First class of the morning, first morning of the week, not a good combination. I start to drag my feet, trailing behing Pudge, the Colonel and Takumi. The idea of sitting through the class is becoming more and more unappealing with every step. I want run back to my room, get a book from my lifes library, an autoboigraphy maybe, and read alone with some Strawberry Hill. Or do I?
I also want to catch Pudge by the arm, and go out into the forest, drink Strawberry Hill, smoke and talk for hours. Both involves wine, so both is good, but I'm leaning towards the second option. One things for sure, class is off the table. Before I realise what I'm doing, I've reached out and tapped Pudge on the shoulder. He turns around, about to question me, but I motion for him to remain silent. "Pudge, we're ditching, follow me."
Part of me is glad that the Colonel and Takumin keep walking towards class, unaware that Pudge and I have begun to slip away. I want it to be just the two of us. I know I love Jake, but there's something about Pudge that draws me to him. I don't want him to know that though. I just want to spend the day with him... alone, that doesnt mean anything.
"What if we get caught?"
"I don't get caught." He gives me a worried look. "We take the risk, have the fun and we can deal with the consequences later, if there even are any."
"Alaska I don't know about this, we could get expelled." I can see that I'm gonna hit a brick wall, lucky for me I don't give up. "We cant get expelled for ditching a class, we can only get expelled if they find the drink or cigarettes, you owe my five bucks by the way."
"We cant drink this early in the mornin... Can we?"
"Live a little Pudge!" He can see that I'm getting impatient, and that I won't take no for an answer. He should be used to my impulsiveness by now anyway. We need to make sure we get to the dorm circle, then to the forest unnoticed.
"Alaska why are we doing this, I mean like the real reason." He's caught me out, I'm not used to people figuring me out, knowing my real reasons for things.
"Wait here." I leave his question unanswered, and him standing in the doorway of my room. I run in grab my backpack and throw in the necessary supplies; snacks and two Mountain Dew's (to wash away the effect of the Strawberry Hill). I really don't want to answer his question, but I feel like I'm probably going to have to. When I go back to the door, he's standing there ready to interogate me, so I cut to the chase.
"Look Pudge, I just wanna ditch, have a day with out rules, classes, or Weekday Warriors. Just you know escape." I don't think that I'm answering the question he asked though really. He said we, but never the less he turns and heads towards the exit. We walk in silence to the forest. The whole walk, I can see he's thinking about what to say, or thinking about what I have already said. I open my mouth to talk a few times, but stop. I like the silence, it's comfortable, not awkward or weird in any way. Just two friends, ditching class, walking to the smoking hole to get drunk at 10 am, that kind of silence.
Its him who breaks the silence. "I said we, not you?"
"What do you mean?" I know what he means, but I don't know how to answer it. Like I'm sure why I wanted it to be just us, or a least I'm not sure I want this answer to be true.
"Back at your room, I asked why we were doing this, but you just told me why you were, you gave no explanation to why I'm here too."
"You're here because if I drink a full bottle of that stuff they try pass off as wine, then I'm gonna have too much of a hang over." That sounded like I didnt choose him on purpose, I want him to know, but at the same time I don't, because I guess I dont really know why I did. He looks a little taken a back.
"Why not just get the Colonel or Takumi, why me Alaska?" I can't this question for him when I can't answer for myself. I sit in the branch of a old oak tree, and pat the bark beside me for him to sit too. He does, a little to close, I'm starting to feel butterflies in my stomach, and for some reason I really want to lean my head against his shoulder. I'm not usually into the cutesey stuff, so this is surprising. I open up the bottle of Strawberry Hill, and take a long swig. If I wasnt used to it, I'd probably vomit. After handing the bottle to Miles, I light a cigarette. Wait Miles? No I call him Pudge, it was weird to even think that, at least I didnt say it out loud.
Once half the bottle was gone, and both cigarettes burnt out, the silence was broken again, by a slightly merry Pudge. "I don't think thats why I'm here."
I give in to temptation and rest my head on his left shoulder, breathing in his smell as I did so. It was comforting. "Why do you think you're here?" Closing my eyes mid sentence.
He didnt answer me, in so many words anyway. I could feel him moving a little, and the next thing I knew, we were kissing. Not like making out, but a properly romantic kiss. I lifted my hand and ran it through his hair, and he put his arm awkwardly around my waist. This was the reason I brought him here, even if I didnt know before hand. I pulled back from what had been by far the best kiss I had ever had and smiled.
"What can I say, I like to be spontaneous Miles."