AspenWoods
One Time Luck
I don't normally post work but I decided this might be fun so I made a story for this contest. Even if I don't win I hope you enjoy and would love some feedback from anyone who does read it! 
He gripped his steering wheel tightly and watched as his knuckles turned white. He took a deep breath; what if they all hate me? He shook his head and watched as hoards of kids walked into the doors. He heard the chatter of voices outside of his car and the smell of perfumes, colognes, and various vape smokes. His heart began to race as he grabbed his bag from the passenger side and now gripped it tightly. He took a deep breath and looked around once more before gaining his courage and stepping out of his truck.
He closed the door, and when he turned around, despite what he believed would happen, no one paid attention to him. He took yet another deep breath before walking towards the large building in front of him. He heard the gravel beneath his feet as the building seemed to grow bigger and bigger. He looked up, and a dark shadow cast down on him. He swallowed and noticed he was shaking as he stepped onto the concrete staircase.
Once he entered the double doors everyone was too busy talking to their friends by the lockers to notice. He walked quietly and swiftly through the crowded and loud hallways. His heart had sped up, and he hadn’t noticed until he stopped at his locker. He opened it and buried his face in which ended with him looking in his mirror. His hair was a wavy black mess, buzzed on the sides, and long enough to fall into his eyes at the top slightly. His eyes were a dull but smooth grey, found behind a pair of round silver frames. His face was soft and round with thin eyebrows and thin but full lips.
His skin was tanned and looked like he spent hours in the sun, which wasn’t true. He wore a baggy black hoodie and grey sweatpants that were loose against his legs. Underneath, his frame was not skinny but not big either. He had a medium build, slightly chubby stomach, thin legs, as well as his arms, but his skin didn’t grip his bones. He ran his shaky fingers through his hair and looked at the mess that was his locker.
Books lined the back with loose papers scattered across the bottom. On the door were his mirror, a dry erase board, and a couple of photos. He looked at the pictures, and a small smile crossed his lips. The warning bell rang as he stood there, and he only noticed because someone bumped into him as they walked by. He was almost thrown off balance but managed to stay on his feet. The person just kept walking and he thought he heard a small snicker from that direction.
He was angry, but it was soon replaced with sadness as he grabbed some books and began to walk in the opposite direction. He gripped his books and papers as he made his way down the hall and into a crowded classroom where he sat in the back. He looked down at the desk instead of looking around. His mind began to travel as he stared at the scratched wooden top. The chatter of people was almost deafening to him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as his hands began to fidget with his hoodie strings.
Soon enough, the bell rang and started the beginning of the class. He opened his eyes and looked at the teacher as she began to take attendance. One by one, she called names, and an echo of here or present followed. “Anna,” she said, and his heart stopped as he looked up, “H… here.” He looked down once again and his stomach did flips as he fidgetted more with the strings. What if they notice. He took deep breaths to calm his nerves; You are overreacting. He gave a small smile to himself; it usually wasn’t that easy.
“Now, it is the first day of your senior year. That doesn’t mean you get to slack.” The teacher spoke sweetly but with an undertone of importance. “This year, we will go over the importance of influ…” she was cut off as the door opened and a girl exhaustedly walked in. Her breath was heavy, and as she came in, everyone looked. As everyone else heads turned, so did his. His stomach dropped, and his heart seemed to skip multiple beats when he saw her. Her hair was a deep blue, lighting and transitioning into a vibrant red. Her eyes were blue, like the sky on a sunny day.
He couldn’t look away, she spoke to the teacher, but he didn’t hear anything as he was lost in her looks. She seemed a little familiar to him as she began to walk towards the back of the classroom. He snapped out of his amazement as he realized she was still walking. His heart screamed in his chest as he realized the only empty seat was next to him. He quickly looked the opposite way to the wall next to him as she walked to the back. Yet again, he shook, and after the girl sat down, the teacher began to speak once again.
