Time After Time

Part 5

Corey's P.O.V.

"Hello?" I answer the phone, hoping it's Lux.

"Hi, it's Lux." She answers and I feel my hands clam up.

"Oh, hey Lux!" I say, trying to act like I wasn't just now waiting by the phone for her call.

"Hey," she says sweetly. "so you called?"

"Yeah! Yeah I was just wondering," I start feeling nervous and hot so I get up from my desk chair and pace around the room. "if you wanted to go catch a movie after school tomorrow?"

"With you?" She replies and I wonder if she's as nervous as I am. "I mean, sure, I'd love to. What time?" Lux is so cute.

"Well, how does 7:00 sound? I'll pick you up."

"Perfect." I can tell she's smiling by the sound of her voice and it makes my heart race. "Also, how'd you find my number?" Oh shit, fuck. I didn't think she'd ask that.

I cover my eyes as I reply, thinking it'll help me with the embarrassment, but it doesn't. "I kinda went around and asked a few people I knew. My buddy, Austin, said he had you as a lab partner Sophomore year." I shake my head at my dumb response. Stupid, stupid. Why didn't you just say the phone book? At least you wouldn't seem so pathetic.

"Oh, Austin! Yeah, I remember him." My nerves ease up at her response. "I'm glad you got a hold of me." My heart races as I lie down on my bed, thinking of her adorable smile.

"Me too." I say, staring up at my ceiling.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Corey." God, she sounds like an angel saying my name. How have I never had a class with her until this year?

"See you tomorrow, Lux." I wait until she hangs up before I do, and I continue laying on my bed, thinking of how tomorrow will go.

I force myself to get up and take my books out. Studying- another thing I promised myself I'd do this year. Now, I don't mean I'm going to be some school obsessed loser, I have better things to do than that. But, since I slacked off the previous years, why not change this aspect along with everything else? I start reading my Earth Science textbook and taking notes over the first unit. Why does Mr. Grimes have to be such an ass and assign homework on the first day? My brain turns to mush and goo by the time I reach the second paragraph. Slowly, I start thinking of her. Lux. The way she would giggle made me smile. I don't mean it just made me smile, I mean, it put in a position where I couldn't stop myself from smiling. Having her sit next to me in my car felt like it fit perfectly. I'd rather see her in that passenger seat than any other girl. Fuck, Corey. Stop. Maybe she doesn't even think of you that way. You wanna start the school year off with a heartbreak and no friends? I get up and grab a Coke from the kitchen. No one's home, like usual. My dad's probably working late, again, and my mom's probably hanging out with another "friend" of hers. I get back to my room and continue my notes, keeping my mind off Lux.

•

Thirty minutes pass by and I've finished my notes, sort of. Well, I bullshitted half of them. Better than nothing, right? I lay down on my bed and put my favorite tape in my radio, 'London Calling'. "I'm Not Down" blares through the speakers and I can't help but think about all the things I'm changing this year. All these people I called "friends" these past 3 years were nothing but selfish and materialistic. Anytime I needed someone to hear me or be there for me, none of them were. Aren't friends supposed to comfort you when you wake up and there's a half naked man in the kitchen that your mom's cooking for while your dad is on a business trip? Aren't friends supposed to make sure you don't drive when your wasted instead of manipulating you to give them a ride home? I get angrier and angrier as I analyze the years. I don't care if I don't have any friends after this. I don't care if the whole school hates me. I'm cutting them all off. My plan is to stop sitting with them at lunch and to stop going to their ridiculous parties, my plan is to confront them on their shitty job if they try to talk to me. I've been alone these last years, so it shouldn't make a difference when I leave them. Suddenly the phone rings and I jump up to answer it, the music still blaring in the back.

"Hey, man." Jacob says.