Arranged Fate

Sunday flew by faster than I wanted it to. Oliver and I lounged around all day watching movies and talking about his plan.

“So how long do you think you’re going to stay here?” I asked him as he put The Goonies into the DVD player. He turned his head to look over his shoulder at me.

“Sick of me already?” He smirked.

“No,” I shook my head, a small smile creeping up onto my lips. “Just curious.”

“Well, I guess I don’t really know,” He admitted. “But with the way you cook, I might just never leave.” He joked as he sat down on the couch next to me. He draped his arm over the back of the couch and I happily moved a little closer to him. “I’m not going back until they change their minds.”

“Do you think that will take long?” I asked.

Please say yes!

“Maybe,” He shrugged. “They’re stubborn.”

“Well you can stay as long as you want. Actually, you can stay until my dad gets home from his business trip. Then I’m kicking you out,” I joked as well.

He nudged me with his side, “Hopefully that park bench won’t be taken then.”

I chuckle along with him as the movie begins and we fall into silence.

Now, it was Monday morning and I have school. Yuck.

“Oliver,” I say though the door to the guest room, knocking lightly. I hear him mumble a sleepy response so I crack the door open and look inside. Oliver is lying face down on the bed, the covers pushed down to his waist and he is struggling to keep his eyes open. “I’m leaving.”

“Why?” He groans.

“Because I can’t miss school,” I chuckle.

“But what am I supposed to do all day then?” He asks, rubbing his eyes with his fists.

“I don’t know,” I say with a shrug of my shoulders. “You’ll figure something out.”

“Fine,” He sighs loudly. “Do you want me to pick you up?”

“Sure, but pick me up a block away. I don’t need questions being asked.”

“I feel like I’m back in high school, in some secret relationship or something.” He chuckles. “I’ll be there.”

“Thanks,” I smile slightly. “I made you something for lunch. It’s in the fridge.”

He hums, “Thanks.”

I smile at him before closing the door. I hurry down the stairs and grab my bag and jacket that I had left waiting at the front door. When I leave, I make sure I lock the door and then I begin my long walk to school.

Because I don’t drive, I always have to walk everywhere. This meant that when school usually starts at 7:30, I have to make sure that I’m out of the house by 6:30 to give myself enough time to make it to school. If I’m not out of the house by then, I’m always late.

Thankfully, now that it was spring, I had a lot to look at. Things were different almost every day. There were new flowers that had bloomed, trees were turning green and more butterflies started coming out. It really was a beautiful sight.

I was almost to school when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out to find Oliver’s face flashing on the screen.

“Hello?” I answer.

“This is so good,” He says, sounding like he had a mouthful of food.

“You already got into the spaghetti?” I chuckle.

“I couldn’t help it! I was hungry, it was right there staring at me… I had to eat it. And it’s so good!” He practically moans.

“You need a better diet,” I laugh.

“I have abs, don’t I?”

“Touché,” I smile to myself. “I’m at school now,” I tell him as I walk onto the front lot.

“I wish you would have ditched,” He groans. “I’m going to be so bored!”

“You’ll live,” I laugh, hanging up on him just as I walk through the front doors.

“Annie!” I hear my name being called as I pass by the front office. I turn and look, finding Maria waving me down from inside the office. I raise my eyebrow at her, but walk over anyways. “Good morning,” She says, giving me a hug.

“A Monday morning is never good, Maria,” I say as I hug her back.

“You only say that because they canceled your Monday night show,” She says, rolling her eyes as she pulls away.

“Hey, shut up,” I say, slapping her arm lightly. “What the hell are you doing in the office?”

“Oh! That’s a surprise,” She answers with a smirk on her face. I eye her nervously but then a secretary walks over with a stack of bright pink papers in her hands. “Thank you!” Maria says happily, taking them from her. I quickly snatch one off the top and read it over.

“Prom?”

“You bailed out last year, but I’m not letting it happen this year.” Maria says, shooting daggers at me. “Now come on, I have to take these back to the committee before class starts.”

“I have to stop by Math class this morning. Something about a bad grade,” I say with a sigh. “I’ll see you in History.”

“Alright,” She says, smiling at me before running off in the opposite direction that I was headed. As I started walking towards my locker to drop off my bag, my phone vibrates in my pocket. I take it out to find a text from Oliver.

If I told you I lit the house on fire, would you come home?

I chuckle, shaking my head at the text. At least I know he misses me as much as I miss him.

Maybe if the house was actually on fire.

After I send the text, I open my locker and shove my overstuffed bag inside. As I make my way to my Math class, Oliver responds to my text.

I can arrange that.

Then neither of us would have a place to live!

… Good point. Is school over yet?

It hasn’t even started!

I stuff my phone in my pocket as I walk into my Math class, finding Mr. Harrison behind the desk grading papers. He looks up when he hears me walk in.

“Ah, Annie.” He stands from his desk, grabbing a paper as he does.

“You wanted to see me?” I ask, leaning against one of the tables.

“Yes, it’s about your last test. Your score was… unusually low for you.” He hands me the paper to prove his point. A big, fat 45% is at the top of the page. “I just wanted to make sure everything was alright at home or if you’re just not understanding anything, I could sign you up for a tutor.”

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about my home life, Mr. Harrison.” Besides the fact that I invited a boy that I don’t know a thing about to live with me while my dad was out of state. But I get why he asked. You never know these days. “And I don’t think I need a tutor.” I tell him.

"Are you sure? The end of the year is almost here and I want to make sure you graduate.” He says with a strict nod.

“I’ll be alright. But I’ll keep it in mind, thanks.”

“Alright, you’re free to go then. Don’t be late for homeroom.” Mr. Harrison says, sitting back at his desk. I nod and then hurry out of the room so I wouldn’t be late for class. Oliver doesn’t text me back, so I figure he’s fallen asleep and head for my locker.

The day goes by slowly; slower than usual. It might be because I keep looking at the clock and checking my phone every few seconds. I find myself wanting to ditch class and go home to Oliver and movies. It’s an hour before History class that I finally give into the feeling.

Alright, you win. Come get me.

I knew you missed me (;

Don’t push it :P

Give me five minutes

“Mr. Karter,” I say, my hand shooting up in the middle of his lecture about something important. He gives me a surprised look. I wasn’t usually one to interrupt him. “I don’t feel so good. Can I go to the nurse?”

“Is it an emergency?” He questions, eyeing me curiously. I nod my head, clenching my teeth to make it look like I was in pain. “Alright,” He sighs, writing me a note. I grab my things and try not to run from the room once I have the note.

I hurry to my locker to gather all my things. I smile to myself a little. I’ve ditched school before, but only when Maria and I had other plans. Never has it been for a boy before. Oliver’s words about being in a secret relationship run through my head and I realize that’s exactly what I feel like right now.

I took my sweet time packing up my things but after five minutes pass, I begin to get paranoid about getting caught before Oliver got here. But my stress fades away almost instantly when I feel my phone vibrate.

I’m around the right side, next to the football field.

I smile happily and close my locker after tugging my bag out. It seems like my legs won’t carry me fast enough out of the school and to Oliver’s car. Slowly, but surely, I make it to Oliver’s car. He’s outside of it, leaning against the passenger door with his arms crossed over his chest. He’s wearing some of his new clothes, I notice. And man, he looks amazing.

“So,” Oliver says casually as I get closer to him. “Where to?”