He had calmed himself down once again; he was getting tired of doing this and paid close attention to what the teacher said. He was uncomfortably aware of the girl next to him, and when she dropped her pencil, he noticed right away. It rolled, and as it did, his eyes followed it over to and under his desk. He reached down and grabbed it before looking at the girl. The moment he looked, their eyes locked, and he forgot how to breathe as he moved his hand to hand her the pencil.
She smiled at him, and he gave a small awkward smile in return. She grabbed the pencil, and her fingers brushed his, which caused him to jump so slightly she hadn’t noticed. She mouthed thank you, and he nodded before looking back to the front of the room. As the teacher spoke, he looked to his hand, he could have sworn he felt a shock, but he shook it off and sighed to himself; You imagined things. He frowned and watched the teacher as she explained the rest of the year’s plans.
The bell rang quickly after that, and the teacher let everyone go. He waited for the majority of everyone else to leave before taking-+ a deep breath and walking towards the teacher. He held his hands together and fidgetted with his fingers to keep the shaking at bay as he stepped up to her. “Ms. Smith,” he switched to holding his bag strap, and she looked to him from her desk, “Yes, Anna?” He cringed and took a deep breath. “Actually, I prefer to go by Evan.” It took a minute, but it all snapped into place. “Oh, let me just.” She grabbed the roster and cleared her throat as she wrote it down. “There, and if you ever need to talk about anything, let me know.” She smiled at him, and he smiled back to her before leaving the room and smiling widely. That went better than I ever could have expected.
He turned to walk to his next class and yelped as the girl from class was right in front of him. “S… sorry!” He almost yelled. “No, no, that was my fault. I should have mentioned I was here.” She smiled, and he blushed a little but cleared his throat. “I was actually looking for you.” Evan was a little thrown off by this, “Why?” He sounded rude, and he held his hands up. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant, people don’t normally…” She chuckled, and he released a slow breath at her laugher. “I wanted to thank you for my pencil in class, and you are the only person I kind of sort of know.” She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “Um, hi, my name is Nova.” She held out her hand, and he stared at it for a moment before shaking it awkwardly. “Evan.” She smiled, “Sorry, but the other reason was,” she got an awkward smile on her face. “Do you know where Mr. Hanson’s class is?” He smiled a little at this. “Let me show you.” He began to walk, and she followed. “It is on the way to my next class anyway. I have to stop at my locker, though.”
His heart felt like it was hitting his ribcage as he walked down the hall. She walked a little faster to walk next to him, and he looked at her. “You are new, so you may not know this, but you probably shouldn’t be seen with me.” He looked away from her, and his previous smile sunk. He stepped up to his locker and opened it. “Why, you seem nice to me.” She questioned, and he felt his chest tighten. “I don’t want to get into it; just know you shouldn’t.” He switched books and started to walk once more.
She walked next to him, and he could feel her looking at him. He looked over, and their eyes locked once again. Instinctively he began to hold his breath until he looked forward and released it as they walked up to Mr. Hanson’s class. “Here you go.” She smiled at him again, and once again, his face flushed lightly. “Thank you,” she winked at him before slipping into the classroom. His face heated up, and he was cherry red until he got to his class. Once again, he sat in the back, and his mind began to wander.
Soon enough, the lunch period came around, and he practically ran out of the building and to his car. He unlocked the doors and got in with a smile on his face. The safety of his own space. He felt peaceful, and the outside world’s noise was muffled by the metal and glass of his truck. He laid his head on the steering wheel, his smile not fading as he breathed softly.
As he was getting ready to finally go, he heard a knock on the window and jumped, almost hitting his head on the vehicle’s ceiling. “What the hell!” He yelled, and when he looked, he remembered himself and rolled down the window, apologizing softly to the familiarly beautiful Nova. She only laughed and rubbed her neck softly, “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just noticed it was you.” She is persistent; I’ll give her that. He thought, and she looked around with a little bit of worry. “So I don’t want to eat alone at lunch…” He watched her, and he couldn’t help the familiarity and wonder. “And you are the only person who has spoken to me; I was wondering if I could eat with you.” He blushed a little again and looked to the passenger side, “Sure, hop in.” She smiled brightly and ran as he moved his bag from the passenger seat for her. She jumped in with excitement, and a vague memory of a friend from his youth popped up.
