Chapter Text
08:24 A.M.
You: hi?
08:35 A.M.
Unknown: Hi! Good morning!
Unknown: How are you feeling?
You: like complete and utter shit
You: but like
You: in an acceptable way
Unknown: Asdgsdgsdgds?
Unknown: That’s good?
You: it is
You: thanks again
Unknown: It’s no problem
Unknown: Hey, listen, I have to leave for school now
Unknown: But I’ll text you later?
You: okay
You: bye
03:45 P.M.
You: hi
I lock and unlock my phone about forty times a minute. I’m sitting on a bench, across the yard from Felicity’s school building. The first students have started pouring out, but I haven’t spotted my sister yet. I’m keeping my distance as I do not want to be associated with fifteen year olds. Also, I’m not entirely confident I managed to cover everything up this morning.
I sigh deeply and cycle through some apps without actually looking at their contents. I reopen my messages and aimlessly scroll through our conversation from last night—the conversation between me and the stranger who was kind enough to stay up with me because it felt like the world was caving in again last night and the storm pulled me under.
God. Thinking back to the things I’ve told him—I think it was a him?—I want to dig a hole in the ground and bury myself in it.
But he stayed patient. I know he gave me so much more than I could’ve asked for. His time, his kindness. Five reasons to live.
“You’re looking absent,” Felicity, suddenly standing in front of me, says. “You’re not thinking, are you?”
I huff. “Who? Me? Never.”
She actually smiles at that. “I’m about to leave, are you coming?”
Still pissed from last night, my father has apparently informed all the servants to steer clear of me. For how long I don’t know. But that included the driver who delivers me to school every day (as I am no longer trusted with car keys myself, since I crashed the Porsche) so, after catching me sulking in my room, my sister had offered to smuggle me along.
Purely to witness my misery, I’m sure.
“Monty?”
I blink. “Sorry. No. I’m, uh…” I gesture vaguely, somewhat at my phone. “I think I’m staying out a bit.”
She frowns. “I’m not coming back for you, you know.”
“I know. It’s fine.”
“Suit yourself. But you still owe me for this morning.”
“Sure, what do you want?”
She seems thrown off by my compliantness. “Uh. Well, I’m visiting a university soon.”
“And you need me to…?”
“Drive me there.”
I raise an eyebrow and grin. “You’re going behind Father’s back?”
“Obviously. You know how he and Mother feel about it.”
“Oh, my, you little devil. But unfortunately you know all car keys in the house now have anti-Monty alarms.”
“I’ll steal one for you. I’ll even let you keep it.”
“Hmm. When is this?”
“Either Saturday the twenty-seventh or Sunday the twenty-eight.”
It suddenly occurs to me. “I can’t on Saturday.”
“Why not?”
“There’s…” I glance aside, suddenly feeling awkward. “There’s a meteor shower on Friday.”
I googled it before going to sleep last night. Or rather, this morning.
Her brow furrows. “Since when do you watch meteor showers ?”
“Do you want me to come on Sunday or not?”
“Fine.” She hoists her school bag over her shoulder, then half-turns around. “Last chance for a ride.”
“Nope, I’m good.”
She peers at me for another moment, then starts walking away. She’s halfway across the field before I get the sudden urge to call her again.
“Felicity!”
“What?!”
“I love you!”
She pulls a spectacular face at me, then shouts back, “I will call the cops on you.”
I chuckle to myself as I watch her walk away. It’s odd. Normally the mere presence of my sister annoys me, but today she seemed almost… tolerable.
My hand strays to my phone habitually, and I’m surprised to actually see a notification. My heart leaps as I open it.
04:03 P.M.
Unknown: Hi! How was your day?
I can’t type a response fast enough.
You: it was strangely alright
You: i think i actually enjoyed talking to my sister just a moment ago
Unknown: Ssdgdsgdsgds?
Unknown: Good for you?
You: god, no. i don’t wanna become some kinda sap
Unknown: Like me?
You: like you
You: it works for you though
His reply takes a minute.
Unknown: Thanks
Unknown: I think it’d work for you too, though
I feel a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. I turn off my screen for a moment to look over the mostly abandoned schoolyard. It’s late March, and surprisingly sunny. Two first years chat as they head to the bus stop. One guy—tall, with brown skin and dark hair in a messy bun—stands alone, staring at his phone screen. At his feet stands his school bag, and–
My heart takes a wild leap.
A violin case.
No. It’s a ridiculous thought. What are the odds? Unknown might live across the country. They might not even be a he. It’s impossible.
The boy puts his phone away for a second to look around. I calculate my chances, unlock my own phone again, and send a new message.
You: is the weather as nice over there too?
And his phone screen lights up. He looks at it quickly, frowns, then starts typing.
Unknown: Um, I guess? It’s pretty warm for the time of year
Unknown: That was a compliment, just a moment ago, though
Holy shit. Holy shit. It could be a coincidence, I keep telling myself. It is definitely a coincidence. There is no way–
You: yeah, i know, i just
You: had the craziest thought
Feeling bold, I sling my school bag over my shoulder, pocket my phone, and stroll over to him. He looks up at me, then again when he realizes I’m headed for him.
“Hi,” I say. My heart is beating against my ribs like mad.
“Oh, hey,” he says, stealing a quick glance at his phone screen. “You’re still here, too?”
“Yeah.” I try to push down the smile. “Figured I’d enjoy the weather.”
He looks around briefly, as if he’s barely aware of his surroundings. Another glance at his phone. “Oh, yeah, it is really nice out–” His last word gets deformed into a yawn. He covers his mouth with his free hand. “Sorry,” he says, giving me a tired smile. “Didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Me neither.” And I can’t help it. I must look daft, grinning like an idiot for no reason. “Me neither.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Are you… alright?”
“Yes. Yes! I’m better than alright. I’m excellent!” I bite my lip, feeling giddy and excited, and before I can stop myself, I throw my arms around him. It presses against my bruises, but I don’t care.
“Um,” his voice sounds from above me, after I’ve been hugging him for a good ten seconds. He’s got his arms awkwardly lifted as I press my face into his chest. He can’t seem to find any other words, so he settles on, “Uh.”
I take a step back and smile at him so widely I think my face might split in half. I’m almost tearing up with it. He looks so confused, so bewildered. It’s an adorable sight.
“Sorry,” I say. “But I still owed you a hug, darling.”
He frowns at me. I don’t stay to watch, instead I turn around and start steadily walking away. One foot in front of the other, on my way to nowhere important, with my school bag on my back and my phone in my pocket. Step after step after step while I can feel his eyes on the back of my head, while I can almost hear him do the math in his head. Step after step while I wait for him to realize–
He gasps.
“Wait!”