Project ELE
Page 17
CHAPTER 11 (Eighty-eight days inside.)
After finding the cave and spending time with Alec, going back to school this morning sucks. Not to mention it's Monday. This class doesn't make it any better either. The only thing I can think about is getting back in that cave and exploring…that and Alec. The teacher just drones on and on about who knows what. This week we have full day classes since there is standardized testing on Friday and Saturday. This full schedule is killer. In an attempt to get us to study for the tests they have excused us all from work until Friday afternoon, which means I don't get to see much of Alec.
Thankfully, with Connor and Claire in my class it’s bearable. Our teacher must be blind or deaf to not hear us texting each other back and forth. She left our tablets unlocked so we can take notes but of course we are using our freedom for something much more worthy. We get to our fourth round of twenty questions when it’s time to break for lunch.
We all hustle down to the cafeteria for our lunch; Connor, Claire and I take a seat at our usual table. After a few months of being here, clicks and bonds have formed and everyone pretty much knows who their circle of friends is. There are a few loners, but most everyone has at least one ally.
“Yum, more mush,” I say dropping the mush back on my tray from my spoon.
“Tastes good to me,” Connor says with a mouthful.
I inwardly laugh at Connor. You could probably feed the guy kitchen scraps and he wouldn’t care. There’s a tap on my shoulder and I turn around to find one of the older, day runners standing behind me.
“Are you Willow Mosby?” She asks all official-like.
I nod my head. “Yeah, that’s me.”
“This is for you,” she says while handing me a small envelope. Then she’s off to her next assignment. I take the envelope and turn back to the table. Connor and Claire are staring at me.
“Well, aren’t you going to open it?” Claire asks a little too excitedly.
I’m curious too so I begin to break the seal on the envelope. Inside is a small index-type card. Scrawled in black pen it says:
Willow, will you be my girlfriend? Check one:
⧠yes
⧠no
⧠maybe
Love, Alec
My cheeks blush a dark shade of crimson while my heart leaps out of my chest.
“So, what does it say?” Claire asks, feigning to hide the excitement in her voice. She pushes her hair out of her face to get a better look.
Do I tell her? Um, yes. “It’s from Alec,” I say. “He wants to know if I’ll be his girlfriend.” I cringe wondering if that sounds corny.
I look up to find Claire beaming. “Willow! That’s so sweet! What are you going to tell him?”
I don’t have to think very hard about this one. I get a pen out of my bag and check yes. “Well, of course I’m going to say yes!” Claire and I squeal like a bunch of schoolgirls, which technically we are.
Connor makes a joking squeal of a sound to join in and flaps his hands up and down hysterically. We just roll our eyes and both playfully push him at the same time.
I spot the runner that delivered me the envelope and flag her down. I give it to her and ask her to take it back to Alec. She looks a bit confused at first but nods her head and leaves, taking the envelope with her.
The afternoon drones on in class and all I do is daydream about Alec. My tablet vibrates alerting me to a message. I put it on my lap figuring it’s probably Claire or Connor.
To my amazement it’s Alec!
Alec: I got your note.
I smile really big.
Me: I got yours first
I check back up to find the teacher still talking about Lord knows what.
My tablet vibrates again.
Alec: I miss you.
My heart soars.
Me: Miss you too.
I text back thinking how absolutely corny we sound. I don't care though. This is my first boyfriend and I'm allowed to be a little cheesy.
Alec: Are you doing anything this Friday after school? I’d like to take you on a date.
I stifle a ginormous grin that’s threatening to surface. Friday is my birthday, but I haven’t told anyone yet. That’s right, my sweet sixteen. A hit of sadness hits me when I think about my last birthday. My mom had told me that we could start planning my sweet sixteen party. She would tell me stories about hers as we had clipping parties. We clipped pictures of dresses from magazines, pictures of food, cakes and more. We were making a collage before everything in my world seemed to fall apart.
Alec: If you're busy...
Alec's text pulls me from my thoughts.
Me: Well, Mr. Blake, I think I have to work.
A few seconds go by and he replies.
Alec: Hmmm, looks like Ms. Mosby isn't on the schedule anymore and neither am I. Strange coincidence, I know.
I giggle and hit reply.
Me: Well then, Mr. Blake. I guess I am free then. Where are we going?
My tablet vibrates.
Alec: I’m not telling; it’s a surprise.
Eek, I love surprises!
I’m brought back to the present when Ms. Thomas barks my name. “Willow, what’s the answer?”
I look like a deer caught in headlights. “Ummm, can you repeat the question?”
Ms. Thomas cocks her head. “I asked, what is the twenty-eighth amendment of the constitution about?”
Phew, I know this one…thankfully. I straighten up in my seat. “The twenty-eighth amendment is the amendment that closed our borders off, sealing us off from the rest of the world.”
The teacher cocks her eyebrow at me. “Very good Willow, I’m so glad you were paying attention,” she says sardonically.
I quickly type in “G2G,” and send it back to Alec.
The rest of the week drags on slowly. The highlights of my days are seeing Alec for a few minutes at dinner. The intermittent moments between stolen kisses are what I live and breathe for. His sweet text messages sent to me at school make the anticipation of Friday bearable.
Apparently, Alec took all of us off the schedule. Luckily Connor was given the opportunity to spend a rare afternoon with his little sister Lillie. He invited Claire to join him, which means I get Alec all to myself. Not that I don't want them joining us, but...Happy Birthday to me!