Wrecked

Chapter 4: The Ribbon On My Wrist Says "Do Not Open Before Christmas!"

The rest of the day went by in a slow blur. Odd right? After last period, I didn't wait for Pilot at the normal column. I waited for Leo with Lindsey by the back while he brought his truck around. I looked at my phone and noticed I had four missed messages from Pilot. I didn't feel like listening to them. Lindsey took my phone from me, "Hey!" I said. "Girl, Patrick never texts you, your Dad's part of the mile high club, and your Mom is six feet under. Sorry to put it that way, but it does a person some good to get off their phone." I stifled a small smile, "If you were a commercial, you'd get sued for false advertising. My Dad's not a part of the mile high club. Patrick does text sometimes, yet rarely. But the one thing you did get right," I leaned over my handlebars, "Is that my Mom is six feet under." I looked down and took my phone, "I'll try to stay off it okay?" I cleaned my screen and stuffed it in my pocket. "Too far?" Lindsey said apologetically, kicking a rock. "A bit, but it's okay." She took her knuckles and nudged my chin, making me seem tough. "Where the hell is Leo?" Lindsey was getting impatient. I was too. If Leo took any longer, Pilot would find me and we'd have a conflict. I didn't wait for him and I haven't done that since Whitney gave birth. Though, for the record, that wasn't all that long ago. Joshua, their baby, would probably be five months old now. I can't believe it had been five months. Whitney's parents decided they would raise Joshua as their own and Pilot has no contact. Of course, Pilot wants contact. Can't really blame a man for wanting to see his son. "Cap?" I break from my trance and see Leo asking to put my bike. "Oh yeah. Sorry." I got off and handed my bike to Leo and he put it the back of his truck. I climbed in behind my bike and sat down next to Lindsey and Tino. My phone buzzed furiously and it was the kid who's been harassing me. Tino looked at it, "Freak of Nature?" I nodded back and told him it was this kid who was harassing me because I didn't want to deal with his nonsense. Lindsey took my phone, "Hello? Yeah, Freak O Nature. Stop freaking calling or your next call will be the city morgue." I laughed and took my phone back. Leo took off and said, "Can't have three people in the back. Someone's got to sit up front." No one budged, and then finally I moved. "I'll do it!" I got off the side and sat up front. Leo reached for the radio, "Shotgun gets to chose music." I did a little dance in my seat. I took out my CD of Fall Out Boy and put it in. "From Under The Cork Tree?" Leo read, "You like this CD too?" I shook my head, "I don't like it." Leo looked at me like I was crazy, "I love it!" I blasted the radio to twenty and played "Our Lawyers Made Us Change The Name Of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued." When the part that said "The ribbon on my wrist says 'Do Not Open Before Christmas'" I sang it out and pointed to my wrist. Leo rocked out with me as we left the school's parking lot. I looked in the rear view mirror and noticed Pilot walking out the back exit, dropping his hands at his sides. I watched him walk to the bike rack and flip out his phone. I wondered who he was calling and my phone buzzed. I looked at the front and realized I really didn't want to answer Pilot's call. "Then don't." Leo said. I looked at him. I hadn't realized I had said anything out loud. I guess maybe it was the way I looked at Pilot's photo for his contact. "You need a break, Christmas present." I smiled because he referring to the song. I continued to sing along, but sank back into the seat. I played with the ribbon on my wrist until I fell asleep, not realizing that I would wake up to more than just "Sophomore Slump or Comeback of The Year."