Crushes

Chapter 1

I hear my alarm go off at it's usual time, 6:00 a.m. I roll over and turn it off before hopping out of bed to get ready for the first day of the week, Monday, oh the dreaded day that causes all the suffering. I slowly move out of my room, still in my pajamas, and towards the bathroom, and I hop in the shower, it feels nice having the nice, cool water droplets hit my skin, giving me the perfect place to think. After I'm done getting ready I grab my bag, phone, and head down the stairs where Mom has already put out some bacon, "morning," she says to me as she fills some cups up with orange juice.

"Morning," I respond back as I take my usual seat and get on my phone while taking bites out of the bacon. I open up Facebook and start to scroll through the nonsense that people post. I see stuff like, 'like this if I'm beautiful', 'you're perfect the way you are', and then the usual dose of drama that nobody can resist.

"Do you always have to be on your phone when I come down," Dad scolds me as he sits across from me.

"There's just nothing to talk about in the mornings," I say without looking up from my phone. I stop when I see the first person on my people you may know list, Kate Williams, I can't resist the urge to click on her profile.

"Is that your girlfriend," my sister, Tessa, says in a teasing tone, she's in eighth grade, a middle schooler who is relatively known around town.

"Most definitely not," I snap at her.

"Woah, chill, can't you take a joke?"

"Both of you knock it off," Mom yells as she takes her seat next to my dad and Tessa sits next to me, "Aiden, do you have band practice after school today?"

"Yeah, it ends at six," I respond as I scroll through Kate's Facebook, she doesn't post a lot, unless she's with her friend, Skye, then it's pretty much spam.

"What about you Tess," Mom asks as she takes a drink of her orange juice.

"I have cheer practice until four and then the Mr. Parks says that we need to start watching how the high schoolers practice so that we're prepared for freshman year or something like that," she responds as she chugs her orange juice, Mr. Parks is the band director for the high school, North River High, and the middle school, North River Middle.

"Oh how fun, now I have to deal with you after school too," I joke, but Tessa just glares at me, I scroll back to the top of Kate's Facebook page and debate on whether or not to send her a friend request, I don't want anyone asking questions though.

"Alright guys, it's time to go," Dad says as he finishes his bacon, I quickly hit send and then follow Dad and Tessa out the door.

~~~

It was finally the end of the school day, and now I have to go to band practice. A lot of people think that since I'm smart and get straight A's I actually like school, but I only like it as much as the next guy. I walk to the band room, taking my time, when I see her, Kate Williams. I stop in my footsteps and think of how I can approach her, she's at her school locker, probably getting her homework and sheet music. I hear her slam her locker shut and it snaps me out of my daze and I continue my long march to the band room.

Once I'm in the band room, I walk to my band locker, grab my trombone, and put it together. I'm section leader for the trombones, which means I spend the entire afternoon with Kate. "What do we need to bring," I hear a quiet voice ask from behind me, I turn around and see Kate standing with her trombone put together and ready to go.

"Instrument and music," I answer, I can tell that I look stupid as I stare at her collect her stuff.

"Dude, you look like an idiot," I hear a voice say, I turn back around and see Tyler, my best friend that my parents hate, "are you okay," he asks with a laugh.