I had met him a few months ago at a concert. Before then we didn't even know that we had been going to the same school for two years. That night he was just a kind kid that had turned and offered his hoody to me when it had started to rain. I had been wearing a thin shirt at the time and I took it without even realizing that this was the kid I passed every day in the halls between classes. High school was like that. You built up a group of friends and you stuck with them because there were way too many people to even think about trying to get to know them all, especially at Turner High. Only when the next day came around did he approach me to ask if I had enjoyed the concert. After that, he had disappeared for a while; lost within the haze that was school life. When he resurfaced again a few weeks later he had a much more sincere and outgoing feel about him and he asked if I was available for a movie that Saturday night. Though it was kind of juvenile, and maybe a little too much like middle school I accepted, thinking that there might be more to him than what he let on. After that, I was hooked.
I spent the entire drive to school wondering if he was going to be there today. He had said something about having to go a relative's house to help work on the roof. I just couldn't remember when he had said he was going. I arrived, pulled into the junior parking lot and whipped into my parking space. In another few minutes I was inside on my way to the courtyard to meet him in our usual spot. It was early. All of the clocks in the hall read five after seven except for the one on the far end which had stopped working some unknown amount of years ago. It was eternally resting at three fifty two and no one ever bothered to rewire it or replace it.
To my great surprise I found him sitting there in our spot under the crooked tree in the courtyard. He always argued that it was the prettiest of all the trees that lined the edges of the courtyard.
"You're early today, Adora." I couldn't see his face but I knew he was smiling. He knew. Somehow he knew everything before I had a chance to even reach him. "Come with me I'll buy you breakfast in the cafeteria."
I didn't object. I was hungry and he was offering so I sped up to fall in step by his side taking his hand in mine and sending him a soft glancing smile. He chuckled again and pulled me along through the doors to the cafeteria and we walked past all of the empty tables to the front. He watched as I picked a random prepackaged breakfast and brought it to the front to pay. He put in his pin number and the lady smiled at how cute we looked just standing there. We were the only two there that early. I blushed as he squeezed
my hand silently giving me the sign that it was time to go.
I picked up my breakfast and we marched out of the lunchroom and back into the cold, crisp, fall morning.
"So how early did you get up to make yourself look this pretty today?" He asked.
"Oh stop kidding yourself, Corey." I was becoming increasingly aware of just how neglectful I had been this morning.
"Nonsense!" He blurted out, "You know I think your beautiful anyway."
Somehow just hearing the words tumble flawlessly from his lips made everything okay. I turned and through my arms up around his neck and stared at him taking in all of the details, concentrating on his beautiful grey eyes. They were the cold that crept up on the world on a morning like this one. It wasn't a bad cold. It was a cozy one. Much like the feeling one gets when they curl up under a thin sheet at night and lay their head on a soft cool pillow. He was taken aback at first but then smiled and I lay my head against his chest as he wrapped his arms around me and we stood there for a minute. His hoody was riddled with his scent and the inside of it was extremely soft so I focused on it, inhaling deeply and smiling at how perfect this moment was
And then it was over. He pulled away and kissed my forehead before again taking my hand and leading me back to the tree where we both lay under the bare branches. I lay there with my head on his chest and he folded one arm behind his head resting it on the trunk of the tree and kept his other hand next to min on his chest.
He woke me up shortly after the bell rang for first period and reluctantly, I stirred to life and picked up my backpack. We hadn't talked much this morning at all but we didn't have to. We only need to be with each other. Words and appearances were meaningless. We were content to simply be there together. I was ripped from my thought by the soothing sound of his voice,
"I'll see you after third period okay?"
I nodded, he smiled, and almost as if it were a dream he was gone, walking across the grass to the opposite side of the building. I had to go the other way.
The rest of the day was easy. I finished most of my work in class and was able to keep my homework minimal so that I could text him later. I had to admit, an obsession this great couldn't be healthy. But then again, I had dated other guys before and gotten somewhat attached to a couple of them but they weren't as addictive. They weren't nearly as necessary. Though we hadn't known each other a year ago it seemed hard now to imagine life void of Corey now.
When I got home I sent him a text and asked if he could come over but as I feared he replied with a no. He had to drive his little brother to soccer practice. An Idea popped into my head and I sent him another text,
"Hey, where does your little bro practice?" I asked.
His response was swift, "Moss Rock Sports Park"
That was all I needed to know. I flew out the door for the second time today and made my way through the suburbs towards the fields. I had a vague idea as to where to find them. Twenty minutes and a few dead ends later I wound up at the fields and found myself searching for his Deep purple, ninety-seven Mustang in the parking lot. I found it and pulled up into the space next to it. He wasn't inside the car so I texted him again and asked where he was. When I heard a muffled vibration from inside the car I rolled my eyes and set out towards the path down to the back fields hoping to find him along the way.
The night air was growing cold. Now it was beyond a comfortable chill. I started to shiver. As I reached a field with a dozen or so little kids running around in semi-unorganized circles I caught sight of what I was looking for. He was leaning up against the fence wearing the same jeans he had worn to school and a different shirt along with his customary hoody that I loved so much. I slowly walked up behind him hoping to finally spook him for the first time and just as I was about to yell he turned around and smiled.
