You're Hiding All the Right Things

"Hey, Skylar, come on, man, we’re gonna be late." I heard Caleb say from down the hall.

I looked up at him and got up, running towards him. I needed to tell him about everything. He was my best friend, so he knew everything so far.

"I have to tell you something later." I said, smiling.

He looked at me, smirking. "Alright. Does it have something to do with Jeremiah?"

I nodded, excited.

He laughed. "‘Kay, just don’t give yourself a heart attack from excitement."

"Sorry." I said, walking into the classroom with Caleb. It always felt so awkward to walk into classes, because I knew that all the girls were eyeing me up like something to eat. It was flattering but extremely overwhelming.

I took my seat in the back of the classroom next to Caleb and one of the druggies who was already asleep. I could smell the smoke on him, and it made me want to throw up. I looked on the other side of Caleb and saw an empty desk, Karli next to that. I got up and moved over there so I could actually breathe. Karli looked my way and smiled, even though I could tell that she was still pissed off.

The bell rang and all the talking automatically stopped as the teacher came walking in. She was like the drill sergeant of public schools.

Once the homework was collected and the lesson started, I stopped listening, because I already knew a lot about what we were talking about.

A piece of paper flew onto my desk from Karli’s direction. I opened it and it said:

So what’s going on with us? You’re acting like you want nothing to do with me.

I sighed, hoping that I wouldn’t have to deal with any of this today. I grabbed my pencil and responded:

I’m just not in the best mood today, and I didn’t want to take it out on you.

I gave it back to her and she looked at me like she didn’t believe me at all after she read it. I took the paper and added on:

If you don’t believe me or whatever, you can end this, because I’m not feeling much going on between us anymore.

She got a shocked, pissed off, hurt look on her face, crumpling up the note and stuffing it in her pencil pouch. I felt bad for doing it, but it had to be done. Jeremiah was right, I would just be hurting her more if I kept it going. At this point, I wouldn’t mind if Jeremiah didn’t swing that way, as long as I wasn’t covering anything up.

Caleb elbowed me and gave me a look. He knew what happened. I nodded and turned to face the front of the room.

After first hour, Karli was staying clear of me, and that didn’t bug me one bit.

"So you guys are over? Like, for good over?" Caleb asked on the way to third hour.

"I’m thinking so. She hasn’t made any sort of contact with me ever since first hour." I said, turning down the hall to our third hour. Coincidentally, our schedules were exactly the same this term, except for last hour.

"And I’m guessing that’s a good thing?" He asked.

"Of course it is. Now I don’t have to feel guilty about using Karli, and now I don’t have to feel guilty for going after Jeremiah while in a relationship."

"I guess it has its perks. Do you feel bad at all for leaving her like that?"

I looked at the floor, not really thinking about that. "Well, I’m not totally heartless, so I guess I feel a little bad, but in reality, it was her decision, that’s what I told her in the note. So really, she’s the one that broke up with me." I explained.

"But you still feel bad for doing that to her?" Caleb asked before going into the classroom.

I turned to him. "Of course I feel bad, but I’m not gonna dwell on it." I walked into the room and automatically got a wolf whistle from one of the jerks in class. I just ignored it, rolling my eyes, and continued to my seat, which was by Karli, of course, and Caleb.

"Skylar, I need to talk to you." Karli whispered.

"When?"

"Now." She grabbed my hand. "We need to use the bathroom. We’ll be back." Karli said, storming out of the room, me dragging behind her. Once we were out of the room and the door was closed, she dragged me down the hall.

"Okay, I don’t think anyone’s gonna hear us. What do you want to talk about?"

"You really wanna break up?" She asked.

I sighed. "I said that it was your decision, not mine."

She sighed, looking at the floor. "How about we go to the fair together tomorrow, as a one last chance thing."

"Alright, whatever you wanna do." I said, no enthusiasm in my voice at all.

"Do you really not feel anything between us?" She asked quietly, still not making eye contact with me.

"In all honesty, no." I said.

"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

"I thought it might change as we were together longer, but it didn’t, obviously."

She didn’t say anything. "Should I even try anymore?"

