11 Hours

About two hours before

I woke up to my 6:45 alarm going off and my rowdy sister in her room next door.
" Wake up dear, it's still a school day!" yelled my mom from the other side of my door.
" I know!" I yelled.
" Then get up!" she yelled back.
I groaned and rolled over to my side.
" I am!" I yelled.
My mom busted through the door with an angry facial expression plastered across her face.
" Lose the attitude," she said.
I sighed and pulled the covers over my head.
" I know you've been through a lot in the past.....hours, but you still have a regular life to live." she said calmly.
" I know," I replied with the covers still over my head.
My mother sighed and closed my door. I got up from under my covers and crawled out of bed. I walked over to my window and looked out at the street. I still couldn't believe that Bryson lived in my state, my neighborhood, and went to my school. I sighed and walked away from my window and went over to my closet to pick out a decent outfit.

" Alex, hurry up it's 7:30!" my dad yelled.
" I'm coming down!" I yelled back.
I grabbed my bag and phone and rushed downstairs. I tried to hurry so I could grab a bite to eat and still manage to catch the bus.
" I made some pancakes." said my mom.
" I am going to miss my bus. I don't have time to eat pancakes." I said.
My mom sighed and rolled her eyes. I felt guilty so I flashed her a smile walked up to her.

" But, they look good so I'll just take some with me to eat on the bus," I said.
She smiled and walked over to a drawer and pulled out some plastic wrap.
" I'll wrap them up for you," she said.
Right after I grabbed the pancakes from off the counter and went to grab the doorknob someone tugged on my shirt. I looked behind me and it was my sister Lily.
" Lil, what are you doing?" I asked.
" Just wanted to say I love you....just in case something crazy happens," she said.
I got on my knees and gently cupped Lily's face.
" I love you too. Nothing's going to happen today, it's just an ordinary day." I said.
She weakly smiled and went back upstairs. I sighed, got back up, and headed out the door. As soon as I closed the door my two best friends Clarice and Johannes were waiting for me.
" Look who's back from the dead!" yelled Clarice.
I laughed and ran up to her to hug her.
" I missed you weirdo," she said.
" We came over to your house yesterday, and your mom said you were gone," said Johannes.
" She seemed spaced out though, I was kinda worried," said Clarice.
" Well, I'm back now," I said.
We all stood in front of my door and stared at each other awkwardly.
" We should probably head to the bus stop," I said.
" Right," they said in unison.
As we began to walk towards the front of the neighborhood I saw Bryson in the corner of my eye. He was walking with some jocks that had on letterman jackets. He turned his head in my direction and we held eye contact for what seemed forever. I caught myself and immediately looked forward.
" You know him?" Clarice asked.
" Uh, sort of," I said.
" Lucky, I haven't even been noticed by a single person like him," she said.
" Like him?" I said.
" You know....the jock, the player, the couchie grabber," she said.
I laughed and shook my head.
" But seriously though, how do you even know him?" she asked.
" Yeah, you've never mentioned meeting him," said Johannes.
I paused for a moment as I flashed back to yesterday when he confessed his "feelings" to me.
" Uh, it's part of the reason why I was gone yesterday," I said.
I looked over and Clarice was staring at me oddly.
" What?" I asked.
" For some reason, I feel like you're telling the truth," she said.
" Well, I assure you it's not a lie. But if you don't mind, I don't really wanna talk about it." I said.
She nodded her head and threw her arm around me.
" I can guarantee this though, we won't be speaking ever again," I said.
Johannes laughed and wrapped his arm around me as well. We walked the rest of the way in silence.

When we finally reached the bus stop, Bryson and his friends were in front of us laughing at whatever Bryson was saying. I moved a bit closer to try to understand what he was saying.
" Yeah, I met this smoking hot chick yesterday while I was gone." Bryson laughed.
I shook my head in disbelief.
" We bought a couple of beers, watched Netflix and you know....we totally smashed my dudes!" he said.
I folded my arms and scoffed at what he said. I walked back over to Johannes and Clarice with anger wiped across my face.
" Can you believe him?!" I said.
" Believe who?" Clarice asked.
" Bryson, that lying piece of no good crap is lying about what he did yesterday!" I yelled.
" Lower your voice, Alex, people can hear you," said Johannes.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head.
" Pathetic, that's what he is." I pressed my lips together and shook my head.
" His friends don't even know him. They don't know he is a liar!" I yelled.
Suddenly Clarice and Johannes's eyes got huge.
" What? Surprised the famous Bryson isn't really..well... Famous?" I asked.
They both shook their heads and pointed behind me. I slowly turned around and noticed Bryson and his gang were all staring at me with their arms folded.
" Can I help you? It's rude to stare you know." I said.
" Who you callin' a liar lil girl?" one of the guys asked.
I looked at them with my death stare and put my hands on my hips.
" Little?! I am not a little girl! We're in the same grade." I said.
" Pffft, as if." he laughed.
I nodded my head and smiled. " You're right, you're probably a grade lower than me," I said.
The guy darted towards me until someone grabbed his arm and snatched him back.
" I can handle this one," said Bryson.
The guy shook Bryson's hand off of him and walked away. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. Bryson grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.
" Seriously?" he said.
" What?" I snapped back.
" Liar?"
" Don't get mad because I'm telling the truth," I said.
I ripped my arm from his grasp and glared at him.
He sighed and looked away from me.
" Smashed?" I said.
He quickly turned his head and looked down at the ground.
" I didn't mean it, it was just a cover-up story," he said.
" People ask what happened to me yesterday too Bryson," I said.
He sighed and looked to the side.
" I didn't tell my friends I slept you, I just said that I had met you, and that was part of the reason why I was gone," I said.
He looked up at me sadly and bit his lip.
" You know what, since you think of me as another one of the girls you slept with, you can start treating me like one," I said.
" What do you mean?" Bryson asked.
" In the hallway, don't talk to me. Don't talk about me. From here on out, I have no idea who you are." I said.
I started to walk back over to my friends until Bryson grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him.
" You know I don't think of you like that. You're different," he said.
I looked at my arm, then back up at him with disgust. I tried to push him away, but he had a strong grip.
" Yeah, I bet that's what you tell all the girls," I said.
" It's different here, it's school. These people expect a different me," he said.
" Kiss me," I said.
" Alex...." he said in a low voice.
I sighed and pushed him off me.
" Exactly," I said.
I rolled my eyes and walked back over to my friends. Luckily the bus pulled up just in time.