"Are you coming or what? I've been waiting outside for like fifteen minutes." My friend Katie whisper-shouts through the phone.
"I thought I heard my mom walking down the hall. I needed to be sure. I'll be there in a few." I whisper. I press the red circle on my phone, ending the call and pocketing my phone. My toes curl into the plush carpet as I tiptoe towards the door. I press my ear against the cool, hollow wood and listen for any movement on the other side. Once I'm sure my parents are in their room for the night, I make my way over to the window.
Glancing back at my bed, I see my pathetic attempt at bunching the pillows under my comforter to make a body look-a-like. In the darkness it might seem realistic, like I’ve turned towards the wall. But if they turned on the light, it wouldn’t even take a second for them to notice my amateur moves at trying to be stealthy.
My parents trust me wholeheartedly, so leaving to go to the cutest boy in school's house with Katie makes a tiny pit of guilt weigh heavily in my stomach. They would never expect me to sneak out my bedroom window, so why I'm so nervous at the thought of getting caught, I couldn't say. The possibility of one of them opening the door as I have one foot hanging over my windowsill makes my stomach turn. I don't want to see the look of disappointment in their gaze. I don't want to be like Katie, which, I love her to death, but her parents look at her with the distrust I never want to see in my parent's gazes.
Once I'm certain the coast in clear, I press my palms against the white wood of my windows and slide it up. It'll be an easy escape; the large oak tree hangs perfectly against the side of the house. A large branch extends towards my window, like an arm reaching towards me. Ready to help me make bad decisions.
Gripping my purse with one hand, I cringe as the button on the back of my jean pocket catches on the windowsill as I slide onto the branch. The metal on metal makes a loud clank. I hold my breath once I'm balanced on the heavy limb, waiting for my parents to bust in with accusatory looks and yank me back in by my ear lobes.
No such luck.
After another minute, I reach over and pull the window down with one arm, leaving it open a crack for me to open when I come back in a few hours. Its spring, so the air still has a bite of the winter chill to it, but the promise of summer lingers in the air. Leaving my window open won't be an issue.
Greg—the hottest kid in school—is having a few people over from our grade. Apparently, according to Katie, they're going to be playing seven minutes in heaven and spin the bottle. I can't deny that I'm hoping Greg and I get picked. Huge butterflies flap in my stomach at the thought. It's been an entire year of lingering glances between the two of us. He hasn't made a move, keeping me on a long leash all year. Katie said he was asking about me and wanted us to be there tonight. Fingers crossed, but if he doesn't make his move tonight, it might be time to call it quits on him. Boys in ninth grade are annoying. More undecisive than the girls, it would seem.
I roll onto my stomach and wrapping my arms around the heavy branch in a tight hug, I shimmy down the oversized trunk. My hands scrape along the bark, it’s rough edges scraping against my palms. This is less smooth than it seems in the movies.
Soon I get to the point where I can’t shimmy any longer. I slide over to the lowest branch and dangle like a noodle. I wince as my arms throb in discomfort when they're fully extended, my fingers digging into the rough wood. With my eyes closed, I count to three and let go. Pain zings through the soles of my feet from the impact.
With a glance around my yard, I spin on my heels and dart from my yard and down the street towards Katie's house. My Ugg boots make it soundless as they pound against the pavement. A light fog covers the air. The temperature fluctuates so dramatically from day