I open the front door and I see Adam sitting by the porch. This is unusual.
“Adam?,” I asked just to make sure even though I was already sure because of the sock-shaped birthmark he has on the nape of his neck and also his cologne, it’s like expired old spice. He turns around and stands up.
“Hey, I heard. I was trying to reach you last night but you wouldn’t pick up,” Adam said as he dusted off his pants. Shoot, I was so scared of my own phone last night that I even forgot about it. I feel my pockets to grab my phone to see if he really did call but it wasn’t there. Damn, is stress making me forgetful? I told Adam to wait for a moment and I ran back to my room to get my phone. It took me a minute to find it because it was under the bed. I don’t know how it ended up there, it must have slipped off the bed and my mind. I quickly grab it and hurried downstairs.
As soon as I got out the house, I unlock my phone and there it was, Adam’s 6 missed calls. I also see some replies under the tweet that I was tagged in. Great. I lock my phone back without opening the other notifications from twitter.
“Hi, sorry for making you wait and for not answering your calls. My mind’s been somewhere else,” I said apologetically.
“I understand, I was just worried. So, care to tell me what happened?,” Adam said as we stepped off the porch and proceeded to go to the bus stop. Adam is one of the few people who knows my mom’s real identity.
“Well, I was just waking up from a nap and I decided to check my phone for updates on this WebToon I’m reading. You know, “Killer Hike”? It ended on a cliffhanger where the main character found out about the secret basement. Anyways, there were still no updates and just as I was about to turn off my phone, I see this notification from Twitter.” I paused walking to tuck in my shoelaces.
“What notification?” Adam paused too.
“You remember Jen?,” I asked.
“Uh, Jenny from the block?,” He said jokingly.
“Yes, Jenny from the block,” I said sarcastically.
“Okay but for real, I don’t remember any Jen,” He said.
“Oh, that’s right you weren’t in my advanced algebra classes.” I remembered.
“You took advanced algebra? When? Isn’t that like too advanced for you?,” he asked.
“That’s why it’s called advanced algebra, duh! It was sophomore year and I was flunking math so I had to get some extra credits,” I replied.
“Ooohh, I didn’t know,” he said.
“That’s because you were too busy auditioning for varsity,” I said.
“Okay, continue with your story.” He urged me.
“Jen, tagged me in a tweet with the caption “dis u?” and under that tweet was another tweet by Vanity Faze,” I said.
“Vanity Faze, like the magazine?” Adam clarified.
“Yup, and then under that tweet was a picture of my mother and I leaving Homebuds,” I explained.
“Uh huh,” He was looking at me intently to show that he was really listening.
“So, yeah. That’s what happened,” I said.
“You’re not really that active on twitter so why are you and Jen even mutuals? Are you two close?,” he asked.
“No, that’s why I was so confused to see her name on my notifs,” I said.
“Hmm, she kinda sus,” Adam said.
“What is ‘sus’?” I confusingly asked.
“Suspicious, sus is the shorter version of it,” Adam explained.
“Oh, you sound like those boomers who are trying to stay relevant even if they’re already old.” I teased him.
“You’re just jealous cause you’re not hip like me.” He strikes a pose which made me laugh.
“If that’s what it’s like to be hip then I’d rather be outdated, thank you very much.” I also strike a curtsy kind of pose.
We reach the bus stop and it arrived the same time we did. We boarded the bus and went to school.
~
We arrived at school. I had fun talking to Adam on the way to the bust stop that I forgot my bundle of nerves. I felt so anxious, it was like making up for the time I forgot about it while walking earlier. As we board off the bus, I look around to see any peeping paparazzi. Hmm, seems no one was there. Adam notices me frantically looking around.
“What are you looking for?,” he asked.
“Pap,” I said.
“Smear?,” he asked.
“No, the hell. Paparazzi,” I answered.
“Oh.” He also looked around.
“V, I don’t think the paparazzi would be interested in ambushing you for a statement,” he said.
“Why wouldn’t they be?,” I asked.
“Well, basing from the picture on that tweet the paparazzi might be uhm - well for a lack of a better term - become horrified,” Adam teasingly said.
“F you.” I stopped looking around and fastened my pace so that we won’t be walking together anymore and he just laughed.
We enter the building and my anxiety just leveled up. I put my hands inside the pocket of my coat and I ball up my fists then dig my nails on the insides of my palm. Adam noticed that I was tense so he nudged me to snap me out but I remain unfazed.
“V!” He shouted so loud it felt like my eardrums were going to explode.
