I ran a comb through my hair. The first day of school was what I dreaded the most,it was unreasonably stressful. Senior year was a big deal to everyone being the last year of high school. I was not particularly excited about it.
I put on my uniform, grabbed my bag pack and headed for the dining table.
"Good morning Mom"I greeted
"Elizabeth,you are late for breakfast"she said totally ignoring my greeting.
"Sorry,"I muttered, seating to my breakfast of pancakes and orange juice.
"I'll be traveling to Peru today"she said, watching me closely as I gulped my juice.
I nearly choked. What did she mean she was traveling?
"Why mom?"I asked,my appetite disappeared and I pushed the plate away from me.
"Business my dear" she said, gesturing with perfectly maincured finger.
I glared at her,my insides burning with rage.
"Mom,you were at Atlanta just two days ago"
"Honey,I have to work,I know you will miss me but you have Nathan".
I rolled my eyes,of course I had Nathan,my mom's millionaire boyfriend who was way younger than her,that was what she said Everytime she wanted to travel for her so called business meetings.
"Why mom?"I asked,my voice now high pitched"why do you do this every freaking time"
"Don't raise your voice at me!"she yelled, standing to her feet.
The air between us was tensed. I could hear the heavy breathing of my mother as we glared at each other. This was not new to me,we quarrelled every single week. All I wanted was her attention and maybe a little care if she could offer that.
"Nathan would be here for you if you need anything"she said, finally breaking the silence.
"I don't want Nathan mom"I said flatly.
"Remember everything I have ever done was for you,"she said through gritted teeth"we have a new life now and you must not ruin it".
I knew better than to argue further. My mom is a thief,well if that's the word for people who dated men for money was. Asides that we had our little dirty secret that was kept locked away and never spoken of. This 'new life' meant not talking about our past and focusing on the future.
The sound of Nathan's footstep was a signal for us to end our bickering.
Nathan walked into the room shirtless. I must admit he was good-looking,he looked like he had just walked on out of a magazine.
A fake smile plastered on my mom's face
"Morning babe"he said, sharing a kiss with my mom.
Ewwww!
He glanced at me and nodded his head in greeting. There was something about the way Nathan looked at me. We barely spoke but his eyes sent so many messages to me that I ignored.
"Bye Mom"I said, leaving the table.
"You barely ate your food"he said, shooting me a questioning look.
"I'm not hungry"I said, avoiding his gaze.
He shrugged his shoulders and began eating his breakfast and discussing business matters with my mother.
I slipped out of the house quietly before anyone began to ask me any stupid questions.
I preferred walking to school rather than taking the bus,there was no way I was going to be sandwiched in between teenagers and high schoolers who cared about drugs only.
The walk to my school was just fifteen minutes,I plugged in my headphones. Few feets away from me was Jake,he lived few blocks from my house.
We had been neighbours for five months and still hadn't said a word to each other. I take a slower pace,not wanting to catch up with him.
As if reading my mind,he turned back and waited. I pretended like I didn't see him. I really was not in the mood to talk.
I saw his mouth move and I took out my headphones to hear him better.
"Elizabeth right?"he asked.
It was the first time I looked at him properly. I always thought he was cute and all but boy this guy is drop dead gorgeous no wonder he had all the girls drooling over him.
"Yes"I answered in my supposed to be sexy voice. I was really the worst at doing this. I remember a time during freshman year that a senior asked me my name,I kept twirling my hair with my fingers, thinking it was cute meanwhile I had a fat booger in my nose.
The senior told me I had a booger and all my confidence melted away and somehow it didn't solidify since then.
"Do you want to walk together?"his blue eyes bold and shining.
"Uhhn"I managed to say. I didn't want to say the wrong things or show him how much of an idiot I can be.
"It's funny how we've have been neighbours for month and we haven't spoken to each other"he said and we began walking.
I wanted to tell him we didn't talk because he was really popular and I had social anxiety.
"Is that so?"
My stupid mouth didn't know when to shut up or say the right thing at all.
I was really conscious of how close our bodies were and how are arms brushed slightly.
He laughed lightly. I loved the way he laughed,it was musical.
"Is that so?"he asked, repeating what I just said"really?"
"Well,I'm quite busy,I really don't have time to make friends and all of that"I lied. For some sort of reason that I couldn't figure out,I wanted to give home the impression of a very busy person.
He arched his eyebrow, questioningly.
"What else do you have to do other than filling out college applications?"
Lie,lie. That was all that rang in my head.
"I work at a pub"
I was so stupid,of all the lies in the world,that is what I could come up with.
"We both know that's not true Elizabeth"
I blinked,how did he figure out I lied. Ofcourse anyone could tell I lied.
"You don't work at a pub,if you did,I would have seen you around,I only see you on weekdays in school"
Oh he had been checking me out in school huh?
"I really don't just go out"I said, dropping the unnecessary lies.
"I'll see you tomorrow at five o'clock in the evening,don't keep me waiting"he smiled and walked away to his class.
The walk to school felt really short with him. I stared at his retreating figure,did he just ask me out or what was that about. The bell rang and I went for first period.