He started his truck and plugged his phone into the aux before hitting shuffle and pulling out of the school’s parking lot. He blushed and was silent for most of the ride, “What would you like to eat?” He asked, keeping his eyes firmly on the road. “Wherever you want, I am kinda broke, so I’ll just be accompanying you.” He sighed to himself and pulled into the parking lot of his favorite cafe. He turned the engine off and walked around before opening her door for her. She stepped out and smiled, “Such a gentleman,” She stated, and he closed the door. He opened the cafe door and followed her in before sitting at his favorite table in the back of the cafe.
Soon after, the barista came to the table, and Evan smiled at her. She was tall and a little on the chubby side. Her hair was blonde, and her skin was caramel-colored. “Hey, Hannah,” Evan stated, and she smiled back, “Hello to you to Evan, and what for you today?” He tapped his chin but chuckled, “Usual?” She wrote something down on her pad and looked to Nova, “And who is this?” She raised an eyebrow with a suggestive smile. He blushed once again and looked down, “She is a friend from school; her name is Nova.” He stated, and Hannah looked to her, “Well, hello, Nova, what for you today?” Nova raised her hands, “No, nothing for me today.” Evan looked to her and back to Hannah before giving a slightly serious look. “You should eat something, Nova.” She blushed the slightest bit now and then went back to her usual smile. “Whatever he is having then.” “Sure thing!” Hannah said happily and walked behind the counter once more.
Evan looked at the table with his hands firmly in his lap. “Where did you come here from?” He asked on a whim and began to fidget with his sweatpants. “Oh, I moved here from Florida; I used to live here actually when I was younger.” She smiled awkwardly and thought back, “I used to have a best friend here; we were neighbors and inseparable until I left.” This made Evan smile, but a suspicion now grew. “What was their name?” He asked and then brushed it off, “Nevermind.” He said and thought back to his childhood. The memory fading of two young girls playing in the street. It must be a coincidence. “To be honest, I don’t remember. All I remember is that her name started with an ‘A,’ I think.” She placed a hand on her chin as Evan’s growing suspicion was almost confirmed at that point. “Anna.” He stated, and Nova’s smile grew widely. “Yes! How did you know?” She questioned, and Evan looked away.
He wasn’t ready to tell her, but he was so excited to see her again. Even though he hadn’t known it was her, the familiarity was unmistakable now. “My deadname is Anna.” He whispered, and she raised an eyebrow. “What was that? I didn’t quite hear you.” He took a deep breath and grabbed the table to keep from shaking more. What if she hates you for it. What if she is repulsed and runs away. His breathing became very fast, and he began to sweat as his chest tightened. He rummaged in his pocket and brought out his inhaler before using it. “Are you okay!” Nova seemed very worried and reached across the table too, well she didn’t know what she would do. She grabbed his hands, and he looked up at her in shock. Their eyes met, and Nova squinted slightly, but a small smile came to her face. “Anna.”
He pulled his hands away and looked at the window. Hannah came back with two cups of coffee, two tablespoons of sugar, and heavy creamer. “The food will be out in a minute.” She chirped, but Evan didn’t look up. She frowned worriedly and looked to Nova, who only gave a small smile and nodded. “Evan,” Nova stated, and he looked to her with a few tears in his eyes. She smiled and grabbed his hands again, “Do you not remember me?” She asked. “Of course I do; you were my best friend through all of my elementary years. But don’t you wanna leave now?” He asked and looked away. She stifled her laugh, and he scowled at her. “What’s so funny?” He asked, and she giggled. “Of course not; after all this time, I can’t believe how much you changed. You look good.” She smiled, and Evan was wide-eyed. “You… think so?” He asked, and she nodded. “Of course,” The food came, and Evan had a small smile now though the tears didn’t disappear.
His phone rang, and he looked to Nova, “We have to get going.” He stacked their plates and left a tip before walking out with Nova and opening her door. He got into his side and started the truck before making his way back towards the building. He was smiling brightly, which wasn’t something he did on an everyday occasion. He looked to Nova as he drove, and he still admired her with astonishment. She had changed too, definitely in the right way. She had curves now; they weren’t huge, but they were there, but her smile was the same. That was the thing he remembered most, how it lit up the room.
