Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
His foot was tapping as he ate his sandwich and scribbled something in his notebook. I used to bounce around like that too. I was also always yammering about anything random that popped into my brain, and lots of kids thought I was overwhelming and strange.
Split-second decision made, I headed inside the double doors and straight to his table. “Mind if I sit here and organize my stuff?” I’d just come from the copy room, where I’d made duplicate diagrams of five plant families and needed to cut them out before my next class.
Wiping the shock off his face, Chase grinned. “Sure, Mr. Bloom.”
“Thanks.” I got busy with my copies and scissors, and just as I’d anticipated, kids started gravitating to our table. I was way more popular as an adult than I ever was as a kid. But not only that, students loved having the attention of teachers, and I was a sitting duck in that cafeteria.
The kids started lobbing questions at me, and I could see Chase’s disappointment over the interruptions, so I kept including him in the conversation. By the time I finished my task and got up to leave, a few kids had planted themselves across from Chase to finish eating. I stretched my hand to fist-bump him and thank him for letting me share his table, hoping the others might stay put and get to know him a little better.
Just as I was getting to my classroom, my cell rang, and I stiffened when I saw the call was from the police department.
“Hello?” I listened with an unsettled stomach as the officer asked me to come down to the station that afternoon. They needed my help identifying the men who’d broken into my place and whom they thought were responsible for a string of other break-ins as well. I got that jittery feeling all over again as if the robbery had taken place last night instead of more than three weeks ago.
It’d been just as long since I’d started sleeping in Nolan’s bed. I kept showing up, knowing I shouldn’t. Knowing I needed to find the strength to sleep on my own. But there was something so comforting about being at his place and feeling his body heat at night. Which left me feeling pretty confused.
And both of us obviously thought something was wrong with what we were doing because we hadn’t mentioned it to our bandmates. Not that it was any of their business, but we normally let it all hang out with each other.
Nolan never questioned my decision, only teased me about being a furnace and a monkey. My cheeks heated, thinking about how some mornings I woke up pressed against his body and other times with the covers thrown off and my pillow on the floor. He was seriously the best friend ever.
So why was I nervous about this arrangement?
Maybe because of our morning boners, which were totally natural but, in that context, felt weird. Still, I didn’t stop showing up, normally right before bedtime, sometimes sooner, either because of my anxiety or because I enjoyed it too much.
But maybe the call I just received would help me build enough courage to sleep in my own apartment tonight.
I sat there in a daze before deciding to call Nolan.
“Guess what?” I asked as soon as Nolan answered.
“Your mom made us more food?”
“Funny, no…” I fiddled with the paperweight on my desk, a gift from a student. “I got a call from the police.”
“And?”
“I need to head to the station after work to look at photos of suspects to see if I can identify those men.”
“Want me to tag along?”
“No, you don’t have to—”
“What if I want to anyway? I don’t have to come in; just drive you to the station.”
Warmth flooded my stomach that I didn’t have to do it alone. Of course my parents would’ve shown up in a heartbeat, but for some reason, the first person I thought to call was Nolan.
“Yeah, okay. Thanks.”
“No problem. It’s what friends do.”
I got busy with my class, but it was hard to concentrate for the next few hours. Somehow, I got through it and then drove back to my apartment to meet Nolan.
The super was waiting for me when I got inside. “You had a delivery.”
“My television?”
“Looks that way. I’ll get the box.”
“Thanks.” I should’ve replaced it immediately, but going up to Nolan’s place to watch our shows had become a thing, so I hadn’t missed it too much.
But last weekend, my parents urged me to replace some of the things that were stolen, and I’d admit, it felt good, like I was getting my life back. Sort of.
Nolan came down just as I was unpacking the box in my living room. “Uh-oh, this means your set is going to be way better than mine.”