Knowing You

Chapter 11 - Dear Patience

"Dear patience, if I pour my heart out,
Can you keep a promise?
'Cause the situation is like a mountain
That's been weighing on my conscience.

Dear patience, can we share a drink
And let go of the pressure?
Dear patience, 'cause the last time 
That we talked seems like forever."
- Niall Horan

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mia, what do you think?" Bailey says, her voice managing to drag me out of my thoughts.

I blink a couple of times as the sounds of the busy mall food court start to drift back in. Glancing up at her and Rose, I say, "Sorry, what was that?"

"Do you think I should go back and buy that last shirt I tried on?" she repeats. "The one with the flowers?"

"Oh..," I reply, realizing just how long it's been since I stopped listening. Last I heard, we were still discussing the little boy on the other side of the food court who threw a tantrum because his dad wouldn't buy him a soft pretzel.

Bailey, Rose, and I have spent the last couple of hours engaging in one of the most holy and time-honored traditions of female friendship.

Also known as shopping.

Basically, Rose needed a new dress for her six-month anniversary with Alex, and I figured it'd be the perfect opportunity for the three of us to spend some time together.

Of course, we all see each other every day at school, but the five minutes we have to talk in between classes isn't really enough time to get to know each other, especially Bailey.

When she's not busy studying for quizzes that haven't been announced yet, she's planning out how many clubs she'll be able to join this semester. This shopping trip is like the first real break she's taken all week.

Her family moved to the area this past spring after her step-dad took a local job so he could spend more time with her and her mom.

She says the move was hard, but in the end, it was worth it. After all, he used to travel a lot for work, but now he gets to be home every night for dinner. The switch from St. John's to Northwest was a little more difficult for her, but still, Bailey seems optimistic.

After all, in her words, "there's no problem that can't be solved with a little hard work and a color-coded binder."

Listening to her talk, I'm reminded of the the first time I met her - this pragmatically optimistic girl with a light and warmth to her that was impossible to ignore.

Spending time with her and Rose today has been a much-needed change of pace from all the drama and stress of the past week. Still, I've been having a hard time staying present. Every time I let my mind wander, I can't help but think about what Jesse said to me in detention on Saturday.

More importantly, I can't help thinking about the fact that I still haven't told Hunter.

"Uh, yeah, you should get it," I finally answer, offering her a smile. "It was really cute." Bailey nods, smiling back.

Rose glances up from the ice cream cone she's been devouring to raise an eyebrow at me. "Is there something bothering you?" she asks. "You've seemed a little distant today."

"Yeah, I'm fine," I reply with a wave of my hand. "Just a little distracted I guess."

"Distracted with what?" Rose asks, a playful glint in her eye. "Trying to think of some more kickboxing moves to use on Nicki?"

I let out a sigh. "For the last time, she pushed me first. What was I supposed to do? Curl up in a ball on the floor?"

Rose raises her hands in defense. "Hey, no judgment here," she says. "I probably would've hit her in the hallway when she kissed Hunter, so if you ask me, you showed restraint."