They got back to the school, and he opened her door once again before showing her to her next class. Throughout the rest of the day, no matter what was said or how he was nudged in the hallways, he smiled. His studies flew by as he imaged all of the things they could once again do with each other. It felt like he hadn’t had a friend in so long. His only friends were the cafe employees, and he didn’t hang out with them anywhere but the cafe.
He walked out of his last hour and just as quickly got pushed to the floor. He didn’t pay the bully any mind and stood up, picking his stuff up. A hand reached down and grabbed his textbook, which made him jump a little. He stood straight and gave a small smile to Nova as she handed him his book. “What jerks.” She said and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the exit. “Can I get a ride home?” She asked, obviously over her jitters from earlier today. “Sure.” He said and stumbled along as he was dragged outside.
They got into his truck and talked as they waited for the rest of the kids to leave to avoid the traffic. On the way, she gave him directions, and he soon pulled into a neighborhood not too far from his own. “Thanks,” she smiled at him, and he blushed slightly as she waved and ran to her house excitedly. After she was gone, he began to drive to his own home, unable to rid himself of his cheesy grin.
He pulled up to a small blue and white house before parking in the front and heading around the back. He grabbed his keys and walked towards the even smaller shack in the backyard of the house. When he entered, he took a deep breath and closed the door behind him before setting his bag next to the door. He looked around, it was small, but it was nice-ish. He had a bed, a desk, a tv and Xbox, a small bathroom, and his own little kitchen.
His parents had thrown him out after she came out to them, which hadn’t surprised him much, but his friend’s parents were nice enough to let him live in their small shack for a low monthly fee. He stretched and sat on his bed before looking down at his chest with a sigh. His smile soon faded as he took his binder off and tossed it to the side. He kept his hoodie on and didn’t look down at his chest. As the day came to an end, he cooked himself dinner, showered, changed, did homework, played some games, and finally went to sleep.
A month or two went by with him and Nova getting closer and closer. Things went back to how it was when they were kids, well, not entirely. Evan caught himself glancing at Nova, and whenever he saw her, that same smile always showed up. He couldn’t get her out of his head, and when it became unbearable, he decided to do the unthinkable, unthinkable for him, at least.
Evan opened her door, and they both walking into the cafe. This was their spot, where they hung out all the time. They sat at their table and ordered their usuals;
Nova got hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin while Evan got coffee and some toast. “So, how did you do on your formatives?” Nova asked and sipped at her hot chocolate. Evan sighed and fidgeted with his coffee cup, “I failed… all of them.” Nova took in a breath and made a small hissing noise, “I’ll help you study next time.” He gave an awkward laugh and took a bite of his toast to calm his nerves and subside the shaking.
He took a deep breath, “So I was thinking.” He yelled out before he could get too discouraged about it. “What if we maybe… caught a movie after this? Like… a date?” He asked and looked to his coffee to avoid eye contact. Nova was speechless, but when he looked up, the grin on her face said it all. “Definitely!” She yelled, and he shushed her. His smile was just as big now, “Really?” He asked, and she nodded. “About time, you asked me out.” She hit his shoulder lightly.
They laughed and joked and finished eating. Evan left a tip, and they headed to the theater where they watched Onward by Disney. He bought popcorn, soda, and candy before they went in, and they sat in the middle rows. Halfway through the movie, Evan got his courage and grabbed her hand. He looked over for any sign of disgust, but she smiled and intertwined their fingers, which only made him blush madly. He smiled for the rest of the movie, and when it ended, he was speechless. “It was so good!” Nova exasperated, and Evan only chuckled. “It was; I loved it.” He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, and when he looked up, their eyes were locked once more. This is what I want… He smiled and blushed as she rolled her eyes and pulled him in. He fell into it and grabbed her waist before pulling away. The leaves on nearby trees fell with the autumn breeze, one landing in Nova’s hair. Evan chuckled, “I am so happy I found you again.” and her eyes sparkled. “Me too.” She replied.
