Suffocating

Ride

Calvin.

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to lean in and just press his lips to hers. But he just met her. Just because she wanted to know why he tried killing himself didn't mean she wanted a relationship. She could have just been a nice girl who cared. No strings, like a relationship, attached.

Calvin nodded as he stared up at her. He was speechless.

"So what are you going to do now that you're alive?"

He'd get slapped if he told her the truth. "I never thought that far ahead."

"You don't want to help someone going through the same thing?"

Calvin never thought of helping anyone. He didn't want to help anyone because no one helped him. He tried killing himself because there was no one who cared about him. It was clear how people felt. He just wanted to be invisible until he felt the courage to do it again.

"No."

"You're missing a good opportunity, you know."

He sighed. "That'd be like a recovering alcoholic trying to help an alcoholic."

"Calvin-"

"I just need time. It's still..."

"Too soon. I get it."

Before Calvin could think of anything, Sophie's phone rang. She glanced at it before answering.

"Hello?" She paused before handing the phone over to Calvin.

Calvin raised an eyebrow but took the phone. "Hello?"

"Cal, mom's heading to the school to pick you up."

He sighed. "How long do I have?"

"Ten minutes."

Calvin hung up and handed the phone back. "I have to go."

"Can we continue this later then?"

He smiled at the thought. He hated leaving her but he knew if he wasn't waiting outside, his mother start a search party.

"I'd like that."

Sophie got to her feet and held her hand out for Calvin to take. "Come on, I'll walk with you."

"This might be a bad idea but do you want a ride home?"

"How is that a bad idea?" She asked, laughing.

"My mom's been breathing down my neck ever since I got home. I was barely lucky to get this alone time now."

"I think that's nice. It's good she cares."

Calvin nodded but said nothing.

Calvin's mom was waiting in the car when they walked out the door to the parking lot.

Calvin stopped Sophie before they could get into the car. "Just a heads up: my mom's gonna ask a million questions so be prepared."

Sophie smiled. "I think I can manage."

"One more thing." He said, stopping her from opening the car door. "I like when you call me Cal."

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"I don't think I've ever seen you with Calvin." Calvin's mother said, glancing at Sophie in the backseat. He insisted she sit there to protect her from his mother's tirade of questions.

"I just moved here a few days ago."

"Where did you live before you moved here?"

"Vermont. Dad got relocated for work."

"What does he do?"

"Mom-"

She shushed him without looking at him.

Sophie laughed. "It's fine. Dad's a manager for a paper company. Chase and Smith Paper. They moved us here to see if dad could boost the sales of this branch."

"Interesting."

"It's really not."

Calvin looked back at her, wishing he would have just sat back beside her. Maybe then he could have helped her answer his mother's questions to what he knew she wanted to hear.

She smiled at him and mouthed she's nice.

Calvin rolled his eyes.

"You said you live on North Gallow Street?"

Sophie nodded. "Yes. We're the white brick house."

Calvin's mom pulled onto North Gallow street and slowed down. Calvin had never been on that road. There were dozens of roads he hadn't been on. The houses were all old colonial houses that had been around for several centuries. His mom pulled up to a cul de sac and stopped the car.

"Is it up there?"

Sophie nodded. "Yeah."

"Your dad's company must be very well off."

She shrugged and slug her back pack over her shoulder. "I guess."

Calvin's mother looked at him and raised her eyebrows. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Sophie."

"You too, Mrs. Taylor." She got out and smiled at Calvin before she walked up the driveway and disappeared inside.

Once the door shut, Calvin's mother wouldn't stop talking.

"She seems nice. And she has money. Have you ever thought of finding a girlfriend, Calvin? She would be so good for you-"

"Mom, stop. She's nice but I don't think anything will happen."

"Why not?"

"She knows."

She looked over at Calvin and squeezed his hand. "Then she's missing out on getting to know you."

When his mother stopped the car in their own driveway, Calvin watched her walk up to the door. Something white caught his eye in the backseat. He leaned back and there was a small piece of paper on the seat.

Thanks for the ride, Cal.