***
The only class me, Jack, and David all have together this year is seventh period–which doesn’t give me a lot of time to intercept David before Eleanor shows up.
And apparently Larkspur does end-of-year finals in a block schedule, so today is the last day we’ll have Spanish for the year.
Basically, I’m running out of time, and there is zero margin for error.
Of course it’s my luck that Eleanor is already in class when I get there, and David shows up right before the bell rings.
Leaning over, David whispers, “Dudes, I gotta tell you what happened this weekend. My mom went ballistic, I haven’t had my phone in days.”
I swear I actually feel my blood run cold. He doesn’t have a single inkling that we need to talk to him.
I need a backup plan.
I barely pay attention to the final, rushing through it as quickly as possible so I have more time to come up with a strategy. I’ve already got an A in the class, so even if I tank the final, it doesn’t matter.
The same can’t be said for my (hopeful) relationship with Eleanor. I’m getting more and more nervous about tanking something thatdoesmatter.
I decide that after class I’ll ask her if we can hang out that night to talk. David and Jack can come over early, and we can come up with a plan then. I think that’s the only way this is going to work.
When all the finals are turned in and the last bell rings, the whole class bolts like the room is on fire. Normally I’d feel that way after a final too, but I don’t care about being one step closer to summer.
I care about being one step closer to Eleanor.
I hang back, slowly gathering my things– and to my extreme annoyance, Jack and David hang back too. I know we always leave together, but c’mon guys, read the room.
Eleanor has taken her time to gather her things too, which makes me wonder if she can sense that I want to talk to her. We seem to be in sync a lot recently, and my heart starts to pound–maybe it’s a sign?
“Uh, hey Eleanor, I was wondering if we could–”
Before I can finish my sentence she interrupts me.
“Actually, I had something I wanted to talk to you about,” she says quickly, a determined look on her face.
I can feel Jack freeze, with David digging in his bag for something, completely oblivious to anything happening.
She lowers her voice and continues, “Listen, we’ve been spending a lot of time together lately. And, um, well…”
Her eyes on the ground, her hands nervously twisting the lace hem of her pale pink tank top.
God she looks pretty today.
She lets out a huff, steeling herself to say whatever it is she’s agonizing over.
“Abby told me I should do it, so I’m just going to do it.”
“Okay…” I say slowly. “Do what exactly?”
I’ve looked into them a thousand times, but when her sparkling blue eyes meet mine, my stomach swoops like I’m free-falling. It catches me off guard every time.
“Tell you how I feel.”
All I can do is blink at her. It feels like my entire body has gone numb. Is this actually happening? Did I fall asleep during the final and land in the dream I’ve been having for weeks?
“And that is…?” I cautiously ask. I don’t know if I’m ready to hear the answer.
“You’ve been an incredible friend.”