He gripped his steering wheel tightly and watched as his knuckles turned white. He took a deep breath; what if they all hate me? He shook his head and watched as hoards of kids walked into the doors. He heard the chatter of voices outside of his car and the smell of perfumes, colognes, and various vape smokes. His heart began to race as he grabbed his bag from the passenger side and now gripped it tightly. He took a deep breath and looked around once more before gaining his courage and stepping out of his truck.
He closed the door, and when he turned around, despite what he believed would happen, no one paid attention to him. He took yet another deep breath before walking towards the large building in front of him. He heard the gravel beneath his feet as the building seemed to grow bigger and bigger. He looked up, and a dark shadow cast down on him. He swallowed and noticed he was shaking as he stepped onto the concrete staircase.
Once he entered the double doors everyone was too busy talking to their friends by the lockers to notice. He walked quietly and swiftly through the crowded and loud hallways. His heart had sped up, and he hadn’t noticed until he stopped at his locker. He opened it and buried his face in which ended with him looking in his mirror. His hair was a wavy black mess, buzzed on the sides, and long enough to fall into his eyes at the top slightly. His eyes were a dull but smooth grey, found behind a pair of round silver frames. His face was soft and round with thin eyebrows and thin but full lips.
His skin was tanned and looked like he spent hours in the sun, which wasn’t true. He wore a baggy black hoodie and grey sweatpants that were loose against his legs. Underneath, his frame was not skinny but not big either. He had a medium build, slightly chubby stomach, thin legs, as well as his arms, but his skin didn’t grip his bones. He ran his shaky fingers through his hair and looked at the mess that was his locker.
Books lined the back with loose papers scattered across the bottom. On the door were his mirror, a dry erase board, and a couple of photos. He looked at the pictures, and a small smile crossed his lips. The warning bell rang as he stood there, and he only noticed because someone bumped into him as they walked by. He was almost thrown off balance but managed to stay on his feet. The person just kept walking and he thought he heard a small snicker from that direction.
He was angry, but it was soon replaced with sadness as he grabbed some books and began to walk in the opposite direction. He gripped his books and papers as he made his way down the hall and into a crowded classroom where he sat in the back. He looked down at the desk instead of looking around. His mind began to travel as he stared at the scratched wooden top. The chatter of people was almost deafening to him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as his hands began to fidget with his hoodie strings.
Soon enough, the bell rang and started the beginning of the class. He opened his eyes and looked at the teacher as she began to take attendance. One by one, she called names, and an echo of here or present followed. “Anna,” she said, and his heart stopped as he looked up, “H… here.” He looked down once again and his stomach did flips as he fidgetted more with the strings. What if they notice. He took deep breaths to calm his nerves; You are overreacting. He gave a small smile to himself; it usually wasn’t that easy.
“Now, it is the first day of your senior year. That doesn’t mean you get to slack.” The teacher spoke sweetly but with an undertone of importance. “This year, we will go over the importance of influ…” she was cut off as the door opened and a girl exhaustedly walked in. Her breath was heavy, and as she came in, everyone looked. As everyone else heads turned, so did his. His stomach dropped, and his heart seemed to skip multiple beats when he saw her. Her hair was a deep blue, lighting and transitioning into a vibrant red. Her eyes were blue, like the sky on a sunny day.
He couldn’t look away, she spoke to the teacher, but he didn’t hear anything as he was lost in her looks. She seemed a little familiar to him as she began to walk towards the back of the classroom. He snapped out of his amazement as he realized she was still walking. His heart screamed in his chest as he realized the only empty seat was next to him. He quickly looked the opposite way to the wall next to him as she walked to the back. Yet again, he shook, and after the girl sat down, the teacher began to speak once again.
He had calmed himself down once again; he was getting tired of doing this and paid close attention to what the teacher said. He was uncomfortably aware of the girl next to him, and when she dropped her pencil, he noticed right away. It rolled, and as it did, his eyes followed it over to and under his desk. He reached down and grabbed it before looking at the girl. The moment he looked, their eyes locked, and he forgot how to breathe as he moved his hand to hand her the pencil.
