Story, An Untitled

Part XIV of a work in progress.

Copyright Julia Bydulia.

Maybe I'll title it soon.

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This school is kind of awesome when it's empty like this, Michelle thought as she walked through the lobby to get to the front doors, where she would wait for her mom to pick her up. She felt light, despite the literal heaviness of her bag and the metaphorical heaviness of having forgotten to wear her coat on a day that had summoned a flurry.

In the gymnasium, she could hear the band kids practicing and down the halls there was the sound of track kids' sneakers on the tile. Michelle liked to see if she could walk in the beat of all of it, combined. Most times she didn't succeed.

When she reached them, Michelle stood behind the front doors and stared through the glass at the parking lot and at the snow being whipped around and wondered how long it would take for her mother to arrive. She kept her eyes peeled for the green of the car (or for any movement at all), and she was focused, but, she couldn't help but notice the small lump of black in her peripheral vision.

Ande.

Michelle didn't turn her head. She kept on staring through the window in the door at the parking lot.

After a few moments of silence, Ande stood up and walked outside into the snow with pounding footsteps and no jacket. She kept her hair down and her arms tight to her sides. Michelle couldn't help but laugh at how determined Ande always seemed to be to prove that she could make it seem as if she didn't exist. The angry staring at the floor as she walked never worked, though. Michelle knew she was just trying to avoid eye contact. It looked freezing and Ande looked foolish as she stood outside, the wind nearly knocking her too-thin-frame completely over.

The room echoed every noise that Michelle made, so, to distract herself from the past that was standing outside, she started spinning in circles and singing the songs from the play that she could remember. "The most amazing thiiiing..." she bellowed, losing her balance and toppling to the ground.

When she picked up her head, she looked backward into the lobby and saw another familiar face.

Vincent.

She jumped up and ran toward him, wanting to envelope him in a hug, but thinking she shouldn't. Instead, she smiled at him. "What's up?"

He nodded in Ande's direction. "Why is she outside?"

"Because she's stupid?" Michelle shot back, still fighting the urge to wrap him in a nice, warm hug.

"It's cold," was all Vincent said.

"And I forgot my jacket. My mom is going to kill me. And so is the snow." Michelle crossed her arms over her chest. She felt like a hug junkie. "Band practice?"

"Band practice," Vincent affirmed, smiling. The dimples in his cheeks made Michelle smile as well.

"You make me smile," she said, smiling, as to illustrate her point.

Behind Vincent, a few girls from band that Michelle recognized passed by, rolling instruments and things. He didn't respond to her, but, he turned around. "I'd better go," he excused himself before running off with a quick wave.

Michelle watched him go with long strides and kept on smiling at him. It was always funny, seeing Vincent after school was over. She liked it and kept on wishing she had the courage to make it happen outside of the school.