floating | ✓

10| relationships

"When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you. "

- Lolly Daskal

10| relationships

By the time Oliver and I reach my house, it is evening. I hit the brake and get down from my bicycle. Oliver stays on his.

I put my bike inside the garage and turn around to close the front gate. Oliver is staring at me.

I hold his stare until he turns around on his bike and gets ready to leave. He glances at me one last time before vanishing into the evening.

I let the reality sink in. We bunked school, and we biked around the whole town. I wasn't planning to have Oliver with me the whole time, but he was there the whole time.

I gulp and walk inside the house. The lights are on, but I don't hear anyone. Mom and Dad should be still out, in their office.

I reach the living room. I halt in my steps. My parents are here. Dad is on the phone and mom is pinching the bridge of her nose. She looks worried.

I swallow in nervousness. I hope this isn't about me. I take a deep breath, and clear my throat, making my presence known.

Mom looks up immediately and notices me. She stands up and pats on my dad's shoulder. He looks at me too. Then he visibly sighs. Dad hangs up his phone and starts to say something. Mom interrupts.

"Chris," she warns.

Dad closes his mouth. Mom speaks. "Go to your room, Gwen. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

I stare at my mom. She looks calm and collected. She looks different. Like she knows something that I don't. This is about me, I realize.

I am in trouble. I nod at mom and head upstairs. I hope things are not too serious.

*****

We are having dinner. Mom and Dad are both silent, and I feel a twist in my stomach. The silence lays heavy on the dinner table. If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of our breathing.

"Did you show me your last test papers?" Mom asks, looking up from her plate.

I try to remember. Oh, crap. I got a C in Math and B in Physics. Of course, I didn't show any of them to Mom. Mom still believes I get all A's.

"You didn't," Mom replies herself.

It's not like Mom always checks my test papers, but once in a while, she does. She hasn't done it in a long time as she was busy. I would have shown her some of my papers if I hadn't done so poorly.

I was doing good. I had been lagging behind, but I was holding on. Then when the spiral days happened, I completely ignored my studies. Before the exams, I freaked out. Then this happened.

I had never gotten a C in Math in my entire life. I used to win the Mathalon. Mom will never believe this.

"You don't tell us a lot of things these days," Mom accuses.

Yes, right, because they are always busy, and I don't want them to worry. Hopefully, this time I won't screw up my test because of my bad days. I will try harder.

"Like, you decided it would be a good idea to leave school at lunchtime and not go back at all," Mom says. "Then come back home and pretend you were at school the whole time."

Oliver and I did go back right after the school ended to get a few things. Our backpacks were with us anyways.

I'm an idiot. I should have changed Mom's number in the office. I am not the only one who bunks school. I have never heard of the people who bunk school getting their parents get called. It's because the message never reaches their parents. Mine surely did.