She smiled at him, and he gave a small awkward smile in return. She grabbed the pencil, and her fingers brushed his, which caused him to jump so slightly she hadn’t noticed. She mouthed thank you, and he nodded before looking back to the front of the room. As the teacher spoke, he looked to his hand, he could have sworn he felt a shock, but he shook it off and sighed to himself; You imagined things. He frowned and watched the teacher as she explained the rest of the year’s plans.
The bell rang quickly after that, and the teacher let everyone go. He waited for the majority of everyone else to leave before taking-+ a deep breath and walking towards the teacher. He held his hands together and fidgetted with his fingers to keep the shaking at bay as he stepped up to her. “Ms. Smith,” he switched to holding his bag strap, and she looked to him from her desk, “Yes, Anna?” He cringed and took a deep breath. “Actually, I prefer to go by Evan.” It took a minute, but it all snapped into place. “Oh, let me just.” She grabbed the roster and cleared her throat as she wrote it down. “There, and if you ever need to talk about anything, let me know.” She smiled at him, and he smiled back to her before leaving the room and smiling widely. That went better than I ever could have expected.
He turned to walk to his next class and yelped as the girl from class was right in front of him. “S… sorry!” He almost yelled. “No, no, that was my fault. I should have mentioned I was here.” She smiled, and he blushed a little but cleared his throat. “I was actually looking for you.” Evan was a little thrown off by this, “Why?” He sounded rude, and he held his hands up. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant, people don’t normally…” She chuckled, and he released a slow breath at her laugher. “I wanted to thank you for my pencil in class, and you are the only person I kind of sort of know.” She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “Um, hi, my name is Nova.” She held out her hand, and he stared at it for a moment before shaking it awkwardly. “Evan.” She smiled, “Sorry, but the other reason was,” she got an awkward smile on her face. “Do you know where Mr. Hanson’s class is?” He smiled a little at this. “Let me show you.” He began to walk, and she followed. “It is on the way to my next class anyway. I have to stop at my locker, though.”
His heart felt like it was hitting his ribcage as he walked down the hall. She walked a little faster to walk next to him, and he looked at her. “You are new, so you may not know this, but you probably shouldn’t be seen with me.” He looked away from her, and his previous smile sunk. He stepped up to his locker and opened it. “Why, you seem nice to me.” She questioned, and he felt his chest tighten. “I don’t want to get into it; just know you shouldn’t.” He switched books and started to walk once more.
She walked next to him, and he could feel her looking at him. He looked over, and their eyes locked once again. Instinctively he began to hold his breath until he looked forward and released it as they walked up to Mr. Hanson’s class. “Here you go.” She smiled at him again, and once again, his face flushed lightly. “Thank you,” she winked at him before slipping into the classroom. His face heated up, and he was cherry red until he got to his class. Once again, he sat in the back, and his mind began to wander.
Soon enough, the lunch period came around, and he practically ran out of the building and to his car. He unlocked the doors and got in with a smile on his face. The safety of his own space. He felt peaceful, and the outside world’s noise was muffled by the metal and glass of his truck. He laid his head on the steering wheel, his smile not fading as he breathed softly.
As he was getting ready to finally go, he heard a knock on the window and jumped, almost hitting his head on the vehicle’s ceiling. “What the hell!” He yelled, and when he looked, he remembered himself and rolled down the window, apologizing softly to the familiarly beautiful Nova. She only laughed and rubbed her neck softly, “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just noticed it was you.” She is persistent; I’ll give her that. He thought, and she looked around with a little bit of worry. “So I don’t want to eat alone at lunch…” He watched her, and he couldn’t help the familiarity and wonder. “And you are the only person who has spoken to me; I was wondering if I could eat with you.” He blushed a little again and looked to the passenger side, “Sure, hop in.” She smiled brightly and ran as he moved his bag from the passenger seat for her. She jumped in with excitement, and a vague memory of a friend from his youth popped up.
