Dreams Or How I Live My Life in Daydreams

Teenage Dream

Trudging down the hall, besieged with stares and whispers, Autumn navigated her way to her classroom.

A few measly hours of being the center of unwanted attention, and she'd had it. She wanted it to stop.

She took back her wish of seeing how it felt to be popular. She'd do anything to be invisible again. If she had to choose between celebrity or obscurity, she'd choose obscurity.

Inside the spotless classroom, she heaved a sigh of relief that she was the only one in attendance. For once, she beat Mr. Axel in promptness.

Dropping her book bag on the floor, she took her seat, propped her elbows on the desk, and massaged her temples.

A tote bag in hand, Mr. Axel strutted into the classroom. "Good morning, Ms. Fleetwood."

Her head snapped up. "Morning, Mr. Axel." Her hands jittery, she scooped her book bag from off the floor, opened it, and retrieved her study book.

With less than five minutes left on the clock, students filed into the classroom. 

Pretending the book she read interested her, Autumn heard some giggling within earshot, knowing she was the recipient.

Maddox dashed into the room, at the bell ringing.

Autumn looked up as he scurried over to his desk. Their eyes met. Her face heating, she looked away.

Snickers, whistles, and chuckles broke out in the classroom. "New couple alert!" someone shouted.

Mr. Axel whirled around from writing on the chalkboard. "That's enough!"

The room quieted down.

"Open your books to page twenty-five. Write detailed notes, this will be on your exam."

Pretending to stretch, Maddox stole a glimpse at Autumn to gauge her mood. Her head bowed, she kept her eyes focused on her book.

Seeing her in such a somber state troubled him. He didn't expect her to be in a happy-go-lucky mood. He knew she didn't want any of this attention. Did she have second thoughts about the dance? Was she mad at him?

His heart pounded as though a Xenomorph would burst out his chest screeching.

Get a hold of yourself, he thought. Since Selby called him out on being in love with Autumn, his feelings for her amplified, it overwhelmed him.

He took a calming breath, his heartbeat settling.  He'd figure out a way to talk to Autumn without gawkers around.

He remembered they exchanged phone numbers the day before. Eyeing the instructor writing on the chalkboard, he reached inside his pocket for his phone and fired a message.

Autumn's phone buzzed inside her purse. She looked around the classroom, debating checking it. That would bring more attention to herself. She ignored it.

She cast a furtive glance at Maddox. He stared ahead. For a moment, she wondered if the message came from him. She had given him her phone number.

Though he said he would call, he didn't. It wasn't like she waited by the phone. It bothered her he didn't keep his word.  It was another reason she wished she hadn't accepted his invite to the dance. She sighed. He took up too much space in her head.

More than anything, she just wanted to get the day over with and get away from it all, the stares, giggles, whispers, everything.

She likened herself to chum thrown out into a sea of ravenous sharks.

High school is fun, her parents said. For Autumn, high school was a nightmare.

*********

A mere second was all it took. Maddox lost sight of Autumn as soon as the bell rang. He leaned over his desk to retrieve his book bag. When he looked up, she wasn't in her seat.