan asked, now that our tension was gone."Dunno. Feels like I'm forgetting something." I murmured as I took the photo out of my jacket pocket, and looked at it. The cigarette hung loosely from my mouth, and I turned the photo over.
December 4th, 20XX. I couldn't help but smile. I took the cigarette from my mouth, and held my hand out the window, flicking some of the ashes off, before returning it to my lips and taking another inhale, holding it for a moment before letting the smoke out. I turned it back over to look at Stephen's face. "Stephen.." I whispered to myself. I couldn't help but smile. "Jay texted me today." Dan said. "Oh yeah? How'd it go?" I asked back, looking over his features.
"He said some movie is in theaters right now. Going to be in for another week. He's gonna be home some time early tomorrow morning and he wanted to know if I could go check it out with him. He said to ask if you wanted to go. It's about some sort of like, group with a tratior among them or something, like.. I don't know much about it." I looked over at him. "Oh! Stephen described it as a 'who done it?'" I smiled and looked back at the photo.
"Can't. I'm already going with Stephen to the movie thea.." I stopped and looked up. It was almost pure dark out. Lamp posts were on and we were just driving into the city.. "Fuck."
Dan looked at me. "You were saying.." He was about to question, but I shouted it. "FUCK!" And the photo fell to my lap. "HOLY SHIT! IT'S FRIDAY! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE SEEING STEPH-" I yelled as I fished around in my jeans for my phone. "Dude! What the fuck? Why did you agree to a double date tonight if you had a date with him?!" Dan yelled at me, pulling over to the side of the road as I checked my phone. No new messages. Friday, December 5th. 5:43pm. "I'm supposed to be there at 6:45. Holyyy shit-!" I screamed, punching the ceiling of the Jeep as I sucked in a deep breath.
"I forgot.." I mumbled. "Forgot?! Who the fuck forgets something like that?!" Dan screamed at me. "I FUCKING FORGOT OKAY? FUCK-UPS FORGET SHIT ALL THE TIME. GOD DAMN IT DANIEL- I DIDN'T FUCKING REALISE." Dan was about to yell something else at me, but I just turned to look at him. "Drive." I said. "What?" He asked, a little unsure. "FUCKING DRIVE!" I screamed, throwing my cigarette out the window. How the fuck could I forget?! I was looking forward to it and everything. Damn it Hosuh, what the fuck is wrong with you stupid mother fucker holy fucking shit why the hell-
Dan was now driving, and I could see the theater down the street to our right. The car pulled left, and kept driving. It was getting smaller, and smaller.. and then it was gone. Only two more minutes had gone past, and we were now pulled into the parking lot, and for the first time I actually dreaded the sight of the old 80's styled restaurant. Diner. Whatever! Dan parked and turned the vehicle off. He looked at me and I looked at him.
Neither of us spoke, until I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder, opening the door. "Hosuh.." He mumbled, but I got out of the Jeep and just walked in without him. There was two girls sitting at the table. One I recognized immediately, a girl with semi-long, semi-short hair, tied into a pretty pink braid down her back which was short, yet still cute. And the other one.. was fucking Alesa. Stephen's lab partner. Great. Just great. Dan walked in, and just made it his job straight up front to force me over to the table and we sat down with Ann and the bitch. "Hey Dan!" Ann said cheerfully. "I missed you.." She smiled, hugging onto his arm as though they were dating. I knew it was just for show though.
I looked over at the female I was sitting next to. "Hey!" I said cheerfully, and she smiled softly. "Hey Hosuh, glad you agreed to the whole.. uh, double date thing. Suprised?" She asked sweetly. "Pleasantly surprised.." I lied, feeling my voice trail off. I didn't want to be doing this. I was used to doing these kinds of favors for Dan, but I couldn't bare with it tonight. I looked her up and down. Some normal guy from the sports team, who's into girls.. would probably love to have Alesa as a girlfriend or whatever. "You're in my science class, hmm.. Alesa right?" I asked her, but she shook her head. "No, but you were close with the A! It's Allison.." She corrected, but she seemed kind, and patient about it.
"Ah, sorry. I'm not really good with names and.." I felt my phone buzz. Some spam call, but I looked at her before looking to Dan and Ann who were having their own private convo, but Dan's eyes were on me. "Sorry, I have to go take this. I'll be right back.." I said as I walked outside to go take it, backpack on my back while I did so. Maybe I could take a figurate outside before going back in to proceed with the awful circumstances. I walked out the door, and the phone kept buzzing in my hand. I stared at it, the light shining on my face.
The screen went black, and it was as though everything opened up around me. Snow. White flakes of joy, raining from the sky. It was beautiful. And surreal. But sad, knowing that I wouldn't get to see the first snowfall of the year with Stephen. I opened up his contact, starting a new message.
"Sorry, I can't make it tonight. Something came up. Maybe next time." .. it sounded so bland. Fake. I took a step back, and left the contact on hold for a moment. Only to open up a contact once more. "Sorry, I can't do this tonight. Something came up, and I'm worried. Family buisness, so maybe next time."
Things
go
wrong.
And
there
is
only
so
much
that
I
can
do.
I'm
only
just
a
human.
A
lying,
dirty,
cheater.
Who's
just
trying
his
best.
But
maybe
my
best
wasn't
actually
a
thing
I
could
bother
to
commit
to.
I blinked, staring at the phone.
"Sorry, I can't do this tonight. Something came up, and I'm worried. Family business, so maybe next time."
And
maybe
that's
just
how
things
ought
to
be.
Because
for
what
it's
worth..
He
is
worth
everything
to
me.
Read by Dan the man, at 6:27pm
I smiled, and looked out through the snow. It was dark out, and the white substance was lining the sidewalks and the roads. Cars passed by, and the stop lights hung from the posts like they always did. The lamp post lights were lining the way to my next destination, and the crosswalk poles were just as they always were. I clicked my phone off, and put it into my pocket before walking down the sidewalk into the dusk. "I'm sorry Alesa. Or whatever your name is." And I couldn't hold back anymore, I started running through the streets. I actually felt happy. I was smiling, and the faster I ran the more my legs started to ache, and the more my chest started to burn since I wasn't pacing myself, but I was going to be late. I was going to be late, but I was going to be there, for Stephen.