He started his truck and plugged his phone into the aux before hitting shuffle and pulling out of the school’s parking lot. He blushed and was silent for most of the ride, “What would you like to eat?” He asked, keeping his eyes firmly on the road. “Wherever you want, I am kinda broke, so I’ll just be accompanying you.” He sighed to himself and pulled into the parking lot of his favorite cafe. He turned the engine off and walked around before opening her door for her. She stepped out and smiled, “Such a gentleman,” She stated, and he closed the door. He opened the cafe door and followed her in before sitting at his favorite table in the back of the cafe.
Soon after, the barista came to the table, and Evan smiled at her. She was tall and a little on the chubby side. Her hair was blonde, and her skin was caramel-colored. “Hey, Hannah,” Evan stated, and she smiled back, “Hello to you to Evan, and what for you today?” He tapped his chin but chuckled, “Usual?” She wrote something down on her pad and looked to Nova, “And who is this?” She raised an eyebrow with a suggestive smile. He blushed once again and looked down, “She is a friend from school; her name is Nova.” He stated, and Hannah looked to her, “Well, hello, Nova, what for you today?” Nova raised her hands, “No, nothing for me today.” Evan looked to her and back to Hannah before giving a slightly serious look. “You should eat something, Nova.” She blushed the slightest bit now and then went back to her usual smile. “Whatever he is having then.” “Sure thing!” Hannah said happily and walked behind the counter once more.
Evan looked at the table with his hands firmly in his lap. “Where did you come here from?” He asked on a whim and began to fidget with his sweatpants. “Oh, I moved here from Florida; I used to live here actually when I was younger.” She smiled awkwardly and thought back, “I used to have a best friend here; we were neighbors and inseparable until I left.” This made Evan smile, but a suspicion now grew. “What was their name?” He asked and then brushed it off, “Nevermind.” He said and thought back to his childhood. The memory fading of two young girls playing in the street. It must be a coincidence. “To be honest, I don’t remember. All I remember is that her name started with an ‘A,’ I think.” She placed a hand on her chin as Evan’s growing suspicion was almost confirmed at that point. “Anna.” He stated, and Nova’s smile grew widely. “Yes! How did you know?” She questioned, and Evan looked away.
He wasn’t ready to tell her, but he was so excited to see her again. Even though he hadn’t known it was her, the familiarity was unmistakable now. “My deadname is Anna.” He whispered, and she raised an eyebrow. “What was that? I didn’t quite hear you.” He took a deep breath and grabbed the table to keep from shaking more. What if she hates you for it. What if she is repulsed and runs away. His breathing became very fast, and he began to sweat as his chest tightened. He rummaged in his pocket and brought out his inhaler before using it. “Are you okay!” Nova seemed very worried and reached across the table too, well she didn’t know what she would do. She grabbed his hands, and he looked up at her in shock. Their eyes met, and Nova squinted slightly, but a small smile came to her face. “Anna.”
He pulled his hands away and looked at the window. Hannah came back with two cups of coffee, two tablespoons of sugar, and heavy creamer. “The food will be out in a minute.” She chirped, but Evan didn’t look up. She frowned worriedly and looked to Nova, who only gave a small smile and nodded. “Evan,” Nova stated, and he looked to her with a few tears in his eyes. She smiled and grabbed his hands again, “Do you not remember me?” She asked. “Of course I do; you were my best friend through all of my elementary years. But don’t you wanna leave now?” He asked and looked away. She stifled her laugh, and he scowled at her. “What’s so funny?” He asked, and she giggled. “Of course not; after all this time, I can’t believe how much you changed. You look good.” She smiled, and Evan was wide-eyed. “You… think so?” He asked, and she nodded. “Of course,” The food came, and Evan had a small smile now though the tears didn’t disappear.
His phone rang, and he looked to Nova, “We have to get going.” He stacked their plates and left a tip before walking out with Nova and opening her door. He got into his side and started the truck before making his way back towards the building. He was smiling brightly, which wasn’t something he did on an everyday occasion. He looked to Nova as he drove, and he still admired her with astonishment. She had changed too, definitely in the right way. She had curves now; they weren’t huge, but they were there, but her smile was the same. That was the thing he remembered most, how it lit up the room.
