this was a request by Guess123678 and it's reALLY cheesy oops. i tried not to make it too unoriginal, but uhhhh i'm not original so sorry lol
words: 1653
. . .
"Katie!"
I hated my school.
"Katie, I know you hear me."
I knew it wasn't edgy or unique to think that, but it was how I felt. I had a visceral response to being in the moldy yellow brick buildings, and not just because of the rancid color scheme.
"Katie!"
Olivia jogged up behind me and - unfortunately - caught up to my quickened pace. I tried to keep a straight face, but my expression morphed into a cringe as she took the loop of my backpack and tugged it to stop me.
The people were definitely a factor in my negative outlook.
"What do you want?"
"I wanted to know if you were going to Justin's party. He got in touch with his dealer." She grinned. "It's gonna be good."
"It's a school night." Shaking my head, I kept walking. I didn't know why Olivia thought I ran in her circles after all these years, because I preferred to keep my GPA at a comfortable level and made that clear. But going to a small town high school meant everyone knew everyone, and you only had two choices of friend groups: the goody-goodies or the potheads.
I was unlucky enough to be next-door neighbors with Olivia, who was in the latter crew.
"Come on, it's Valentine's Day," she whined and trailed behind me. "It'll be a single's wonderland."
"I told you before, I'm not single."
"And I told you, nobody's gonna believe you if you make up such a crazy story about your imaginary boyfriend."
I didn't know what was so unbelievable about dating a guy in New York when we were only in Pennsylvania, but I digressed.
I waved my hand in the air to tell her to screw off as I entered my chemistry class.
Only one more semester, and I'd be out of there.
When I sat down in the second row, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at Mr. Walker to make sure he wasn't looking, and I pulled it out and held it under my desk to read the text.
Mornin, sunshine.
Travis.
My one ray of hope to get me through the last semester of my high school career. Only one more semester, then I'd move to New York to go to college with my boyfriend. I hadn't seen him since winter break, when I went up to spend New Year's Eve with him. I didn't care that nobody in my town believed me, but Travis and I met at a summer camp and hit it off. That was real enough for him and me, and that was what mattered.
school sucks
He read my reply, but didn't say anything back. I knew he had physics for first period, and his teacher was a jerk when it came to phones. So, I stuffed mine back in the pocket of my hoodie. (Technically, it was his hoodie, but no one thought I was being serious when I said he'd given it to me at the New Year's party.)
Halfway through the period, my phone vibrated again.
One more semester, love.
I'm gonna kill someone if Callaway says "black holes" one more time.
I smiled to myself and shot back a laughing emoji before focusing back on Mr. Walker. Apparently, my grin was obvious, and my desk partner raised an eyebrow.
"Texting someone special?" Max whispered with a suggestive smirk.
I cast him a glare with pursed lips. Even if he was Olivia's brother, and by default a close acquaintance, I didn't have to be nice to him. He'd asked me out several times within the past week, because he wanted to "score some" on Valentine's Day. Tonight.
Ugh.
"I'm talking to my boyfriend," I hissed pointedly.
"The one that doesn't exist," Max recalled.
I opened my mouth to argue, but decided better of it. Mr. Walker was handing out the Bunsen burners, and I had to pay attention if I wanted extra credit for participation. I repeated the same phrase in my head that had kept me going for the past year: it doesn't matter what they think, it doesn't matter what they think, it doesn't-
"Katie, here you go." Mr. Walter smiled at me as he placed the burner on my side of the desk. "Don't let Max touch it without you overseeing it, okay?"
The class let out a collective chuckle, remembering when Max set fire to his shirt last semester. Max grumbled something about him only doing it to see what would happen. I pulled my focus away from my congested thoughts and put it on pouring the correct chemicals into the pot.
One more semester.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Carey said as she fluttered through the hallways. With every person she passed, she produced an award-winning smile and a card with a lollipop attached to it. When she saw me, she brightened. "Hey, Katie! Happy-"
"Isn't that more of a kindergarten activity?" I cut her off, but felt a little bad after doing so. She was a lot to take in at once, but she meant well. I softened my expression. "Are they voting cards?"
