Paying Attention

CHAPTER THIRTEEN


The weekend is over, and I am back to re-living my boring life as a high school student. Another five days. Time is going to fly.

I walk through the halls with Mariah on one side of me, and hundreds of students on the other. Yeah, this doesn't feel claustrophobic at all.

"Oh, you never told me how your date with that one guy went." Mariah say's.

"Oh. I didn't?"

"No."

"Oh. Um, well there's not much to tell."

She looks at me in a way that tell's me that she doesn't believe me. She know's me too well.

"There isn't!"

"Sure there isn't. Said the liar."

"Okay, now don't try to bring back the 'said the liar.' It's stupid."

"Said the liar."

"Ugh, fine. If you're gonna continue being... You Know. Well, he took me to a party. And I don't really mind parties, but  he didn't talk to me at all when he was around his friends. So finally I just called Elijah to come and pick me up."

"I thought that it was his car that I saw out front when you came home."

"Yup."

"So what did what's-his-face do when you left?"

"I don't know. I was gone."

"Well, I mean did he get mad?"

"No. I don't really know what his reaction was. After a little bit I told him that I needed some fresh air, so I went outside, called Eli, and then texted Daniel that I had to leave early and that I was sorry, but mom was being uber stricked about my curfew and so I had to leave early. I don't know if he figured out that I was ditching him. I hope not, because you know how I hate hurting people's feelings. I just hope that he believed my little lie."

"Yeah, because who know's what anyone's gonna say to that." I can't really tell if that was a sarcastic comment or not. I think it was. Hmm.

"I know, it's awful of me. But I just couldn't stand being ignored any longer."

"No, I understand. I probably would've done the same thing too. Maybe."

"Yeah. Just don't tell mom. She'll think that I'm a brat, and have me go on pity dates that I don't really want to go on."

"Wow, I've never heard you talk like this before. You're always so nice and shy. Not that you're being mean right now. It's just, different."

"Yeah. I guess. Hmm."

We keep on walking, and then, almost out of nowhere, I see him. He's just a few feet ahead of me, and I have to do something quick. I grab Mariah's hand and lead her to a corner, where hopefully, he wont see me.

"What are you doing?"

"Um, you see that guy right there?" I say, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Uh, that's specific. Which one?"

"The tall, pretty attractive guy, that's surrounded by all of those other jock's?"

"The one in the red hat?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"That's Daniel. Daniel Crass. The one who asked me out."

"That hot piece of junk asked you out? And he didn't pay attention to you? What's wrong with him? Other than having biceps of steel."

"I do not know what's wrong with him. That's what I was wondering for the whole night."

"Ugh, guy's. Who needs 'em?"

I laugh. "Yeah, who need's 'em?"