The dreaded Monday.

I had been so worried that Sunday night that I couldn’t sleep until like five in the morning, leading me to wake up late. My sister had already left. I ran the whole way to school, and once more I was shocked at my physical condition. Normally I would’ve been out of breath after a single block, but now I wasn’t all that tired after what was normally a 20 minute walk.

I went past the main gates just as the bell rang. I was the last one to my classroom, which was the thing I dreaded the most. The reason I usually got up early was not because I was a natural early riser, but because I wanted to avoid the looks of the whole class as I entered as much as possible.

I went in with my head down and rushed to my seat, keeping myself busy by getting my notebooks from my backpack. The teacher didn’t call attention to my lateness and started the lecture. For the rest of it, I tried my damn hardest not to look in the direction of Sarah, Grace and Mila. I was so nervous I felt my back cold with sweat.

When the bell for the first recess rang, I walked out of the classroom. I was too scared. Scared to face the girls, face the classroom. I was afraid that those three would tell me to forget what happened, and perhaps even more afraid that they’d just ignore me. I escaped to my safe spot, the old music room on the second floor.

I sat on the gym mattress with my back against the wall and let out a heavy, drawn out sigh. Boy was I pathetic. Just then did I realize that running away might have given the girls the wrong impression and now they truly hated me.

So I was busy wallowing in self-pity for a while when my phone buzzed. A message from Thomas that only read ‘It’s fine’. Shortly after that, someone opened the door to the old classroom.

“There you are! Thomas was right,” Sarah said, stepping into the room.

“Excuse us,” Grace sang with her usual innocent smile.

“Why did you run off like that?” Mila asked, grinning. “Had to use the restroom, didn’t you?”

“…” I was left with my jaw hanging. Had Thomas already talked to them? He obviously told them about my secret place, the son of a bitch.

“There we go!” Mila exclaimed as she sat on my lap like there was nothing weird about it. I tensed up and tried to pull away but she leaned back against my chest, getting me caught between the wall and her very soft self.

Grace chuckled. “Mila’s become so bold after losing her virginity.”

“Shut up. You were about to take this spot, I know it,” Mila shot back.

“Busted,” Grace said without getting flustered at all and sat at my left, leaning on my shoulder.

Sarah sat with her back resting on my right shoulder and said, “This is a nice place. I’d forgotten this room was even here.”

“Well, it isn’t the only unused room in this huge school, and the others are also empty.” Grace noted.

“Didn’t you use to be in the music club, Oliver?” Mila asked, taking me completely off guard. I HAD been in the music club, but only for the first semester of freshman year.

But first things first. WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON!? I was all paranoid about what would happen and these three sat around me and talked like we’d always been friends? See what I meant when I said I didn’t understand a thing?

My shock must’ve been clear in my stupid face because Sarah looked back at me and asked, “What are you so flustered about? You’re not gonna tell me you’re uncomfortable having us this close after what we did, are you?”

“Ah, I’ve been meaning to apologize,” Grace said. “Sorry we had to leave before you woke up. Sarah was put in charge of opening up her family’s shop in the morning and she was the one who’d give us a ride home. Did you feel lonely?” she teasingly asked, poking my cheek.

“I wanted to send you a message, but I realized I didn’t ask for your number,” Mila said, taking out her phone from her school jacket. “Can you give it to me now?”

“Oh yeah, me too,” Sarah said.

“Me three,” Grace nodded.

Saying I was speechless would be redundant, but truly I was completely stunned. I exchanged contact info with them and they carried on like before.

“We have math next, don’t we?” Mila asked, scrolling down on her phone. “What a pain.”

“Mr. Ortiz is such a bore,” Sarah groaned and nodded her agreement. “As if math wasn’t bad enough already.”

“He lacks charisma, yes, but he’s easy to understand if you pay enough attention,” Grace said. Out of the three of them, no, out of most people in school, she had the best grades. It gave further credit to her honors student image. “Are you good at math, Oliver?” I shook my head. “That so? I thought you’d be. Those glasses make you look smart, but I guess not,” she giggled. “Want me to help you study? I’ll kiss you for every answer you get right,” she sang in her teasing tone.

Her words gave me chills. The good kind, but maybe not appropriate for the situation.

“Oh! Something’s poking me,” Mila laughed.

“Mm? That got you excited?” Grace asked me, leaning close enough I could feel her breathing on my cheek. “Me too. I still remember how hard you kissed me that night.” She shuddered. “I could just eat you up right now.”

“If you make out with her you have to do it with me too,” Sarah said casually, checking a couple of messages on her phone.

“You don’t need to hold back on us, you know?” Mila said, nuzzling back against my chest. “We wouldn’t be here if we hated what happened the other day.”

My hands were trembling, but as Mila said those words, that weird sixth sense flared up again. It was telling me that being bold was okay. That my advances would be well received, no matter what they were. And on top of that, I had this absolute confidence in this sixth sense that hadn’t been there before. I was as sure of this as I was that of what a C chord sounded like.