Dear Neighbor Boy,

I'm Sorry and All but You Were Also Supposed to Get a Singing Goat

*Hazel's pov*

I put on my glasses and looked out of my bedroom window after waking up. It was still snowing. That was the only thing I liked about my life, currently.

Letting out a sigh, I got up to get dressed for school. I wore a pastel blue t shirt with dark jeans and black vans. I threw a black crew neck over my shirt and put my hair into a bun.

Walking downstairs, I saw my dad at the kitchen table in a robe. Oh my gosh, he was wearing Alan's Star Wars robe. He was going to be extremely upset.

I rolled my eyes and turned for the door when his voice stopped me. "Hazel, let me give you a ride."

I cringed and turned back around to face him. "It's okay. I already have a ride." I had been getting a ride from Asher for a few weeks. I quickly walked out of the house before my dad could say more.

When I got to the sidewalk, I was going to make my way over to Asher's front door until I remembered: We weren't on good terms right now. Actually, we weren't really on terms at all.

I pursed my lips and sighed heavily. I shoved my hands in my pockets as I passed his house on my way to school. His car was missing so I was pretty sure he left already.

~~~~~

Walking to school took so much more time and energy than I remembered. Especially in the snow. I was taking those rides for granted. By the time I got to school, the bell rang and I was rushing in the sea of kids to class.

While Mr. Belmonte rambled on about the subject, I doodled little faces-most of which were sad-on Anikah's hand as she tried to write her notes. She kept fussing that I was distracting her. I mean I was drawing on her right hand and she's left handed so I didn't see the big deal.

I went through the first four periods very slowly and agonizingly. Usually, I was great in school, but I kinda just wanted to walk out the double doors right now.

I dismissed that thought and walked towards the cafeteria for lunch. I searched in the sea of students for my friends and found them at the table we usually sat at. I smiled and made my way over to them until I realized who they were sitting with. Asher and his friends. I stopped in my tracks and somehow locked eyes with Asher.

I tried my best to give him a blank expression that only a completely broken person would give to someone that they just gave up on. Except, it was a bluff. I wasn't completely broken and I definitely didn't give up on him. Was I mad as heck? Yeah. But that didn't mean I could stop caring, I just needed time.

In that moment, I remembered my thought from a few seconds before and decided to follow through with it. Holding eye contact with Asher, I pushed open the doors of the cafeteria until I completely lost his gaze. Walking down the halls, I made sure to avoid teachers, and walked right out the double doors. It's not something I would have ever done in a million years, but I just had. All because of one person: Asher.

I felt pretty good. It was exhilarating doing something so rebellious! I felt the glory for all of two seconds until there were two hands on my shoulders turning me around and holding me in place. My eyes were wide from being startled. I found myself face to face with Asher. How the frick did he catch up so quickly.

"Hazel." He sounded breathless, but not as if he was running, just breathless.

I rolled my eyes and tried turning back around but his hands were still on my shoulders, so he just pulled me back.

"Asher, I have nothing to say to you." I shrugged out of his grasp and tried to leave once more, but this time when he turned me around, he lifted me up from my waist. I tried to wiggle out of his arms but he was really strong. He carried me over to the side of the school and set me down.