Across the Bridge

Across the Bridge - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The week passed as usual, with Camilla and Lydia still being extra nice to me, a hang out with Lex and Matt after school Tuesday, and talk of a Friday get together as well. When I told the group that I had to work on Friday, everyone seemed so surprised. None of them had jobs, so they had forgotten that I did. I only got one message from Duke during the week, and it was just saying HI.

But when Friday arrived and Camilla strolled into homeroom, she looked angry. She usually had this look about her that was always excited to be wherever she was. She was outgoing and overall friendly, too. So when she dropped into the seat beside me and was quiet, I knew something was up. When Lydia and Sam came in, a few minutes before the class would start, she exploded.

"Duke broke up with me," she said, but not too loud. She wasn't looking at me, at least. I could see her face and it was red.

"Last night. He showed up at my house, which is, like, crazy. He knows my parents don't like him. But he went on and on about how he needs to figure out what he's doing, and how his life is too crazy right now."

"Oh my god. Like his life is so hard. Poor guy, with his rich parents and his mansion." Lydia rolled her eyes and laughed.

But Camilla looked upset, still. "I can't believe I liked him. And, like, wasted three months dealing with his shit."

"Totally," Sam agreed. "You're so way better off without him. But... I bet he was, like, so good in bed." She giggled and her face turned pink for a second. "How could a guy that good looking not be?"

Lydia made a face, but Camilla covered her mouth. "Oh my god, so good. Like, an animal. I will miss that."

I couldn't listen any more, but it wasn't as if I could just cover my ears or walk away.

"Brett already asked me to the Winter Ball, so at least I have a date," Camilla went on, and just like that it seemed like she didn't really care about Duke anymore.

I looked at my notebook, hoping the class would begin. I just needed Camilla to stop talking.

I checked my phone at lunch, assuming to have a message from Duke. But there was nothing. I hated how it made me feel, that empty feeling in my chest. I really didn't like how I was suddenly this girl who waited around hoping to hear from a guy.

The rest of the day, I couldn't stop thinking about whether or not he would show up at the library that night. He broke up with Camilla, but there were still reasons why I knew I shouldn't get involved with him. There would always been reasons.

"Do you want to come to Matt's tomorrow?" Lex asked me at the end of the day, as he followed me to my locker. "We are just going to watch a movie or something."

"You, Lydia and Matt?" I asked, blinking at him. "I'm going to see Asa, remember? I have to see how it goes, when we get home-"

"Is he really coming back?" Lex wanted to know.

"I hope so. My mom is-"

Suddenly Lydia was there grabbing Lex's arm, so I stopped talking. I couldn't talk about my family in front of anyone but Lex.

"Have fun tonight," I said to them instead. "Lex, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay," he nodded, then gave me a quick hug.

The library was busy for awhile that evening, with only Mrs. Walsh and I working. Busy was okay, though. When I finally got to take a break, I grabbed my phone and went to sit in the back room.