"That’s your decision."

"Is there someone else?"

"You could say that." I said, picking at my nail.

"You were cheating on me?" She asked, her voice getting slightly louder.

"No, no, no. There’s just someone else I want more than you."

"Does she go here?" Karli asked, insane jealousy in her voice.

I had to hold back my laughter. She just totally called Jeremiah a chick. "No, she doesn’t go here."

"Oh." Was all she said. "Well whatever. Do you still wanna go to the fair tomorrow or not?"

"Whatever you wanna do." I said nonchalantly, picking at the strings on my scarf.

"Alright, so I’ll see you tomorrow." She said, leaving me to go back to the classroom, me following behind her.

The teacher didn’t yell at us as we walked in, thank god. I took my seat and pulled out my phone, texting Jeremiah.

Hey, there’s a fair going on tomorrow, and I was wondering if you’d wanna go?

I made sure my phone was on vibrate before he responded. I jumped a little at the vibrate, thankfully the teacher didn’t notice.

That sounds awesome! I’d love to go. What time?

I smiled, holding in my giggles, and responded:

Idk, probably sometime in the early afternoon, and then we’d be back after the fireworks.

I looked up and pretended to pay attention, just in case the teacher looked up from reading aloud. The phone vibrated again.

Sounds like a plan. I love fireworks. :)

I smiled.

Me too.

I put my phone back in my pocket and the bell rang, the class seeming to go by really fast.

"Lunch!" Caleb said, sounding like a caveman.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, Caleb." I got into the cafeteria and grabbed a salad.

"Must you have a salad everyday?" Thomas, another one of my best friends, asked.

"How else do I keep this awesome figure?" I asked.

"Psh, whatever, Skylar." Thomas and Caleb said in unison. We all went up to pay for our food and I grabbed three ranch packets and a few napkins.

"Why can’t they have Italian or French dressing, honestly? Would it kill them to get some variety?" I complained, squeezing the packets on my salad.

"This school sucks, what do you expect?" Caleb said, stuffing his mouth full of burger.

I looked around and saw that Karli was sitting at her friend’s table. I swallowed my salad and put my fork down. "Okay, so I invited Jeremiah to the fair tomorrow, and I’m gonna see how everything plays out there. We’re staying for the fireworks." I said, smiling.

"Hopefully everything works out." Caleb said, also smiling.

"So does that mean we’re gonna have to leave you two alone during the fireworks?" Thomas asked.

"It would be nice, but you should probably do it in a way that doesn’t draw attention to yourselves. I don’t need this to be totally embarrassing."

"Are you two hanging out tonight?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah, he’s bringing someone over that he thinks is ‘worth my time’." I said with a mouthful of lettuce.

Caleb and Thomas looked at each other, smirking, then turned back to me with looks of disbelief on their faces.

"What?" I asked, totally confused.

"He’s not bringing anyone over tonight." Thomas said.

"He said–" I started.

"He just said that as a cover. He’s gonna be the only one there. He’s gonna act like the ‘friend’ couldn’t make it and that it would just be, coincidentally, the two of you." Caleb said.

"No, that’s stupid. He doesn’t even like me that way..." I said.

"There’s no way to tell that until one of you makes the right move, and right now, he’s doing a pretty good job at making moves." Caleb explained.

"Yeah, yeah." I said, waving both of them off, now too excited and nervous to finish my salad. "Now that I lost my appetite..." I got up and threw away my partially eaten salad, going to sit back down.

"Just like a fucking girl, I swear." Thomas said under his breath to Caleb, but loud enough to wear I could hear it.

I smirked and punched him. "Shut up."

"I was just messin’ with you, Skylar." He said. He tried messing up my hair, but I dodged his hand.

"No touchie the hair." I said, getting ready to hit him again.

"Alright, no touchie." Thomas said, holding both of his hands up.

"Thank you. I personally think it looks awesome today, and I want it to stay that way." I said.

Thomas and Caleb snorted and got up to throw away their trays. I followed them, not feeling like being in the cafeteria anymore. We went out in the hall and my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and flipped it open and, like I was hoping, it was Jeremiah.

