Just a Girl

Once we got to our new house it was about 1 a.m. I was so tired that I just decided to go to my room. But guess what. No bed! So I slept on the floor. At least it was carpeted. I didn’t even change into pajamas, just got down on the floor and fell asleep. I was too tired to care.

I woke up the next morning with carpet lines in my face. I rubbed my cheek and it felt like I had carpet burn. But other then that, I slept pretty well.

I found my way to the bathroom, taking some clothes and a towel with me. When I got there, I took my necklace off and carefully placed it on the sink.

I stripped out of my clothes, turned the shower on hot, and stepped in. The hot water felt so good, it comforted me. When I was finished I put my locket back on, got dressed, and then wrapped my towel around my hair and twisted it up on my head.

I dreaded this week. We would have to unpack, not to mention that on Monday I would have to face my first day at my old school. I definitely didn’t want to spend my Saturday unpacking and worrying about school. So I decided I wouldn’t.

I dug my hair dryer out of one of my boxes in my room and took it into my bathroom. Then I proceeded to dry my hair and then brush it into place. I walked back into my room and pulled on an orange long sleeved shirt and a pair of light blue skinnies. Then I got my black zip-up hoodie and pulled it on. I grabbed my black converse high-tops and laced them up.

I grabbed my wallet out of my bag and put it in my pocket and my phone too. Then I went downstairs and said goodbye to my mom.

“Where are you going honey?” My mom asked.

“I’m just gonna go re-learn the town. Maybe just go be nostalgic.” I replied.

“Okay, well have fun with that.” She said.

I nodded and walked out the door, grabbing my coat on the way out. I buttoned it up and started down the street. I was pretty sure I knew my way around still. And once I realized all the streets seemed pretty familiar, I started to relax.

I walked for about 20 minutes before I got into town. I knew exactly where I was now. Except the barber shop we always used to go to was all boarded up.

I walked into the coffee shop for some coffee, or maybe even some hot chocolate.

I walked over to the counter and ordered a hot chocolate, I figured that’d warm me up. I waited by the counter until my order was ready and then took my cash out of my wallet and paid.

I carefully took my cup to a table since it was hot. I sat down and waited for it to cool. My stomach grumbled ad I realized I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch yesterday, since I refused to eat the food Nate bought me at McDonalds last night. I decided to get a doughnut. I went back up to the counter, following the same routine as with the hot chocolate and brought it over to my table.

I was about to take a bite of my doughnut when a guy walked through the door. He stopped in his tracks once he got inside. His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he laid eyes on me. It made me self-conscious. Did I have something in my teeth? Was my hair out-of-control-frizzy? I put my doughnut down. I felt too weierd eating now that this guy was staring at me.

I raised an eyebrow. What was this guys problem?

He quickly rearranged his face, so it was composed. He walked towards me. I hoped this guy wasn’t going to flirt with me. I really wasn’t looking for a relationship at the moment, plus some guys were just pigs. Actually most guys were pigs.

He was right in front of me when he smiled. Wait, I knew that smile. I knew that face too. It was just a little more mature then when I saw it last.

“Cara?” He asked. “Is it really you?”

“No. I don’t know a Cara.” I said, messing with him. I wanted to see what he would do.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry for bothering you.” He said, in his same polite manor as he had always had.

“No problem.” I replied.

He turned and started walking away, almost out the door when I shouted “Gotcha!” He immediately ran back over to my table and tackled me in a bear-hug. Doing so, he knocked out of my chair and I landed with a smack on the ground. I winced in pain, but hugged my friend back.

“Andrew, I’ve missed you.” I told him.

“Same here.” He replied.

He stood up, helping me up along with him.

“Where have you been all these years?” He asked.

“Ann Arbor.” I replied.

He nodded. Then he proceeded to bring up one of my best memories with him.

“You remember when we used to tackled your brother on the playground? We actually thought we were hurting him.” He chuckled.

