Not Anymore

Chapter Two

As the bell rang everyone rushed to get their stuff shoved into their bags to head to lunch. 

The clock read 12:08 but in reality it was 12:05. I knew this because that’s when the bell rang I didn’t need to know but I remembered.

 “Hey Aria! Can we talk?” The voice seemed so clear through all the crowded noise of the halls.

I turned around to see my friend, Charlotte . She’s been my friend since second grade.

“Oh hey Char!” I say. I’m completely exhausted so I don’t even remember what she just said. 

“Wow.. are you okay?” She asks. 

“Not feeling the best.” I say as I sit at the ugly gray lunch table.

“Oh.” She responds which slightly concerns me. 

“Is me being tired a problem?” I laughed. 

“Nope, see you in art.” Charli says as she runs to her table next to her slightly more popular friends. 

Once it was time to leave school I walked home with my very best friend, Hannah. 

“Wanna come over to my house next week, Ari?” Hannah asked me.

“Definitely. What should we do?” I ask her. 

“Play board games or watch movies?” She says.

“Of course!” I say.

Hannah was popular for reasons I didn’t know because I didn’t go to her school. I just waited for her after mine ended. 

“You know what?” Hannah asks. 

“Depends, what?” I smile.

“I’m free tonight. Want to come over?” Hannah asked. 

“Yeah let me just drop my stuff off at home real quick. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Hannah lived a street over from me so I could walk there.

“Hey honey! Going over Hannah’s?” My mom asked. 

I rarely go over anymore, so when she saw me packing she knew. 

She got really happy because she knew Hannah made me really happy. 

“Yup, I’ll see you tomorrow. I finished all my schoolwork and volleyball practice tomorrow at 5:30 so I'll get a good night's sleep, promise.” I say quickly, putting my stuff into my bag.

“Enjoy yourselves. You should stay with Hannah all day and let her take you to practice.” My mom suggested.

It was a good idea since practice wasn’t late at night. It started at 5:30. 

“Love you mom! I yelled as I head out the door.

 As I’m walking to Hannah’s house I think about the first time I met her. I thought she was one of those typical mean girls but I was wrong. She’s the sweetest, most honest person I've ever met. I Facetime her every night. She tells me everything about her. I used to go over to her house a lot, but for some reason I don't anymore, and even let her hold my hamsters and I call her my hamster's Aunt.

 I don’t even treat my friend of 6 years like that and I’ve only known her for a year! 

It was already 4:37 or that’s at least what my Apple watch was telling me. 

I walked up to the porch and was greeted by Hannah’s mother. 

“Oh hello Aria!” She says.

“Hello Mrs. Thatcher!” I say.

She smiles and directs me up to where Hannah is. 

I walked up and hid behind Hannah’s door. She didn’t notice me, so when she went to go see if I was there yet I jumped out. 

“BOO!” I screamed.

She may or may not have punched me in the face (she may). 

“Jeez Ari!” She screams. 

I was too busy laughing to reply to her and fell to the floor because I couldn’t breathe or I was crying because she just rearranged the bones in my jaw, maybe both. 

As I regain my ability to breathe properly and to talk I say “I’m so sorry.” But that made me laugh harder.

She rolls her eyes at me and then hugs me.

Me and Hannah watched a movie, then made chocolate strawberries and watched half of the movie because we got tired. 

We stayed up till 12:30 or so and just watched movies and played volleyball in her backyard with her little sister. 

I set the alarm on my phone for 11:00 because it was just the perfect time. Right before lunchtime. I never eat breakfast. I haven’t since I was 9 years old. 

Hannah and I slept in the same bed except my side had more blankets because I like being comfortable.