"Cute. Nice try."
"Meany!" I yelled, "You're supposed to let me get you! Don't you know how this works?"
"Oh oh. One sec." His words were dripping with mockery and the blood rushed to my cheeks as he turned back around. "Ready when you are." He said.
I was mad momentarily but then I decided not to play this little game of his. Instead we would play mine. I took off running in the opposite direction and didn't stop when I heard him yell back after me having turned around and caught sight of me running. It didn't take long for him to catch me. When he got close I turned around and he slowed down a little before wrapping his arms around me and twirling me through the air in a circle. He put me down and we both slouched into a heap in the grass.
We talked for the majority of David's practice just laying there together. I kept thinking about how strange it seemed that my life would play out so well. Almost as if someone who cared was scripting it for me day by day to draw out the most happiness they could. I looked over at him and he caught my gaze. For a second I shivered and before I could even ask he handed me his hoody. I smiled and scooted over to him sitting up to put it over my shoulders and he motioned for me to come closer. I did. He leaned in as if he were going to kiss me and then whispered,
"Payback..." He sprung up and darted back towards our cars up the trail and I sat there stunned for a moment before getting up to chase him.
"That's so not fair, Corey!" I yelled but he was long gone. I was legitimately frustrated with him but I couldn't help but smile. He was going to win this one.
When I reached the cars he was leaning up against his with a smug smile that seemed way to out of character to be real. I threw him a slightly irritated glance and he walked over to my car with me.
"Sorry." He said, "Is something bothering you?"
"Yes! You still haven't kissed me today." It came out a lot more serious than I had intended it but I let the words hang there to see how he would take it.
"I guess your right" He laughed and took me in his arms and then kissed me.
For the second time that day time itself, seemed to stop and bow down to the moment. Everything was as it should have been. He let go and I sighed letting the moment flicker and disappear just as it had this morning. There would be plenty more I thought.
David and the rest of his friends had finished practice and were all shuffling up the walkway one and two at a time. "I've got to take him home." he said.
I was brought back to earth, "Okay." I said. There was something else nipping at the front of my mind. I wanted to say it so bad but he hadn't said it yet. I didn't know if he felt that or not. I mean, I hope he did but I couldn't be sure. That night I held my tongue.
"Goodnight. Don't forget, I won't be at school tomorrow" He said, stepping back and ducking into his car.
"Yeah, I remember." I lied.
There was a roar of V8 engine and a smooth dart of Purple and he was gone. I climbed back in my own car and left for home.
* * *
He wasn't at school the next day as expected and without him it was barely possible to sit through class. When he didn't show up the next day I thought it a little strange but I waited patiently for his arrival the next day. Having to sit through another day without him was torture.
That night it occurred to me that I had gotten so caught up in Corey that I hadn't spoken to a single one of my friends in a few weeks. But when I sent a couple of texts out I got no replies so I resigned myself to fall asleep.
The next day I waited in the courtyard again for him and finally, about half an hour later than usual, he showed. He walked slowly across the courtyard as if he were extremely worn out. When he got close he spoke,
"No hugs today. I'm extremely sore."
"Oh. Okay then." I had to stop mid hug before I touched him and back off. "why were you gone yesterday? You said you'd only be gone one day."
"yeah, yeah, I know. It so turns out that if you fall off a roof and hit your head your aloud to stay at home to recuperate for a day or so." He winced slightly as he stood up. When the bell rung I went to hand him the hoody,
"No you keep it for now. I'm sure you'd like that." He gave a tortured grin and walked off in the opposite direction towards his first period class. I laughed softly and turned to go but stopped abruptly and wheeled back around.
"Hey Corey?" I shouted after him
"Yes?" He was about half way across the courtyard and there were plenty of people around but at this point I couldn't wait any longer.
"I love you!" I shouted.
A small tear trickled down his face and I could see it as it fell to the ground. A crowd of strangers were watching us with confused looks. It took a few seconds but his response was as clear as day when it came back through the air,
"I love you too Adora!" He smiled and another tear rolled down the other cheek and he turned to walk away. I was overwhelmed with excitement. I gathered my stuff and ran to class taking my usual seat next to one of my close friends. She had been in the courtyard just now and when she looked at me she started to cry.
"What's wrong Alivia?" I asked concerned.
"Adora, are you okay?"
"Why yes I'm fine." I replied, "Why?"
"Well everyone is asking why your here at school instead of at the funeral. And then that little stunt you just pulled in the courtyard. That was scary. I'm worried about you." By now the entire class was looking at me. Some of them were also crying.
"What are you talking about, Alivia? When I said this even our teacher Mrs. Paul started to sob ito a handkerchief.
"Alivia! What is going on here!" I was so desperately confused. Everything was so perfect just a second ago. I was beginning to get irritated.
"Adora, please stop acting crazy. Don't you know? Corey fell off of his uncle's roof two days ago... He's dead...
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