"Well, not exactly." Her bubbly personality wasn't phased by my curtness. "They're Valentines. But I'm hoping this'll score me some points for next semester's election."
The junior class wasn't really competitive that year, so I didn't know why Carey thought she needed to jump the gun for student government elections.
"I'm sure you'll be fine," I commented as she handed me a card. It had a bee with heart stickers surrounding it. The print read, Bee mine.
"Thanks, Katie!" she chirped. "Are you doing anything for tonight?"
I checked my phone and sighed. 4 unopened messages from trav <3 ."Nah. Travis is hours away, and we decided to wait until spring break to do anything."
Unlocking my phone, I felt warmth flood through me as I scanned over the texts.
I miss you.
What if I drove to you
If I left right now I could be there by the time sixth ends
I'm gonna ditch the rest of school.
Carey paused for a sympathetic frown, but soon her grin was back on her face. "I forgot you said you were dating that guy. He's from New York, right?"
I couldn't decipher whether or not she was being sincere, but I figured I'd go along. "Yeah."
I texted back, haha yeah you do that, even though he'd texted me an hour and a half ago.
"That sure makes turning Max down convenient!" she gigged, and I furrowed my brow at her flippancy. "You don't even need proof, apparently."
She didn't believe me, either.
None of them did - not Carey, not Olivia, and especially not Max.
"You sure you're not going to Justin's thing?" he questioned after sixth period as we walked to our lockers. "It's gonna get pretty crazy."
"That's exactly why I'm not going," I stated.
"You're so boring!" Olivia groaned.
Rolling my eyes to the ceiling, I yanked open my locker to shove its contents into my bag. "I like getting sleep before school. And I prefer not to be high."
"I could give you a high you wouldn't forget." The look on Max's expectant face made me want to barf.
I stared blankly at him, giving him nothing. "I have a boyfriend."
"I don't see him anywhere."
"That's because he's-"
"Right here."
The familiar voice made butterflies release into my rib cage, and I felt a smile tug at my cheeks as I twirled around.
Travis.
"Who's-" Max began, but his mouth slammed shut the moment I flung myself into Travis' arms.
Travis.
"Heya, Katie-kat," he chuckled into my ear as he lifted and spun me around.
His comforting scent overtook me as I buried my head into his chest. He was here. He'd driven all the way to me. On Valentine's Day. And showed up in front of the people who thought he didn't exist.
Travis.
Once he set me down, I remained in his arms. I didn't want to ever let go. It felt like it had been years since I saw him, and being wrapped in him was pure ecstasy. I could've started crying if I wasn't aware that I stood in the middle of the hallway of school.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, smiling so hard it hurt my face. But I didn't care.
He was here.
He ran a hand through his auburn curls, making my heart skip a beat. "Uh, I told you. I missed you."
As if Max was unaware of any type of hint, he butted in to say, "That's Travis?"
I narrowed my eyes at him and Olivia, who wore the same shocked expression. "Yes. Told you he was real."
"Oh, I'm real, alright." Travis smirked as he snaked his arm around my waist, squeezing me against his side. He looked at Max with the most intimidating smile I'd ever seen. "So, back off from my girl, got it?"
I couldn't believe he'd come.
Olivia and Max couldn't, either, but for a very different reason.
"Have fun at your party," I told them, guiding Travis to turn away from them. I would've walked away then, but I stopped to rise up on my toes and plant a kiss on Travis' cheek. Just because I could.
Travis was real, and Travis was here.
"Whatta you say we get out of here and celebrate?" my boyfriend offered, taking my hand and walking me out to the parking lot.
His car sat in the visitor's parking, and I decided my car could wait.
"It is the day of love, or whatever."
"That's every day with you, Kates." He grinned and pulled me into another embrace.
"You're cheesy."
"And you're beautiful."
I rolled my eyes, but a smile stained my face. And that smile stayed there the entire night.
What a way to have Valentine's Day.