The Locker Wars

Wake up, think fast / Three weeks have passed...

William scratched the line out. He’d gotten a new notebook, because wherever the old one was, well, it wasn’t going to just appear after four weeks of hoping.

“William!”

William’s head flew up at the sound of his mother’s voice. She was downstairs, yelling at him again. Like it had been for the past few weeks where he’d been so frustrated. He could take it; it was just that she was annoying.

“William, I am calling you!”

He continued to ignore the sound of his mother’s voice, scratching in another word on the blank line in the half-blank notebook. The other one was almost full, and now he had to think up more things to write. He couldn’t even remember what was in the other book.

“William Eugene Jr.! You come down this instant, young man, or I’m taking away your guitar!”

Eyes widening, he threw his notebook underneath his bed and stumbled towards the door.

“I’m coming, gosh, mom!”

* * *

William was being sent over to the Bradlee residence to help with Christmas decorations. It was some sort of miracle that senior year was even moving this fast, but William was too grateful. If only it could pass by faster...

Winter had already set upon Chicago. Already almost 3 inches of snow covered the ground, and a white Christmas was definitely on the list of things that were going to happen.

He knocked on the door with cold knuckles. Coughing, he waited until he heard someone behind the door. He knew it was Adele, because she paused before swinging the door open. A disappointed look decorated her face as she scanned him up and down. William rolled his eyes reflexively.

“Your mom sent you?” Adele asked.

“Last time I checked, I’m the one who’s how much taller than you?” William joked as he stepped into the house. He kicked off his boots. “Anyways, what am I supposed to help you with?”

“Decorating,” Adele sighed. “But you’ll probably get everything wrong. So I’m gonna watch you. Okay?”

William bit his lip. Yeah, she’d watch him, but not the way he wanted her to.

Adele sighed in a little huff and coughed, leading William into the living room. A bare, fake, evergreen tree stood in the corner, just yelling to be decorated. William gave a little smile; there was something about Christmas that made him not want to be angry. Something that really made him want to grab some mistletoe and lean toward Adele, and hold it above their heads.

He was snapped back to the real world when Adele kicked a cardboard box full of ornaments. She kicked it towards him again, looking up expectantly.

“What?” William asked, raising an eyebrow at the shorter girl. “You’re not going to decorate too?” He’d had daydreams on the walk to her house, maybe decorating with her or showing her how strong he was by helping around, and then later, maybe after dinner or something, telling her, even though it was risky...

Adele bit her lip. “I’m not feeling well,” she confessed, laughing a little. “Lame, I’m letting someone else set up my Christmas decorations. Don’t know why mom can’t do it herself. But whatever. Just...” She trailed off with a cough, and William bent over to pick up some ornaments.

* * *

Holiday music was put on and the two were laughing like good friends instead of mortal enemies. For William, it was kind of nice to see Adele just on her own, nobody influencing her thoughts or actions.

“You’re unbelievable,” William laughed at Adele’s explanation for why she couldn’t come up with a better prank. She only smiled, pulling a pillow onto her lap from where she was situated on the couch, surveying what William was doing and if he was doing it right.

“So you’re selfish, and I’m sorry.” Adele shrugged. William’s ears twitched at the words; they seemed so familiar. He laughed it off.

“Why are you calling me selfish?” William asked. “I think of others. Plenty of others have my thoughts, trust me on that one.” Including you, including you, his mind screamed at him to stay. William shook some hair out of his face.

“I think I know,” Adele replied, putting on a more serious face. “I mean, someone somewhere said something that may have sparked some sympathy for you.”

At this, William’s whole body seemed to twitch. Those words were too familiar; if only he could just figure it out.

He turned to face her. “Don’t believe a word you’ve heard about me,” he responded cryptically, waiting to see her reaction to the rest of the verse.

She stayed silent, a smile toying at her lips. It was the kind of smile that William absolutely adored; the smile that made him think. If she was smiling because she was happy, or sad, or covering something up, or angry. Adele’s emotions were easy to read because of how they’d grown up, but now, everything was just so confusing.

They both stayed silent, waiting for the other to say something. Nothing.

“Tell me about the other people you think about,” Adele broke the awkwardness suddenly, shifting on the couch. “I mean, why are they so special?”

“You are,” William found himself whispering out loud, and then to cover it up, “I mean, it’s simple. They’re like... nice and all that. Talk to me and stuff. Not bad people.” She looks like you, she talks like you, she smells like you... oh wait, she is you! William mused inside his head, I’ve got to stop having these afterthoughts.

“So, you’re in love then?”

William’s whole neck snapped up to see the smirk on Adele’s face. He even heard the dull ‘crack’ sound, and felt the odd, rushing, cool feeling under his shaggy brown hair. He pressed his cool fingers.

“What?” William coughed. Way to be smooth.

“You’re, you know, infatuated with a girl until you can really get to know her, but in this case, you’ll call it love, if I’m not mistaken, because in your mind she’s the one.” Adele scratched her head. “That’s kind of sad, considering your swinging past—and present. So what are you going to do to woo this girl, or whatever?”

“I’m not in love,” William croaked, plopping on the couch beside Adele.

“So you’re not going to waste those words on her,” Adele continued. “The way you write in that stupid, secretive notebook. Those are all for her, right?”

“No.” William rubbed the back of neck, avoiding eye contact. “Your lines are well-rehearsed.”

“I practice for days; of course I’ve got nothing better to do with my time.” Adele smiled. “Tell me who you’re in love with and I’ll laugh. Tell me, come on, since you’ve practically already confessed.”

“Contradictions aren’t really my forte in writing, are they?” William laughed.

“Tell me.”

“Why should you know? Maybe you’ll hatch a plan from it, or some nasty prank.” William dared sneak a glance at the girl beside him. Her eyes hid something, and she hid it well.

“I’ve already struck.”