Hey, would it be alright if I spent the night there, too?

I gasped and started jumping up and down. "Caleb! Thomas!"

"What?" They said, coming over by me.

"Look what he asked meeee!" I squeed, now feeling like a legit female.

They both smiled when they read it. "He moves fast."

"Oh, shut up. We’re not gonna do anything." I said, texting him back: Sure, I don’t mind, and neither will Beau and Jared. They trust you. What time will you be at my house?

I closed my phone and I was still excited enough to bounce off the walls.

He texted back:

sweet. I’ll probably be over there a little after I get home from school. I need to pack and eat something before I leave.

I rolled my eyes.

You live right next door, the only thing you’ll need is pajamas. And we have plenty of food, we can eat here. I’m planning on making something for dinner when Maika gets here anyways.

I slid down the wall in one of the secluded hallways, Caleb and Thomas following, now both of them on their phones.

I guess that’s true. I don’t wanna eat all the food in your house, though, I would feel bad.

I laughed to myself. "He’s so cute." I said out loud, smiling.

Don’t worry about it. It would get eaten eventually, anyways. When do you get out of school?

I get out at 3 and get home around quarter after, so I should be over there at like quarter to 4. Is that alright?

I resisted the urge to tell him to come right after he got out of school; that would be too demanding and clingy. That works wonderfully. That’ll give me time to get Maika settled in and whatnot, and set up sleeping arrangements.

Awesome, so I’ll see you then :]]

I giggled and put my phone away. "I think I’m falling in love."

"Now who’s the one that’s moving too fast?" Caleb asked, getting up, helping me up.

"Shush! I only said that I think I am, not that I am."

"Pretty much the same thing." Thomas said.

"Nuh uh." I said, going to my locker. I couldn’t wait for this school day to be over. Just two more classes and then I can leave. Two more classes and then I’m that much closer to spending a night with Jeremiah. I did a mini happy dance and closed my locker, walking down the halls, beaming. I toned it down a little once I got into the classroom, since Karli was in there, too. She didn’t make any contact with me as I sat down in between Caleb and Thomas, with her behind me.

Class ran smoothly, mainly because I was daydreaming. Luckily this teacher never really paid attention to me because I was never a problem student.

Fifth hour came and went like a breeze, too. Sooner than I thought, the last bell rang and it was time to go home. I looked at the clock: 2:45. I had an hour to prepare myself for what could be the best day/night of my life.

"Tell us how everything goes tomorrow, alright?" Caleb said, hugging me before leaving.

"Definitely."

"Hopefully it all works out." Thomas said, also hugging me.

"I have a good feeling about all this." I said, smiling at both of them.

"See you tomorrow. Text us when you get to the fair."

"Will do." I walked out of the building with them, going towards Beau’s car, smiling, while Thomas and Caleb walked towards the bus.

"Hey." I said, slamming the door. "Is it okay if Jeremiah hangs out with me while I babysit? So I have someone to help me keep my sanity?"

"You know I don’t care if he’s over when we’re not home." Beau said. "And besides, Maika isn’t that bad today. You guys could probably watch a movie and he wouldn’t fuss."

"That’s good." I said as we turned into the driveway. "When are you guys’ leaving?"

"Probably about ten minutes or so." He said, getting out of the car.

"Alright, cool." I said, following him into the house. I got a huge "hey Sky" welcome as I walked in.

"Hey." I said, waving, smiling.

Maika ran up to me and hugged me. "Hey Skylar! I brought a bunch of stuff we can do tonight!"

I laughed, messing up his hair. "That’s awesome, Maika."

"I put all his stuff in your room for now, until you figure out where he’s gonna sleep." Miranda said.

"Awesome, sounds good."

"And I brought over some of his video games so he could play those and maybe give you a little time to yourself." Eric added on.

I smiled. Time to myself and Jeremiah. "Sweet."

"Well, we should get going. We’ll see you two later tonight, if you’re not sleeping." Jared said.

I hugged Jared and Beau before they left. "Have fun, don’t get too wasted."

They both rolled their eyes at me. "Whatever, Sky. See ya."