Same Experiences

Chapter Four

Dave

It wasn't a date, I'd said. We'd just study, I'd said.

But here we were, in the library, whispering about our favorite books. I was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, while Bertha was wearing a loose crop top and denim shorts.

"The funniest thing was when Nico said that dialogue after shadow traveling to the Underworld, I think," Bertha said. I laughed out loud and then realized that we were in a library, snapping my hand up to my mouth.

Too late, because the librarian walked to our table, took the library books and went away.

We took our bags and I walked her to her bike. "So, meet you at school? We do have some studying to do."

I scratched the back of my head sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that. I'll meet you there."

She rode off on her bike and I walked the other way to my home with a huge grin on my face.

I was replaying our conversation in my head and chuckling when George quickly stomped by me. She was wearing a hoodie and leggings, her hands inside the pockets, head inside the hood.

I blinked for a minute and then ran behind her. 

"George!" I called. She kept walking briskly. I sped up to stop in front of her. We crashed and she gave out a surprised squeak.

While she regained her balance, I was falling backward, my life flashing in front of my eyes when she grabbed my shirt to keep me from falling. I stood again properly as she glared at me.

"What the heck? You could've hurt your head," she snapped. I glared back. "You were the one who was stomping on like an angry panda. I figured something was up and you weren't stopping when I called. Plus, I thought that you'd halt if I stopped in your way."

She exhaled through her teeth. "I'm fine. Nothing's up. I hope to hear all about your date later."

I blocked her way when she tried to walk away again. She gave out an exasperated sigh. "What?" She said angrily.

"Look, venting will help," I said. George sighed in exasperation. "I don't wanna vent, Dave. Could you just move?"

I shook my head and stepped to the side and watched her walk away. It had always been like this. She never shared her problems, just listens to ours and goes on with her life. I mean, okay, there's some stuff I don't tell my friends, but George? She tells us literally nothing.

Well, maybe she tells Lucy.

I shrugged. Maybe. Or she just deals with it alone. I entered my house to find Linda sitting on the couch wearing jeans and a blue t-shirt. My brows furrowed. "Aren't you supposed to be in the Masons' right now?"

She nodded. "I was. Until Lucy and George had this big fight then Lucy kinda tore George's sketchbook and then George went out of the house. So Luke called me up to say that we're not gonna have the friends night."

My mind was stuck on the part where Lucy tore her sketchbook. I'd seen it once. She carried it almost everywhere. She'd told me that the first drawing was her Mom.

Oh shit.

"I'll be back," I said. I went out the door and tore through the streets towards the park. It was nearly empty as I ran to the lake. As I thought, she was leaning on the railing and... crying. Her shoulders shook, she was holding on to the railing so that she wouldn't fall to the ground.