“The hell is wrong with you?” I touch my ears to make sure they were still intact. He leans closer to me.
“Snap out of it, you are going to be fine,” he whispered. So, I uncurl my fists and let them relax in the pockets of my coat.
We enter the hallway and so far no one’s staring. Good. I need get some stuff from my locker so I told Adam to go ahead but he says “I’ll come with you, besides we have class together for the first period.” That’s right, we do. So I let him come with me to my locker.
After getting some stuff, Adam continued to walk to the classroom together. The class was history, it’s one of the few classes I had with Adam besides P.E. Thankfully, we were early compared to the rest of the class as well the teacher was so we had a few options of seats to choose from. I picked my seat by the window and Adam chose one next to mine. We did our own thing until I see Jen walked in. Oh, gosh is she enrolled in this class too?
“Adam!” I whispered loudly at him. He doesn’t budge so I kick him. He turns his head towards me. I can see in his face the confusion on why I just hit him out of nowhere.
“What’d you do that for?,” he asked sharply. I turn my eyes towards Jen and his eyes follow.
“Oof, is that her?,” Adam asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
“She’s kinda hot.” Adam commented. I ignore him and kept my eyes on Jen. She was seated at the front with her friends. If popularity had categories then she would be in the middle. Not that popular but just popular enough that people recognize her. I don’t really know her that well but basing on the few interactions I had with her - even though she didn’t really do anything wrong - I feel like she’s a low-key mean girl. She’s also friends with the biggest gossip in the school, Karen so her tagging me in that tweet could probably mean that they were already talking about me in their group chat or maybe I’m just too much of a feeler. She turns around and our eyes meet. I try not to look away immediately so that it wont look like I was staring at her. She smiles at me. Why is she smiling at me? I smile back and she turns around back to her friends. I shifted my gaze outside the window until I hear Adam calling me.
“V, incoming,” he said.
Jen was making her way towards me. Great, she’s going to ask me about the photo. I look at Adam and gave him “help me” eyes as Jen was nearing my seat.
“Hey, Veronica! Remember me?,” Jen said as she sits on my table.
“Yeah, Jen. Right? From advanced Algebra.” I try my best to appear calm even though in my head the words “Please, go away” are on repeat.
“That’s right. Did you see the tweet I tagged you in last night?,” she asked.
“No, I was kind of busy last night I didn’t get the chance to check my phone.” I denied.
“Oh, well can you check it now?,” she asked.
“I didn’t bring my phone with me.” I lied.
“Oh, okay well I’ll just show you,” she said and pulled out her phone from her back pocket. I look back at Adam to ask for help silently but he was focused on his phone.
“Here.” She faced her phone towards me and shows the tweet.
“Is this you?,” she asked. I’m going to have to make another lie.
“No, do I really look that horrible for you to mistake for her?,” I jokingly said.
“You kind of have the same face if you look at it closely,” she said looking at her phone.
“I have a common face,” I said.
“Are you sure though? The picture really looks like you.” She insisted.
“No, that couldn’t be me.” I laughed nervously.
“Hey, Jen. Right?” Thank God Adam butted in. Jen shifts her attention towards Adam.
“Yes, Adam Lockwood, right?” She extends her arms to shake his hand but instead of shaking her hand like how any other person would do, Adam kisses it.
“How’d you know?,” Adam asked even though he is well-aware of the reason.
“You’re too modest, Mr. Popular.” She said flirtatiously.
Thank the heavens for Adam’s charm and his ability to distract girls. They continued to chatter for a bit until the teacher arrived. They both said their “see you later’s” and then Jen turned towards me.
“We should hang out some time, V!,” she said.
“Sure,” I replied with a smile even though we both knew she was just saying that to be nice.
As soon as she was back to her seat, I thanked him.
“Thank for saving me back there,” I said.
“No biggie, I wanted to introduce myself anyway.” He raises his eyebrows playfully. Adam is one the biggest flirts I know and that’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if Jen and him will date anytime soon.
Classes ended and it was lunch time. I proceed to the cafeteria alone because the last class I had was Social Sciences and Adam wasn’t in that. The cafeteria is still not that crowded so I went and lined up. The cafeteria’s food was okay but it was kind of pricey so I usually don’t buy here, the only reason I am buying right now is because I forgot to pack my own lunch. Their specials for today were lasagna and caesar’s salad. I’m not feeling pasta today so I just got their clubhouse sandwich and for dessert hmmm, I scan the dessert section and I see a red velvet cupcake. Their cupcakes were pretty good here especially the red velvet one and these were always sold out, so I grab it but instead I grab someone’s hand. I turn to the side to see whose hands were on the cupcake and it was Landon. I quickly release and move my hand away.
