I think about that a lot. He would have killed me if he knew he was going to jail, anyway. So, I am grateful for having a neighbour like her.
I notice a few silent neighbours holding their phones high when I leave, recording me. Soon, those recordings will go on social media, and there, headlines I’ll be too afraid to see will display themselves above, twisting into lies I’ll likely cry over tonight because I can’t help but read them.
Digest them.
Hate them.
Fear them.
It is human nature.
I pull out my phone, get into the car, and lock the doors. Unlike my old phone, I have this in silent mode. I need to figure out how to turn the vibration up, for I have eight missed calls and four messages from Conner.
Conner: Where are you?
Conner (again): Are you not at school? Can you please answer your phone, baby?
Conner (thirty seconds later): Okay. I calmed down a little. Mum told me she picked you up because you weren’t feeling too well. You could have told me; I would have taken you home.
Anyway, did you like your present?????
Conner (a minute ago): I’m coming home. You aren’t answering, and I’m worried.
Leaning back in the seat, I enter contacts and call Conner. He answers after the first ring.
“Baby?”
“Hey,” I murmur. “I’m not home. I’m leaving Mrs Crawford’s house now. I would have replied earlier, but I don’t know how to put vibrate on, and having sound on scares me too much.”
“Ah.” I pout, imagining him smirking at how incapable I am of using a functioning phone. “I’ll help you when I get home. I’ll meet you there. Go underground and take my car spot. Love you, and have a safe drive in your new car.”
I groan, which makes him chuckle. He knows how much I dislike anyone handing me things for free, and it’s one of our back-and-forth playful arguments.
“Love you too,” I breathe.
When we hang up, I reach over to the screen and find Spotify. I log in to mine and head to my most frequent and recent playlist. I turn the volume up, singing “??Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons. I’ll need to prepare for the concert in December. I know all the words, but my singing voice is terrible. I’m a horrible singer. So, to save the embarrassment, I’ll practice so that I can sound better than I do now.
The shutter doors open, and I slide down to the underground car park. I weave around until I notice Conner standing beside the car spot that’s his. The car is smaller than Conner’s, so I feel confident parking in the squished place.
As I get out of the car, I yelp and giggle when Conner’s arms go around me, and his lips find mine. I place my hands on his chest, my fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt, as I deepen the kiss.
He’s intoxicating.
After I lock the door, I tell Conner why I went to Mrs Crawford’s place, and the conversation flows from there. I don’tlike that Conner left school early, but he convinces me it was Health, so my irritation fades.
Once we head inside, Conner tells me Dylan and Sammy wanted a double date Saturday night at the bowling alley. Conner agreed because he’s competitive and wants to show off. I’ve never gone bowling before, so I thought it would be an experience.
“Why did you leave school?” Conner asks. He’s in the kitchen, making a sandwich.
“Uh…” I hover over the sink and wash the lettuce. “I don’t like people staring at me, and many were staring at me.” Turning the tap off, I shake the excess water and place the lettuce on the chopping board. “But I spoke to the principal, and she told me I could take the rest of the year off and do homeschooling.”
“Can I join?” Conner jokes.
“We wouldn’t be learning if you were home.”
“What would we be doing, then?” he asks playfully.
“Having sex,” I admit.