To Stop Waiting

“Chelsea? Are you paying attention?” Asked the young girl’s impatient teacher, Mrs. Wylder.

“Yes, sorry. It’s been a long day,” Chelsea responded mentally shaking herself.

“As I was saying, Miss Cohn. I don’t quite understand you motive behind going to a different High School than everyone else. Would you care to explain why?” Mrs. Wylder looked down at the small blonde.

“It’s just easiest for my father to take me to this school rather than the other.” Chelsea shrunk down in her seat hoping her English teacher wouldn’t ask more questions. She didn’t want to tell her that the real reason she chose Valley High School instead of Rocky Mountain High was because of the mean girl, Katie Marie. She had been tortured all school year, but would not put up with it for four more years.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Valley High School doesn’t have very good teaching staff…” The English teacher was trying with all her might to get the girl to change her mind, she didn’t expect her to stick up for herself.

“Valley High has great teachers. I wouldn’t go to a High School with bad teachers. I’ll see you tomorrow morning Mrs. Wylder. My dad’s waiting out front for me; I told him it would only be a few minutes. I really must get going.” The student grabbed her bags and left the room. She wanted to go to Valley High, she wanted to and she was going to, no matter what her favorite teacher said about it. Not paying attention to where she was walking, Chelsea walked right into a tall brown haired boy. She stumbled a bit, and nearly fell over being the klutz she truly is. The boy put a toned arm around her waist to steady her, but quickly withdrew. “I’m sorry,” Chelsea said beginning to walk away.

“It’s fine,” called a voice that made the girl stop in her tracks. She slowly turned around to face Nathan Woods; this couldn’t be happening.

“Hi Nathan,” she said to her friend, if only a little shyly; they had barely talked during the school year.

“Hey,” he said coolly. He wasn’t popular, but he was his usual fun, friendly, silly self. “How’ve you been?”

“Fine, busy but fine.” Chelsea smiled. She used her hand to get her blonde bangs out of her left eye, but it was no use; they went right back to where they were. “What about you?”

“Pretty good. I haven’t seen you in a while.” Chelsea wasn’t sure if this meant that their lack of communication affected how he was or if he was just making a statement.

“I haven’t been home much. How’s Marissa?”

“We broke up.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“She said we had nothing in common and that she couldn’t stand being around me.” For such a hard blow, Nathan looked happier than ever.

“I’m sorry.” The two friends stood awkwardly in the hall for a few minutes before Chelsea turned to leave, feeling the conversation was over.

“ChelseaLynn,” Nathan called using her full name like he always does.

“Huh?”

“I’ll see you around,” he said simply, disappointed he didn’t say what he meant to.

“Kay.” She headed out of the Middle School’s doors and to ‘her dad’s car,’ unable to get the look Nathan gave her out of her head.