“April, I have been trying to call you all day,” Matt’s voice sounded exasperated, like a disappointed, slightly frustrated parent. He better not act like my mother.

“I was busy,” I clicked speaker and sat my phone on my lap and placed both hands on the steering wheel. I probably shouldn’t talk to him while I’m driving. He makes my emotions change so fast my head spins. Not something I want to happen while I’m in my truck.

“I don’t meant to be nosy, but what have you been busy on?” He sounded annoyed now. He annoys me.

“I was at work, at Payless. If you don’t believe me, call my boss.” I turned left off of Y high way onto the small one that drove past the park towards my house.

“Sorry, I forgot. Wanna catch get some dinner?” His mood changed to wondering boyfriend.

“You can come over to my house if you want, but I have to make dinner for Andrea.” I drove past the park, which was empty except for some like 12 year olds acting cool, and the public pool which wouldn’t open for another week. It was filled already.

“Ok, I’ll be over sometime in the next 30 minutes.”

“I can’t cook that fast,” I laughed a little and turned down a small side street with large white and brick two story houses. I stopped in front of the one with nice green grass and flowers and shrubs growing beautifully. My mom and Andrea were natural green thumbs.

“Well, if I get there fast enough, I’ll help you,” he chuckled and we said good bye. I hung up and got out of my truck. I climbed the stone steps, gripping the black iron railing so I wouldn’t fall. The steps were narrow and steep and when it was ice-y they were unbelievably hard to get up and down with out hurting yourself. Usually in the winter, I just go through the garage instead of dealing with them. At the door I knocked loudly since Andrea left the door locked when she was by herself.

She pulled the door open and let me in.

“About time you got home, I’m starving.” She ran off ahead of me to the kitchen. Andrea was only 12 and acted like she couldn’t cook anything, but cereal.

“You know, you can learn to cook,” I said following her into the nice clean kitchen. “Matt’s coming over in a little bit.”

“Eww, why?” Andrea crinkled up her nose like she smelled something repulsive.

“Cause he’s hungry, too,” I said opening the fridge and getting hamburger meat. Cheeseburgers.

Matt never showed up. I tossed his food I made for him in the trash bag and set the dishes in the sink along with Andrea’s and my own. Andrea had gone up to her room to do homework and go to sleep. I turned off the TV and locked the front door and then headed upstairs. Sleeping would stop my mind from wondering why Matt didn’t show up.


“Hey sorry, I got held up yesterday after you phone call,” Matt hurried up to me at my locker. I was putting my notebooks in slowly. I grabbed my bag and shut my locker.

“Are you mad?” He forced me to look at him by grabbing my shoulders.

“No,” I said trying to step back, but he pulled me into a hug. I didn’t hug him back and he noticed.

“April, you have get over it,” he said in an annoyed voice. I bit my lip from saying something and I hugged him lightly. He smelled of soft cologne. I a small smile spread across my lips. I left the school feeling better and the rest of my Thursday was great, till that night.

I picked my phone up off the floor from where it fell off my bed. It flashed “NEW VOICEMAIL”. Sitting down on my bed I clicked call voicemail and dialed my password in. I laid down on my back, phone pressed to my ear.

“Hey April, it’s Matt. I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer. I just wanna say I think we are better off as friends. I think this relationship needs to go back to that. Thanks for understanding. Bye.” My heart pounded wildly and unevenly in my chest, but my eyes didn’t water and I didn’t feel sad. Is this what we needed?