The Girl Across the Street

The Girl Across the Street- 2

                I close the message, shove my phone in my pocket and almost run to the front of the room. "Miss White can I please go, it's an emergency." She nods, taken aback by my urgency. I run out of the room, already pulling my phone back out. As I get into the hall, I'm dialing my phone. I make it to the bathroom as my mom picks up. "Mom, what's wrong? Are you alright?!"

                "Honey, William has been in a car accident. His mom is hysterical. I'm going over now. He is alive but hurt, we don't know how badly."

                I almost drop my iPhone. Will, our goalie, the family friend I have known since I was in diapers. The senior is like an older brother to me. This could not be happening to him. I find my voice. "Mom, you're kidding right? Please tell me you're lying. Not Will. What about his scholarship?" I choke out. His soccer scholarship is the only way he is getting to college; his family doesn't have the money to pay otherwise.

                "I'm so sorry baby. I wish I was kidding. It's killing me too." She cries. "I'll see if you can visit him later, after school, if he is doing better."

                I nod my head; the fact that she can't see me not even registering. I can't say a word. I feel the tears pushing over my eyes. I hang up after mumbling that i had to go back to class and walk to the sink to splash water on my face.

                I hear the door open and I don't even look up. The footsteps come over and I feel a hand placed on my back. I raise my head slowly and see Simon looking at me in the grimy mirror. He pats my back. "White is looking for you. She was worried that you were taking too long. She sent me to find you." He explains softly.

                "Will." I croak. Simon just shakes his head, not looking for an explanation. He gives me a solemn look then goes outside, giving me some space. I splash water on my face then go out and find him leaning against the brick wall outside the bathroom, eyes closed, foot propped against the wall, running his hand through his short blond hair.

                He opens his eyes and sees me. Giving me a questioning smile, he nods his head towards English. I nod and follow him; the only sound is the squeak of our sneakers on the cold linoleum floor as we walk back.

                The door creaks and every head spins in our direction immediately. The door slams closed behind us, a deafening explosion in the silent room. Miss White moves to question us but Simon gently pushes past her and leads me to my seat. A few faces puzzle over our solemn expressions; others reach out and gently brush our hands or our sides, attempting to supply momentary comfort. Later, I'm sure there will be sexual favors offered to help us "forget our problems", as there usually are when sadness strikes athletes at our school, even if they don't know what happened.

                I make it back to my seat and the silence is deafening. It seems like everyone, including Miss White, is waiting for an explanation. Simon clears his throat. "So, Miss White, are we going to have homework tonight?" He asks, clearly translating that no one is going to find out what happened right now and probably because he doesn't even know exactly what happened. Nevertheless, his change of subject sends a sigh of relief from my mouth. This day has been too much already, I don't want to deal with sympathetic classmates posing questions or offering condolences, genuine or not on top of the new girl, the sold house, the messed up schedule, and especially not now with the news of Will's crash.

                The class remains silent, almost shocked at Simon's apparent ignorance of the situation. Miss White clears her throat quietly. "No Simon, I am not going to assign any homework tonight." She answers softly.