Our Fooling Game

013

Spencer Caldwell

I was somewhat happy today. I didn't know why but it felt like a little weight has been lifted off my chest. I didn't sleep last night though, I was afraid I'd sleep, wake up and realize that everything with Percy was a dream.

When he said he wanted to be friends with me in his car, I didn't completely believe him, especially when he went ahead to avoid me but yesterday I confirmed it. He was back to his usual self, joking and laughing with me. And he even agreed to complete my home together. I don't know what it was but it felt great to have someone on my side and maybe now Paxton would see that I'm not really a monster and actually forgive me.

Today I was going to buy supplies for the house and I was really looking forward to it. I was going to buy things my mum loved; I couldn't wait to make the house ready for her. Then I would go visit her with pictures, I was pretty sure she would love it and want to come home more quickly.

"You're smiling," Some guy with blond hair and too many freckles to count said, pulling out a chair to sit beside me. He peeped into the textbook that was open before me. "What's funny in Trig?"

"Um..." I narrowed my eyes as I tried to place a name to the face. I've seen him before, a lot of times, waved and greeted in the hallway. "Uh..."

He chuckled, "It's Truman, and we met at Tom's party."

"Oh," I said even though I still have not remembered him, after squinting my eyes at him for several seconds, I finally got a flash of his face. I was lazily drinking whatever was in my hands as the party went on around me, thinking about the whereabouts of Percy and if I could just text him and go home but I didn't get to that before this guy approached me. I thought he was going to ask me what I was doing at the party or who invited me, or if I was looking for my next 'victim' but instead he just introduced himself and asked what I was doing alone. That was all I got. I know we struck up a conversation though and it was slightly pleasant.

"Oh," I said again, this time more sure. "How exactly did we part that night?"

"Your friend showed up," He said, brows furrowing unpleasantly. "He didn't look particularly pleased with us talking. Especially since you were drunk."

I bit my lip so I wouldn't smile. Percy could be amazingly cute when he was all concerned about me and I could just imagine him scowling at the innocent boy. "I'm sorry if he did something to scare you."

"Nah, it's good he cares." He said and he had no idea how true his words were. "So what really is funny about Trig?"

The teacher appeared just then but Truman and I talked a bit still. I was good with making friends, with or without alcohol but something has changed. Now, I'd rather be alone. The less people I get close with, the better. It was not because I was scared I'd hurt them, or 'run' them over - that wasn't me and it was a once in a lifetime mistake that would never repeat itself. It was the other way around, I was scared they'd hurt me. They'd leave; that was a sure thing and when they do, it'll hurt.

Now there were just two people capable of hurting me, my mum and Percy. I really hoped the time they would, would never come. There was just so much I could take.

Truman didn't get the subtle hint that I wanted to be alone. I was sure he was pretty disappointed that I wasn't the same as the drunk guy that chatted his ear off. I was impressed with him though, even though he was clearly the timid type he managed to keep a slightly one sided conversation with me. I wasn't mad or annoyed at him; I actually liked the fact that he was making the effort to be friends with me. I didn't even know when we made it to the back of the lunch line and when Percy approached us.