They got back to the school, and he opened her door once again before showing her to her next class. Throughout the rest of the day, no matter what was said or how he was nudged in the hallways, he smiled. His studies flew by as he imaged all of the things they could once again do with each other. It felt like he hadn’t had a friend in so long. His only friends were the cafe employees, and he didn’t hang out with them anywhere but the cafe.
He walked out of his last hour and just as quickly got pushed to the floor. He didn’t pay the bully any mind and stood up, picking his stuff up. A hand reached down and grabbed his textbook, which made him jump a little. He stood straight and gave a small smile to Nova as she handed him his book. “What jerks.” She said and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the exit. “Can I get a ride home?” She asked, obviously over her jitters from earlier today. “Sure.” He said and stumbled along as he was dragged outside.
They got into his truck and talked as they waited for the rest of the kids to leave to avoid the traffic. On the way, she gave him directions, and he soon pulled into a neighborhood not too far from his own. “Thanks,” she smiled at him, and he blushed slightly as she waved and ran to her house excitedly. After she was gone, he began to drive to his own home, unable to rid himself of his cheesy grin.
He pulled up to a small blue and white house before parking in the front and heading around the back. He grabbed his keys and walked towards the even smaller shack in the backyard of the house. When he entered, he took a deep breath and closed the door behind him before setting his bag next to the door. He looked around, it was small, but it was nice-ish. He had a bed, a desk, a tv and Xbox, a small bathroom, and his own little kitchen.
His parents had thrown him out after she came out to them, which hadn’t surprised him much, but his friend’s parents were nice enough to let him live in their small shack for a low monthly fee. He stretched and sat on his bed before looking down at his chest with a sigh. His smile soon faded as he took his binder off and tossed it to the side. He kept his hoodie on and didn’t look down at his chest. As the day came to an end, he cooked himself dinner, showered, changed, did homework, played some games, and finally went to sleep.
A month or two went by with him and Nova getting closer and closer. Things went back to how it was when they were kids, well, not entirely. Evan caught himself glancing at Nova, and whenever he saw her, that same smile always showed up. He couldn’t get her out of his head, and when it became unbearable, he decided to do the unthinkable, unthinkable for him, at least.
Evan opened her door, and they both walking into the cafe. This was their spot, where they hung out all the time. They sat at their table and ordered their usuals;
Nova got hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin while Evan got coffee and some toast. “So, how did you do on your formatives?” Nova asked and sipped at her hot chocolate. Evan sighed and fidgeted with his coffee cup, “I failed… all of them.” Nova took in a breath and made a small hissing noise, “I’ll help you study next time.” He gave an awkward laugh and took a bite of his toast to calm his nerves and subside the shaking.
He took a deep breath, “So I was thinking.” He yelled out before he could get too discouraged about it. “What if we maybe… caught a movie after this? Like… a date?” He asked and looked to his coffee to avoid eye contact. Nova was speechless, but when he looked up, the grin on her face said it all. “Definitely!” She yelled, and he shushed her. His smile was just as big now, “Really?” He asked, and she nodded. “About time, you asked me out.” She hit his shoulder lightly.
They laughed and joked and finished eating. Evan left a tip, and they headed to the theater where they watched Onward by Disney. He bought popcorn, soda, and candy before they went in, and they sat in the middle rows. Halfway through the movie, Evan got his courage and grabbed her hand. He looked over for any sign of disgust, but she smiled and intertwined their fingers, which only made him blush madly. He smiled for the rest of the movie, and when it ended, he was speechless. “It was so good!” Nova exasperated, and Evan only chuckled. “It was; I loved it.” He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, and when he looked up, their eyes were locked once more. This is what I want… He smiled and blushed as she rolled her eyes and pulled him in. He fell into it and grabbed her waist before pulling away. The leaves on nearby trees fell with the autumn breeze, one landing in Nova’s hair. Evan chuckled, “I am so happy I found you again.” and her eyes sparkled. “Me too.” She replied.
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