Critical Thinking ✔

42

Bookie eventually changed topics. But I was still thinking about what he said. Even when I woke up the next day it was on my mind, and Clyde was also on my mind. I went downstairs to find dad on the couch passed out, his laptop seemed to still be running. I turned it off and closed it, then got a blanket to out over him.

I decide to make myself some breakfast, I would have made dad some too but I didn't know when he was gonna wake up. Made some cereal to keep it simple. While eating my phone starting going off. Someone was calling me, I figured it was probably just mom and answered.

"Hey." I say moving my phone to my ear as I use my other hand to eat Frosted Flakes.

"Hey...sorry." a familiar voice erupts from the other side on my phone.

"Who's this?" I say almost choking on my cereal.

"Clyde, I'm sorry for ignoring you all." he mumbles as I swallow my food slowly.

"Why did you?" I ask after a while of deciding to just say it's fine, or to be honest on how I feel.

"Oakely." he says softly making me bite my lip.

"It's me, isn't it? If I did something wrong I wish you would have just told me. You can avoid me, but why leave? And then leave everyone else out of it. We're friends." I say as my voice rises but I lower it, when I peek to see dad moving a bit in his sleep.

"Are we friends? Or are we just around each other and more of acquaintances." he shot back and I frowned. "Sorry... look, we are friends. But I don't think we're necessarily close with everyone to call them friends. You and I are friends...Farley...maybe Vic but I think Lily and Cory are mostly just- well that doesn't matter. What matters is that this isn't your fault, it's mine. And I should have told you or someone about what was going on."

"Are you going to tell me now? Because I still don't know." I reply before eating more of my cereal that started to get soggy.

"I..I like-"

"You like someone? This is why you left?" I ask in shock as a feeling rises inside me.

"Not completely...my granny passed." he mutters and I swallow hard before frowning even though he can't see.

"I'm so sorry Clyde..." I say gently.

"Also not your fault, but I have to go live with my parents so that is why I moved. It has just been a lot going on and I needed space. I hope you can forgive me...and I just still need space. I was going to ask you to tell the others but I will do it myself." he explains and it goes quiet for a while.

"Is that all?" I ask after a moment of silence and finishing my cereal.

"Well...I like Farley too." he mumbles softly as I get up, and almost drop my bowl and spoon on the floor.

"O-Oh, well that's fine. I kind of like someone else anyway." I say softly while putting the dishes in the sink.

"No you don't, you don't have to lie. It doesn't matter anymore anyway, you're there and I'm not. Besides, you two have stronger chemistry." he says sighing.

"But I'm not really lying...I like someone I haven't met before. I like-"

"Booker, I know." he says causing my eyes to grow wide.

"How...How do you know?" I ask quickly while running up the stairs to go to my room.

"He hasn't told you yet?" he asks as I make it to my room and flop down on my bed.

"What are you talking about?" I ask frowning a little while playing with my shirt.

As it seems Clyde was about to respond my phone starts ringing and blinking. I take a look at my phone to see that my mom is calling. Right on time I guess, but kind of bad timing?

"I'll be back, my mom is calling." I say and get an "okay" from him, then I answer mom clicking over. "Hey mom."

"Hey love, sorry it took me awhile. Work is taking a lot of my time lately." she says with a sigh.

"It's okay mom, you have called a bit more lately actually." I say rolling over onto my back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Well, I have been adjusting to having to call you or text. I'm so used to just walking into your bedroom and saying morning, I did it a lot at first. Now I don't do it as much." she says softly and I frown.

"I miss you too mom." I say and she laughs a little.

"I would hope so, but don't sorry about me love. I know you really love it there with your dad." she says and I feel my cheeks turn up a little.

"Yeah, a lot has changed but I think that's okay." I say sitting up when I catch a glimpse of dad possibly coming up the stairs.

"You're right, I think this is really good for you. Your branches reaching out to the sky." she says humming a litle. "Anyway, so this summer...do you want to come stay with me? If you don't want to that is okay."

"Um, I want to be with you but I don't know about the whole summer. I think my band teacher has some plans for us possibly. Our field trip especially might not be able to be in the last month of school." I say going on my phone to check my calendar.

"It's okay Oakely, maybe I'll just come visit more since you won't have school." she says sounding like she was thinking.

"Okay, I'll let you know if I come to another decision I guess." I say as I hear water going, dad was probably fully up now.

"Alright, I love you." she says probably smiling.

"I love you too." I say with a smile on my own face, then we got off call. I clicked over to Clyde. "Hey, sorry if I took long."

"Don't worry about it." he says and I hear rummaging in the background.

"So um...what did you mean earlier?" I ask pulling my legs up to my chest and set my chin on my knees.

He seemed to be taking a moment to possibly think or deciding whether to tell me or not. After a while he eventually spoke.

"Farley...didn't he tell you?"