The Mischief Fidelity

Chapter 2

Later that afternoon...

I gently set the needle on the record. There were seconds of static before the music started. The soothing jazz filled my bedroom and made the sun shine brighter as it lighted up the walls. Abigail was laying on top my bed staring at my ceiling fan.

"Cardi B?" She asked.

"Sinatra." I gawked.

"Yeah, I knew that."

Most times, I wondered if Abigail was all there in the head. I am not calling her stupid, she's actually pretty smart, I just think she doesn't want to use her brain sometimes. She has her moments, but don't we all?

She sat up hastily.

"So, what are we going to do today?" She had the sound of adventure in her voice.  I wanted to do something, but to be honest, I hit a wall on the way home from school. I suddenly became tired. It was almost like all the excitement sucked the life out of me. I wanted to do something so bad, but at this point, I was just too beat.

"Hey, are you okay?" She placed her hand on my shoulder. I took a gasp and blinked.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. I'm just super tired." I responded almost in a whisper.
"I can leave if you want..."
"No! No! The company is great."
There was silence for a solid minute. I was starting out my window, and Abigail was hypnotized by the needle following along the record. I searched my mind for something to talk about. I was bored. I hate being bored. I have been so busy for the past few months. How could I fill my time now?
"So, how's the love life?" Abigail asked, trying to cure me. Suddenly I remembered the boy outside of school. I might sound crazy, but for some reason I felt like we were tied together by some magical force.
"Is it someone at school?" Abigail tried to further the conversion.
"Well, I don't have anyone per say-" she interrupted me.
"WHO?!" Her voice filled the room.
"Oh my gosh, calm down," I laughed. Abigail was stupendous at keeping secrets. She was never apart of the popular crowd, but somehow, she always knew the talk of the town. She would know who's dating who or everyone's crushes, or who cheated on who. For me, I was the end of the grapevine. Throughout the years, being at the end of the stick has taught me many things. For example, when I was younger, I was prone to trusting people straight away. I would meet someone, potentially become their friend, and I trusted their every move and every word, and in return, I would believe they would handle my secrets with care. Depending on the person, they'd immediately turn around and use who I am against me, or they would use their two faces, and slowly pick from me until they ruined me. I've made these mistakes more than I can count, and after each experience, I would find myself putting my trust into someone else's hands. I always end up regretting it. Moral of the story: don't trust anyone ever again. What about Abigail? Funny, I have thought about that many times. I mean, she's my best friend, I should trust her. Shouldn't I? Sadly, there are some things even she, doesn't know.
"Whoooooo?" She smirked, and I couldn't help but laugh.
"Nobody," I said, "I don't even know who he is."
"Nobody does." She responded like I should have known.
"What?"
"Are you talking about Ethan Miller?"
 "Who?"
"Ethan, the new kid," she said in an obvious voice. A new kid? See, I am at the end of a grapevine.
"Super cute guy, nice dark black hair, wavy, brown eyes?" she started describing him.

"I don't know," I couldn't believe myself, "I don't remember."

"He's only been here a few months."
"A few months?!" I actually couldn't believe I have never seen him before today, or even heard about him.
"Yeah, but he's been absent most of the time," she widened her smile, "I bet he's skipping classes."
"I sure hope not." I return my gaze to hers.
"What? You don't like a little trouble?" She giggled, standing up off of my bed.
"No, I don't want to be affiliated with it." I stood straight. The music went to static on the player, and the needle continued to move across the record.
"Huh, why not? Scared you'll get in trouble?" She made steps toward me, and I stood there, frozen.
"Actually, yes."
The record made a tiny halt. The needle finally found it's end. The room was silent. I could barely even hear myself breathing. I probably wasn't breathing at all. The silence lasted for an eternity when Abigail's laugh broke the quiet.
"You've always been like that!" She slugged me in the shoulder and continued to laugh.
"Bro, you just gotta let go!" She flopped down on my bed once again. Abigail was the definition of 'cool'. Cool, calm, and composure, those were the 3 Cs of Abigail. It was very refreshing to have that attitude in my life, even if I didn't own those traits. We were completely opposite, and I think that's maybe why we are best friends. But there was something else on my mind that just wouldn't leave...
    Ethan Miller. Huh. I wonder if that's who I saw. It made sense that I've never seen him before. Well, maybe it's nothing. His name circled my brain over and over and didn't leave. Maybe it was one of those moments when he was staring off into space and it was probably a coincidence that I was in his path of vision.
    With a school as mighty and large as mine, I probably won't ever see him again, and I think that's okay...