I laughed too. When I went to Brooklyn Elementary the kindergarteners had recess with the 3rd graders. And when Andrew and I were in kindergarten my brother was in 3rd grade. We used to chase him around the playground tackling him. Good times…

“Good times.” I repeated my thoughts.

“Yea, good times.” He agreed. “So are you staying here or just visiting?”

“I actually just moved here, today is my first day back.”

I saw his face light up.

“Cool nose ring by the way.” He said. “It’s so weird, you were so sweet and innocent when I saw you last, and now you’ve got an extreme piercing. But it’s pretty cool.”

I smiled. “Thanks. You know, almost all the guys at my other school made fun of for it. Not that I cared, but I think it was just ‘cause they were all rich and goody-goody boys. And the girls too. A lot of them said it was gross.” I sighed.

He nodded in response and a smile crept on his face. “Did you get your schedule yet?” He asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“What team are you on?”

“Um…” I thought about it for a second. “Team C.”

His eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “That’s my team!” He exclaimed.

“Awesome, so now we know that we at least have lunch together.” I replied.

“Yeah.” He said. “Do you know your classes?”

“I have my schedule with me actually.” I said pulling it out of my pocket. These were the jeans I wore when my mom handed it to me.

“I have Algebra 1st hour, then Biology 2nd hour, English 3rd hour, and History 4th hour.” I recited my classes off my list.

He sat there with his mouth dangling open. I raised an eyebrow. “Same as me.” He said, like he didn’t believe it. “Well what’s your elective?” He asked.

“Spanish…” I said.

“Me too!” He exclaimed a little too loud and drew some attention.

I took a sip of my hot coco and it warmed me as it went down my throat and then I felt a warm spot in my stomach.

“It’s fate, friend.” I replied calmly, taking a bite of my doughnut. Then I sipped some of my hot coco, which had luckily cooled down by now.

“Hey, should we exchange numbers?” Andrew asked.

“Yeah, that probably a good idea. That way we don’t loose communication.” I answered.

We exchanged phones and punched our numbers into one another’s phones.

Andrew was handing my phone over to me when it started buzzing. He immediately stopped reaching forward to give it to me and brought it back into his line of vision.

“Give me my phone back please.” I said calmly.

“One second.” He said hold a finger up.

“No it’s my phone. I have a right to it whenever I want it.”

He opened it up and tapped the screen.

“Who’s Nate?” He asked.

“My friend, now give me my phone.”

“He wants to know if you saw the picture in the locket.” He stated.

“Give me my phone.”

“Fine.” He sighed, handing it over to me. Not that it mattered anymore, he already read the text message.

I looked at the screen and sure enough, Nate wanted to know if I had looked inside my locket.

I replied: Yeah, I can’t believe you kept those pictures after all these years! I love it, and I’m gonna wear it everyday. Thanks so much. You have no idea how much it means to me.

I slid my phone shut and put it back in my pocket. I looked up at Andrew. He was staring back expectantly.

“What?” I asked.

“If he was just a friend then why did he give you a locket?” He brought the locket back up.

“Because he was a good friend and he wanted me to have something to remember him by.” I countered.

“But a locket? That’s what boyfriends give their girlfriends.”

I sighed and put my head in my hands. Then I looked back up. “He is most definitely not my boyfriend.” I replied. “Why, are you jealous?” I asked, smirking.

“What? No!” He cried.

I laughed. “I was kidding. Gosh.”

“Good, because I have a girlfriend.”

“Something must be wrong with her.”

His jaw dropped. “There is nothing wrong with her.” He defended.

“I was just kidding, again.” I laughed. “Does no one get my sense of humor?”

He just rolled his eyes. “It just seems like centuries since we have talked.” He said. “So what have you been up to.”

“Well, lets see. When I first moved out of Brooklyn my house burned down so we lived in a hotel for two months. While we were there I broke my two front teeth and then got them fixed. After that we moved into a rental house then we moved into another and then we moved here. And here I am now.” I said all in one breath.

Andrew raised an eyebrow at me. “Well, you have been busy.”

I nodded. “Don’t I know it.”