Inseparable

I was minding my own business as I walked out of art class, when all of a sudden some girl walked up to me. Her name was Elise but everyone called her Liz. She was popular and everyone knew her, yet not everyone liked her. I looked at her weird, there was no reason for her to come up to me. No one ever did. My school is one of those cliche schools. We separated ourselves into cliques. I happened to be known as the loner of the school and I liked it that way. Ever since my mom died 2 years ago, I shut myself away from everyone and everything. 

“Hi!” Liz said cheerily. A popular bubbly sophomore just walking up to me was weird. One talking to me was crazy. I looked at her for another minute debating whether or not I should respond. Everyone had now noticed and was staring. I didn’t like the spotlight so I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

“Hey,” I choose to say in the most monotone voice I could manage. She seemed to light up even more if possible when I did.

“I don’t have any good friends and I noticed you alone so I was wondering if you would be my friend.” She said hopefully and still sounded absolutely happy about something. What it was I had no idea and I didn’t plan on finding out. I soon remembered that everyone was staring at us after hearing the murmurs around us. I glanced around at them for a moment and they all stopped because of my intimidating glare aimed at them. I was also kind of known as a bad boy, so they all knew not to get on my bad side.

“I don’t make friends” I mumbled as I turned my back and walked to my last class of the day, which was Math.

“Well that doesn’t sound like fun” she exclaimed following me. She was starting to get annoying. I didn’t like it when people talked to me a lot. I was a loner for a reason.

“Why are you following me” I demanded, kicking someone's locker closed just as they opened it. I smirked a little at their reaction, them exclaiming in shock at almost getting their hand crushed.

“Hey!” she shrieked, “That wasn’t very nice” she pouted out, her five foot six figure having to look up at my own six foot figure.

“You didn’t answer my question” I stated in boredom.

I’ll answer your question, if you answer one of my own” she paused dramatically for a moment, “What’s your name?” She finished her sentence curiously. I rolled my eyes, then looked at her as if asking if she was serious. She nodded her head in response to my stare.

“My name is Houston. Now answer the stupid question.” I stiffly growled out.

“I’m headed to math, same as you” She finally answered. “Unless you plan on skipping again” she sassed a little bit.

“Ooooo popular girl’s got sass” I taunted a bit. “And no, I wasn’t planning on skipping but I think I will now” I continued then spun around heading towards the exit that was conveniently only a few feet away. I can finally escape. 

“Hey! Wait, this conversation is not over yet” She exclaimed, staring at my retreating figure. 

“Yeah because it ends right now.” I said smugly while smirking back at her and watching her mouth drop to the floor in shock. I bet no one has ever talked back to the little princess like that before. I turned around and started walking backwards so I could see her face properly. “Better close that pretty little mouth of yours before you catch flies” I called back to her. I didn’t see her reaction after that cause I had already left the building. I got in my car and drove home for the rest of the day.

The next day when I pulled up to the school and parked my car, I noticed Liz walking towards me after I had gotten out. I quickly started walking in another direction hoping she wouldn’t follow. Knowing her she probably would, so I braced myself for the annoying conversation we would have. Maybe though, I could ignore her. I vote on the latter.

“Hi, Houston” she said normally with a cheerful voice. As I had chosen to ignore her, I didn’t respond, but did roll my eyes. “Houston” she repeated. I kept walking. “Houston… Houston… Houston, we have a problem.” I glared at the empty space in front of me once she said that but I kept walking forward and ignored her still. I continued to increase my pace, making her try to jog to keep up but tripped over the door stopper as we reached the school doors. I chuckled and kept walking, not bothering to look back. 

The same thing, minus the funny falling part, happened for the next two weeks and became increasingly annoying. I would sometimes throw out a few profanities here and there. At the start of the third week I finally decided to respond to the constant calling of my name.

“Hi, Houston” she said almost routinely at this point. The only difference was that she sounded sad this time. “I know you won’t respond so I’m just gonna go away this time. However if you ever do want to talk, you can always talk to me” She gave me a small smile before beginning to walk away. This had me absolutely shocked, my eyes bulging out of my head before I quickly walked after her, grabbing her wrist to stop her. She turned around to face me and I could see tears starting to form in her eyes. 

I stuttered a few times trying to find my words as I stared at her. I’ve never been good at talking to people. “I uhm, Y- … Hi” I decided to go with something simple. After I said that she started beaming up at me. 

“Will you finally be my friend?”she questioned, hopefully. I knew at that moment there was no actual way to deny this girl.

“No.” I paused. She looked down with a sad face. “But I will accept being your acquaintance.” Her head shot back up shocked but overjoyed. I gave her a cocky smirk, being stubborn and not completely giving her what she wanted but I would give her a little piece. 

“Really?” she questioned happily. I nodded in response. 

“Yeah, don’t make me regret my choice” I said. She hastily nodded then hugged me really quick before letting go just as fast. I gave her an annoyed look and she gave me an apologetic one in return.

“So… Do you wanna hang out with me on Friday? We could study together or something.” She asked shyly. I smirked at her flustered state. 

“Alright princess, where do you want to go to ‘study together or something’” I taunted, making quotation marks with my fingers. 

She smirked in response to that sudden gaining all her confidence back. “How about we go to the library down the street, right after school. We could walk together…. Prince.” she added the last bit with only a moment's hesitation. 

I chuckled softly then asked “Prince?” She ducked her head so I nudged her.

“Well, since you called me princess, I thought it was fitting” All her confidence was suddenly gone again and she was blushing a little bit out of embarrassment. 

I smirked, “Whatever you say, princess” I taunted then walked inside to my first class with her heading towards her own.

Now, two years later, we are graduating together, as best friends with a lot of people assuming we were dating since we were so inseparable. However the rumors were not true at all especially since we had both started dating other people and we considered each other siblings. I had walked away from the graduation as soon as it was over, only wanting to go home. 

“Hey, Prince!” Liz exclaims a few feet behind me. I turn around with a large smile she could immediately see as fake and greet her back. “What’s wrong?” she questions knowing that something’s up when tears have started to form in my eyes. 

“I was just thinking about how I wished my mom could have been here today.” I looked down to the ground ashamed. She immediately hugged me. Over the years I had told her everything about myself including my mother's death. She stays with me just hugging me for a few more minutes before letting go and asking if I still felt up for the double date we had planned earlier with her boyfriend Kyle, and my girlfriend, Sydney. I suck in a breath then tell her “Yeah, let's get going”

She smiles up at me and then we leave to celebrate being actual adults with no more stupid high school for the rest of our lives together. 

The End.