Side Note: I Think I Love You (Side Notes Book 1) - COMPLETE

Chapter 29 - Attie

I'm in trouble.

No, I don't just mean getting grounded for breaking Chase's nose with a baseball—because I'm definitely in trouble for that too.

Honestly, I deserved the grounding. I'm not trying to kiss anyone's ass whatsoever—I save that for all the teachers so I can get stellar letters of recommendation—I'm just saying it's warranted.

On account of getting detention, Amy's dad had called my parents to inform them about the whole baseball ordeal. Mom was pissed with good reason. I mean, come on, I broke a guy's nose. I was provoked, yes, but that doesn't change the fact that I broke the bones on my ex's face. Surprisingly, I don't regret doing it. And I'd do it again if it didn't mean getting in trouble.

Dad, however, laughed when I explained that I thought baseballs were hollow inside.

Side note: it was not my best moment. Dad is never going to let me live it down, I just know it.

That night, I was so thankful that Jason was home because he witnessed the whole thing. If it wasn't for him, I would've been grounded until I reached the underworld (Mom's words, not mine), but it only got shortened to a week.

There's only one problem: being grounded is SO FUCKING BORING.

I'm only three days in and being alone in an empty house is not exactly the most ideal on a Saturday afternoon. I can't call Amy because she's helping her aunt with some sort of baking thing. Jason is hanging out with Derek and he took the Jeep since he knows I can't drive it until my grounding is over.

To top it all off, my parents are on some sort of day-long date. Which means I really am alone in the house.

I'm starting to get tired of my routine of basically waking up and doing absolutely nothing before going back to sleep. I've never craved spontaneity in my life but I guess there's a first for everything.

That's not even the icing on the cake. What really has my head in a bit of a spin is realizing that I'm not in love with Derek anymore. I actually don't think I ever was—now that I look back on the past four years.

I don't exactly know why my brain came to that conclusion when I was twelve. Maybe it was because I just felt the need to crush on a guy back in middle school since everyone was doing it and since I was around Derek a lot, he was the first boy I thought of.

But then again, Ian was also around. Maybe I got them switched up at some point.

Why can't liking boys just be less complicated?

Three o'clock quickly approaches and in that time, I've somehow managed to finish all my homework for the weekend, add any last minute details to the decals on my walls, and ponder over my Halloween costume and why I even bought one in the first place.

I'm supposed to be Taylor Swift from her 1989 World Tour. The whole cute blue two-piece that she also wore on the Eras Tour. It's my favorite outfit of hers and even though I don't plan on cutting bangs anytime soon—or ever, really—I think I look bad-ass in the clothes. If only I knew of any Halloween parties happening away from the beach.

Now I sit on the floor of my room, laptop open, editing a powerpoint presentation that has absolutely nothing to do with school. Taylor Swift blasts on my phone, my mug of hot coffee is now lukewarm, and yet I still take sips as I continue to type.

I'm starting to go slightly crazy just sitting here. Closing the laptop, I stand up and stretch my body before grabbing what's left of my lukewarm coffee and downing it before heading back downstairs. I could text Sierra but she's probably busy with Caleb, since they finally started dating.