The Golden Couple

Chap. 43

The final bell of the day rang, and I slowly slumped down in my seat, my head pounding.

The stress from my AP Chemistry class had finally caught up to me. The AP Chemistry test was just around the corner, and I was feeling the extra pressure.

I exited my classroom, massaging my temples as I headed out to the hallway to grab my books out of my locker that I'd need tonight.

Mostly just AP Chemistry so I could stress myself out even more.

I passed Clayton in the hallway who was standing by his locker, frowning down at his phone.

"Why do you look like your cat just died?" I asked Clayton.

"If I had a cat, it would've been dead long before now," he muttered.

Oh my God.

"Morbid much?"

"My dad hates cats."

Well I guess that's a little better. Still scary though.

"It's Bryce," Clayton said, looking up from his phone to look at me. "Have you heard from him?"

"This morning," I said, leaning against the wall. "He wasn't feeling well, so he skipped out on school. Why?"

"Well I mean is he still asleep? School's out, that would mean he's been asleep all day."

I just shrugged. "I haven't heard from him, so I guess I just assumed he was."

Clayton's frown deepened, and he glanced back down at his phone again.

"He slept all day yesterday too," I pointed out. "It's the new dosage of Chemo."

"Well I don't like the new dosage of Chemo," Clayton muttered, pulling some books out of his locker.

"Well as long as your cat is okay, I think our conversation is done here," I said, offering him a half-smile before turning to head down the hallway.

And then I heard the crack of thunder that practically shook the school.

"Shit," Clayton muttered behind me.

I let out a long sigh, pulling my phone out of my back pocket.

Nothing from Bryce.

"I'll go," Clayton said, pushing past me and heading out of the school hallway.

I wanted to argue with him, but my headache stated otherwise.

I really needed some Advil.

"We're free!" Kylie announced, as she practically sprinted out of the school building.

"Slow down, would you?" I called, laughing as I stumbled along behind her.

It was starting to rain outside, the big, fat raindrops.

Which meant it wouldn't be long before the back parking lot became a free-for-all mud pit.

She slowed to a stop, laughing. "You can't hang out in the school hallway after the bell rings," she lectured. "You're free, act like it."

"I'm in need of a nap," I informed her. "How do I act like that?"

"Like a grumpy guss, I think you've got that covered."

I chuckled, running my fingers through my hair as I reached my car.

Another crack of thunder brought goose bumps to the surface of my skin.

"Damn," Kylie muttered, peering up at the sky.

I unlocked my car, tossing my backpack in the passenger seat. "I guess I'll see you back in Hell tomorrow."