“Oh, sorry. Did you want this?,” He asked.
“Yeah, I did,” I replied.
“Too bad I got it first. You should have been more quicker.” He takes a bite of the cupcake and winks at me then walks off.
The hell? He could shove that piece of cupcake up his ass for all I care. So much for having a crush on him. My mind now is completely made up. I go to the cashier and pay for my food and proceed to a table.
I quickly scan the cafeteria for an empty table and my eyes see Adam waving and signaling me to come to him. I walk towards the table where he is seated at and sat down.
“Hey, not joining your troupe again for lunch?,” I asked.
“Nah, we’re going out again later and I also brought something for you.” He takes out his lunch bag out of his backpack and unveils some matcha donuts.
“Nice! Where’d you buy them?” I take one and put it on my plate to eat later for last.
“Dad ordered some from his co-worker last night,” he said.
“Cool, thanks!” I eat my lunch and so does he. We were quiet for a moment until I felt someone staring at me. I look up and I see Adam curiously staring at me.
“What?,” I asked him.
He continues to look at me and I scrunch my eyebrows in confusion.
“I saw you,” he said.
“Okay? Congrats you’re eyes are in working condition,” I said confusingly.
“Talking to Mr. Mysterious.” He raises his eyebrows teasingly.
“Oh, pfft! More like Mr. Asshole,” I said.
“Why?,” Adam asked.
“You know how the cupcakes here always sold out, especially the red velvet ones?,” I asked.
“Yeah?,” he replied.
“Well, there was one last piece left but he beat me to it,” I said.
“And then?” Adam urges me to continue as he takes a bite out of his glazed doughnut.
“And then, he asked me if I wanted the cupcake so I said yes, but you know what he said?”
“What?”
“ ‘too bad I got it first, you should have been more quicker’ ,” I said mimicking his voice and doing air quotation marks.
“Well he wasn’t wrong.” Adam laughed.
“He could have at least tried to offer it to me and pretended he cared for the sake of being polite. I would have denied it anyway and let him have the cupcake,” I irritatingly said.
“Looks like he doesn’t care about being polite,” Adam said.
“Yeah, what a douche,” I said.
“Careful, that’s your crush you’re talking about,” Adam said teasingly.
“Ugh, as if,” I take the last bite out of my clubhouse sandwhich aggressively. Adam laughs and we both continue to finish our lunch.
~
Finally, the bell rings and the day was over. I walk out of the classroom and I see Adam by the door.
“Hey,” I greeted him.
“Hi, I won a coupon for McJay’s, want to spend it with me?” He offered while walking backwards to face me.
“Oh, their steak is so good there but I can’t,” I said sadly.
“Why not?” He asked and went back to my side to walk.
“My family and I are going to be eating out tonight to celebrate Vincent being representative for the art state competition,” I explained.
“That’s great news! The little guy is finally shining!” He exclaimed.
“I know! We are all so excited for him,” I said happily.
“Okay, well this doesn’t expire until next week so let me know when you’re free,” he said.
“Will do.” We were already nearing the exit and we said our bye’s and parted.
I walked back home to get some little exercise. With my headphones in, I felt like I was in a movie. I was relaxed and relieved that the day was over and nothing bad happened. I was nearing our block when I see a house being crowded by a bunch of people. I take my earphones off and realized that was my house. The crowd was a bunch of reporters. Holy s**t. I feel my body tensing up and my throat closing in. I turn to the other block and ran as fast as I could. My mind is full of questions. How did the reporters find our house? Where is mom? Who is in the house now? What about our plans for dinner? What’s going to happen now? I see a small opening towards the little forest so I go there. I see some wooden chairs and a fire pit. It looked like someone was having a bonfire here recently. I look up and there was a tree house. I feel something wet drop from the sky. Oh, s**t. It’s raining and it’s starting to look like cats and dogs. I climb up the treehouse to seek shelter. I get inside and it’s actually spacious. It looks small on the outside but the inside is well-organized that it has plenty of space. Two or three people could fit in here. I lay down and took a deep breathe. Just when I thought the day was finally over this s**t happens. I just hope mom is okay. My eyes started to feel heavy so I close my eyes. It’s going to take a while for those pesky reporters to go away. I decided to kill time by taking a short nap.