Shattered In Pieces

"It's fine. I want to go home."

"I wish I could bring you there, but I need to stay here..."

"Why?"

"I'll get suspended otherwise and we won't see each other as much..."

"Why?" Another of her games. I'll give it two minutes before she runs and hides somewhere, probably in one of the upstairs lockers.

I held her tighter, a knot forming in my throat. "Because I wouldn't be here. Can we change the subject?"

"To what?" she whispered. "What you'll do to me when we get home?"

"Jilly...I'm waiting." I pulled away to look her in the eyes, still holding her tightly. "I'm not just going to rush into it. I'm sorry."

"We don’t have to rush....you can take it nice and slow..." she bit her lip and closed her eyes slightly.

"Jill, no. No no no." I shook my head and tried not to think about it. She sighed before standing up. "Where are you going...?" I asked. She held up one finger, saying hold on, and reached into her back pocket. A folded piece of paper was set on the table before she ran off down the hall, giggling. I raised an eyebrow and picked it up. When I opened it, her handwriting was scrawled inside:

I like the number three, and so does the classroom next to me. I won't tell you the color, but maybe I will holler.
I whined, standing up. "Do you have any idea how many lockers and classroom have the number three in it?!"

"You okay?" Ashley raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"She's playing the locker game again. She won't tell me the color, but only that it has the #3 and so does the classroom next to it."

"Jesus. Good luck!"

"Thanks for the help." I rolled my eyes.

"Nah, I'll help you." She got up and stretched lazily.

"Babe..." Johnny pouted. She gave him a cold look.

"So, the number three means the third floor. Let's go, and start at the lockers right next to the classrooms. Then if we have to we will go through the middle."

"Lead the way." Ashley shrugged. Johnny whined, but she ignored him. She followed me up to the third floor, and we started at the first locker after the first classroom. It was empty. I went to the next two lockers at the end of that row, and opened them. She wasn’t there.

"What-"

"Shh..." I shushed Ashley quickly.

"Jimmy...I hope that's you...I'm stuck...." I heard Jill whimper sadly.

"Babe, where are you?" I called, listening again.

"Locker 333..." I quickly ran towards it, pulling at it. It didn’t open.

"Do you know the combination?"

"No..." I pulled at it again, kicking it trying to open it. "Jimmy, stop! Please..." I sighed, running my hands over my face.

"I'll be right back; I'm going to get a janitor."

"Don't, I've got it." Ashley started playing with the lock. I waited impatiently, waiting to have her in my arms again. Maybe this will teach her what games are okay and what aren't. She just likes to have fun, I understand, but this is too much.

"Got it!" She announced proudly, opening the door.

"...Do I want to know how you learned that?" I sighed once more.

"Bully."

"You and your video games. Are you okay, baby?" she fell out of the locker, landing on the floor with a thud. She nodded, giggling and getting up to run down the hall.