Chapter 12
"Hey, Matt! How's it going, Tina?" I greeted the Clerics.
"Mondays suck!" Tina groaned. Ah, Tina. Matt's little sister was always entertaining with her constant complaining. I better be careful. Someone could slip and fall over the sarcasm dripping from my voice.
She, of course, had to take the front seat, so I slid in the back and relaxed on our way to school. But then I noticed something. "Wassup, Matt?"
"Hey," he muttered as he pulled off.
I raised an eyebrow. "You ok?"
Matt shrugged his shoulders as he pulled into the main street.
"Music?" I asked.
Matt hit a button on his steering wheel and the car was filled with the sounds of Ice Cube warning people to check themselves before they wreck themselves. The ride to school was unusually quiet other than the sounds of the mixtape I made Matt.
When Matt parked in the PHS parking lot, Tina hopped out and strode away, not evening saying bye to us. I got out and waited for Matt and I finally got a good look at him. His head was hung low, he wore an unusually long face, his shoulders were slumped, and his usually bright hazel eyes were a sad and dull blue. "Ok, dude, what's wrong?" I asked.
He glanced up and me and shook his head. "The bell's about to ring. Let's go."
As we walked toward the depressing stone building that slowly sucked away our social lives, I put my arm around Matt. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"
"I know," he muttered.
"So if whatever's going on with you right now... you'll tell me before it gets too bad?"
"Ok," he said.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"Pinky promise?" I held my free pinky.
He took it with one of his pinkies.
"If you break this pinky promise, I break your pinky. Promise." I gave him one of my cheerful "I will destroy you" smiles as I released his pinky. This actually got a smile on his face and a little bit of the usual brightness returned to his eyes.
"I know you will."
"Smart child," I laughed. "Love you!"
That's when his eyes changed. Something about them just got a little sadder, but he still smiled. "Love you too." I took my arm from around him and waved as the warning bell rang. I had to get across campus so I had to leave Matt. Of course I would never actually leave him, but you know what I mean.I got halfway to my english class when I heard someone call my name. I froze in place and looked around.
"Hey!" Lucas called. My head snapped to the left. "Here's your jacket," he said, tossing it to me.
"Thanks," I smiled. He grinned back at me. I waved and began to run again. I didn't know why. my english teacher didn't really care if you're one of her good students, but better not push it either way.