Count On Me(87)

It’s better for her if I keep my distance, even though it’s the very last thing I want to do.



Belle



I’m pretty sure someone in the office has lost their mind.

The morning announcements came on like usual, but when they were over, the strangest thing happened. Instead of hearing the cut off noise when they turn the P.A system off, music starts playing instead. Normally it wouldn’t have registered with me because I tune it out, but it was so familiar that I couldn’t ignore it. Not only was it a song I knew, but it was by my favorite band.

“The Mess I Made” by Parachute is playing clear as day through the entire school and looking around at all the other kids in class with me; I can see that they’re also pretty surprised with it.

It’s not that we’ve never heard music over the system before, because we have, but usually it’s lower and in the background, someone’s voice speaking over it. The cheerleaders use it when they’re promoting events that they’re putting on. This is different though. There’s no nasal voice speaking over it, no announcement being made. It’s just the song.

I’ve been back at school for two days now, despite my claims that I didn’t want to come back. After talking things through with my mom the night I found Kayden, we both decided that no matter what happened at the dance, it would be best if I finished out the year. Where I had been scared at first, it’s gotten easier and now I don’t even know what I was so afraid of to begin with.

Nothing’s really changed being back, but it does seem that where Dillon and the others went out of their way to hunt me down before, they’re silent and only shooting out names from a distance now. It’s like what happened at the Homecoming Dance never happened. I fell back into my old routine of walking the halls like a ghost again and they left me alone.

Today is a different story altogether and I know why. It’s because today’s the day he comes back. Kayden Walker. The boy I found bloodied and broken in the middle of his living room floor, has been released with a clean bill of health and is ready to make his comeback.

I’m not sure how much people know about where he’s been, but since I haven’t said a word since the night I told the police everything, if people do find out, it isn’t going to be because I told them.

As happy as I am that he’s back, I’m not looking forward to seeing him in the halls again. I’m not sure how he’s going to react to me now, especially after saying goodbye to him the way I did three days ago. Part of me hopes he just falls back into his old routine too, so we can go back to normal, but something tells me that won’t be the case.

When everyone finally cleared out of his house, I talked my mom into helping me clean it up. I didn’t expect her to want to help, considering everything that happened, but she jumped into it even more than I did. After taking me to Home Depot, grabbing shelving units and other things we were gonna need, she grabbed some sheets and blankets from our closet and we made our way over.

Within a few hours we had the entire place cleaned and ready. His room had been completely transformed and looked so comfortable, I wanted to climb on his bed and relax in it for awhile. I only hoped that when he came home, he felt the same and it didn’t make him feel worse.

As the bell rings, signaling lunch, I slide myself out from the desk and start packing up my bag. It’s been getting colder lately, so going outside has been hard, but it’s something I definitely need to do today. I’m afraid that if I stay inside like I have been the last two days, I’m going to run into him and that’s just not something I’m ready for yet.

As soon as I get out into the hall, the music starts up again. This time, it’s a different song, but it’s the same band. If I didn’t find it strange before, there’s no denying it now. This time, it’s “Drive You Home” by Parachute and despite not really believing it could be true, I can’t help but think all of these songs are speaking directly to me.

What are the odds that my favorite band, is the one someone continues to play through the P.A system? It could easily be one of the football players trying to screw around with the cheerleaders, but something tells me it’s more than that.

“So, did Ms. Owens drink before she came to work today?”

I can’t help but laugh at the question. Eric, after weeks of keeping his distance from me, is finally back in my life and despite not understanding it before, I couldn’t be happier for it. I missed him. I hated that everything that happened with Kayden pulled us apart. He appeared at my side the morning I came back and he hasn’t left since.