Early Bird | ✓

20 | swallow

❁

           LIZZY hadn't received a single text from JJ for the next couple days, which was to be expected since he was grounded for the next two weeks; however, even though she was well aware of this fact, she couldn't help but find herself staring longingly at his contact photo and scrolling through their previous texts gloomily. Despite her attempts to prevent it, she missed him. She'd become attached like static hair to a balloon. Lizzy wished the time would fly by a little faster so they could text each other again and continue molding a friendship that they would hopefully both cherish for years to come.

           When Wednesday rolled around, she wondered how his game went and if he won. When she observed a dog performing tricks in the park near her house, she thought about Shadow. When she began typing up an essay for her English class, she wondered if he had somehow bettered his grade from a D to a C or a B. Or even an A.

           Slowly but surely, Lizzy thought about him less and less. By Friday, he faded into the background, a faint memory she decided to treasure and only uncover when she desired. Lizzy was finally in control of her feelings; she'd grabbed ahold of the steering wheel and was content with the direction she was headed. Her dependence on JJ had waned like the moon, each day the sliver of silver thinning.

           She held her head high, staring into the sky of possibility, not a single problem in sight. Or so she believed. Little did she know, her world was about to come crashing down upon her, leaving her breathless and beaten like a punch to the gut.

           The weekend progressed as usual with Monday creeping upon her suddenly, a tiger pouncing on its vulnerable prey. Her meetings with Mr. Morris were actually constructive; she had a few colleges lined up to visit and she planned to study for her standardized test that she signed up to take soon in the spring. Mr. Morris was satisfied with Lizzy's advancement and chose to schedule their meetings more sparingly throughout the year. It was time for Mr. Morris to turn his attention to other procrastinating students who were wholly unprepared for the years ahead.

           Mateo, Teagan, and Lizzy's friendship was so well mended that Lizzy could barely remember the times when it was barely holding on at the seams. Teagan buried her feelings for Mateo so they were almost completely concealed while Mateo managed to stay true to both his best friends and his girlfriend. School and social difficulties evaporated just as the last of the snow melted from the ground.

           Her world combusted while she and Logan assisted their mother in setting the table for dinner. As per usual, Logan and Lizzy were arguing over the placement of the silverware ("The forks go on this side—No, this side!") and their mother's fatigued voice tried to rise above their loud and obnoxious ones but failed miserably. All three of their voices faltered when they heard the garage door opening, signaling that their father had arrived home from work. Lizzy and Logan abandoned their job of setting the table and leaped to the closed door that led to the garage, waiting anxiously to embrace their father. Hugging their father after he arrived home from work was a tradition that they sustained from their childhood.

           The two siblings watched as the door creaked open at a snail's pace, their father's hand poised on the knob. Lizzy and Logan dove toward him, their arms snaking around his torso in a loving embrace. Their momentum caused their father to stumble a little backward, a sudden chuckle escaping his throat. His massive hands placed themselves tenderly on his children's shoulders and he slowly led them into the kitchen where his wife was smiling, her arms crossed as she viewed her family.

           "How was work?" she asked, leaning over to plant a kiss on her husband's lips. Lizzy and Logan disentangled themselves from their father and stood back, their stomachs beginning to rumble with hunger.