Holding On To Happy | ✔

01. Harmless Pranks

Waffles. That's all I could think about as I carefully did my make-up. The delicious chocolate chip waffles that dad made for me every new school year. The tradition started when I was younger and nervous about the first day of first grade. 

Dad whipped up so chocolate chip Eggos in attempts to get me to come out from under the bed where I hid, not wanting to go to school. He told me that the waffles were magic and would create a shield around me to protect me from all the bad stuff. 

As a gullible child obsessed with magic, I believed him. Since then, every year on the first day of school I'd have a plate waiting for me. A magical shield sounded really nice as I thought about my current situation with my friends.

After I finished my make up, I stepped back to examine my look in the mirror. Dressed in white skinny jeans and a yellow, flowy tank top I felt more like myself than I have in months. Pushing my dark hair off to one side, I let the loose curls hang over my shoulder. 

Giving myself one more look over I exited the bathroom and headed down the stairs, ready to consume the waffles. About half way down the steps it hit me – or rather it didn't hit me. 

There was no mouthwatering smells traveling out from the kitchen, no hushed chatter from my parents. The house was completely silent. The silence only grew louder as I rounded the corner into the kitchen, my stomach dropping at the sight. My parents weren't there and neither were the waffles.

Six months I had to prepare myself for the fact that my father had moved to another state, but still it managed to slip my mind this morning. My throat became tight as tears threatened to fall from my eyes. No. Crying was not how I wanted to start the year. 

Picking up my backpack from the floor by the door I open it and pull out my journal and a pen. I leave the house scribbling my feelings of hurt onto the paper. Doing this seemed to ease my need to cry as if spilling words on the page was the same as spilling tears.

"Hey!"

Not bothering to stop, I look over my shoulder to see my neighbor. He wore his usual maroon hoodie with the hood up, only showing a glimpse of his short, tight curls that rested on his head.

"Hi, Calvin," I called out over my shoulder before turning my attention back to my journal. The soft thud of his footsteps and the annoying squeak of his bike grew closer and closer until he was walking in step beside me.

"Did you forget?"

"What?" I question, glancing up at him.

"Our mothers thought it would be a good idea for us to walk to school together." He explained, his brown eyes darting over to me as wince at my forgetfulness.

"Right," Placing my journal into my backpack I add, "So that conversation really did take place."

Mom mentioned something about Calvin and I walking together last night. It was such a random thing for her to say I thought I had a dreamt it or something. Calvin and I were practically adults and neither of us needed a buddy to walk to school with. 

Looking up at him again it dawns on me that this set up is actually perfect. He and his mom, Cassie, had just moved in two weeks ago which meant he didn't really have any friends. Even better, he had no idea about my mistake.

The thought of walking into school and running into Faye looking like the sad and pathetic loner I was terrified me. Calvin was a less than ideal friend, but I'm desperate. Snaking my arm around his I begin to make my plea.

"Ok, look, I can't show up to school alone," He looks over at me, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm not pretending to be your boyfriend."