Kyle pulled over the car in front of my house and turns the engine off.

"Thanks for the awful date, Kyle."

"Thanks for always being nice, Sky."

"Honestly, Kyle... I think I may have feelings for Ale-" Kyle leans in and kisses me briefly. I push him away and shake my head.

Nothing. No feelings whatsoever.

"I told you Sky," he sighs

"Alex isn't who you think he is."

"I don't know who you are either," I raise my voice. "Besides, I've seen a side of Alex in the last month that I didn't know it was him."

"Honestly, it's just a side that comes as shocked to me and I'm still trying to figure this out, but for right now, I just need space." Kyle clenches his fist and takes a deep breath.

After a moment, he sighs. "Fine, Sky. I just want you to know that I really like you, though."

"And I really like Netflix, but I'm not going to date Netflix. Night, Kyle." I close the car door and make my way to the front door. I'm just going to sleep for the rest of the night. Then I'll decide what to do tomorrow. Why not hold off another night?

"Hi honey!"

"Hi mom," I drop my bag on the couch.

"We're going to dinner with the Doering's. No parties, don't get pregnant, we love you."

My mom pauses before turning back around. "Somebody called, by the way."

"Damn. I was really looking forward to throwing a party for my four whole friends," I sigh. Who the hell calls the house phone looking for me?

I decide after my parents left that I should probably see who called. I pick up the house phone and call back the number.

"Sky?" It's Alex. He sounds winded and nervous.

"Bye," I hang up the phone. Nope. Hell no. How the hell did he get this number too?

I check my phone, but they're all texts from Kyle and Dan.

don't hate

but I gave Alex your house number

that poor kid cried when I went to go see him

like wtf I wasn't sure what to say

like I usually tell you to suck it up

but when Alex cries it's like children die

I couldn't even omfg

he said you blocked him

so I gave him your house number

hey can you bring me some pie?

rlly Dan

he's just acting pls

and no

he called and I called him back

and hung up

I don't rlly want to talk to him okay

I have nothing to say honestly

I do actually

but I'm not sure it'll make sense

it doesn't have to make sense sky

OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES

that poor kid is in love with you

just talk to him

I'm pretty sure nothing you two plan on saying to each other will make sense

not right now at least

not until you two figure out what the hell you want

but it feels right, then why question it?

if it doesn't, then just say it

but don't just ignore him and expect everything to get better

and it needs to get better bc I really hope you two make babies together

:....rlly Dan? Babies?

we'll talk, we'll talk

Maybe I overreacted when I found out it was Alex. He started crying? Why? I feel like I've been too mean to Alex this whole time. I guess I always had this mind-set that he was who his friends were. Since middle school he and his friend have always caused trouble. They always treated people like shit and did stupid pranks to hurt people. I mean, I guess I never saw Alex himself ever per-take in this, but I just figured he wasn't any better for not stopping them.

But he did make fun of me and I couldn't forget that time during freshmen year where he makes fun of my weight.

Besides, he stood there for so many times when his friends called me names and push me around but he never said anything. He never tried to defend me. Now I look like the mean one.

It doesn't matter anyways. He's probably at a party or sitting around his group of friends right now. He's probably telling them all this stuff about me. Probably how I do nothing but watch Netflix and that I'm easy.

He's probably telling them that I'm just some loser and nobody. I bet he's enjoying a nice story of a stupid junior who fell for a stupid prank.

****

I should go see her. I can't take this silence. It's driving me insane knowing that she knows and is probably with Kyle. He's probably telling her all these awful and stupid lies about me. Maybe if I go see her and tell her, she'll believe me. Right? She'll believe me?

I can't just avoid this anymore. I can't just hope that one of my texts will go through. I can't just tell her at school, either. There's not enough time to tell her. Besides, she's probably just going to go out of her way to avoid me tomorrow.

If I show up at her house, she can't possibly avoid me, right? She'll have to come outside and listen to me. She'll have to believe me and know that I love her so much.

I love Sky, I do. And to think that she could possibly believe Kyle hurts a lot. I know this finding out thing came as a slight shock, but it's not like the evil Alex she thinks I am. The person she was texting is who I am, I'm no different. Why doesn't she just see that? And even if she doesn't like who she thinks I am, she can't deny that she did like the person she was texting.

If she could only understand that I'm not evil and the person she was texting isn't either.

Fuck it, I'm going to her house and I'm going to tell her. I'm tired of being this scared little boy who is afraid of telling a girl the truth. I've been hiding who I am for too long from Sky. She needs to understand that I wasn't and will never try to hurt her. I love her and I'm going to tell her.

I pull into the driveway of her house and turn the car off. Her car is only one in the driveway, thankfully. I don't even know what I'd say if her parents opened the door. I'd be like "oh hey, I've been anonymously texting your daughter and she found out, okay? Don't judge me, mom."

I take a deep breath and knock on the door. Nothing. I knock twice more. She's not going to answer the door? I bet she has her headphones in while watching a movie on her computer. Should I call the house phone? She won't answer, I bet.

Well, I feel like I'm out of options. I can't just walk in, because that is beyond illegal. Not to mention it's really weird and slightly scary. I knock once more before taking a seat on the porch.

I don't even know when her parents are going to be back. What if her parents pull onto the driveway while I'm sitting here on the porch? This was a really, really bad idea on my part. I shouldn't come here with no plan. I just kind of expected her to answer the door, hear me out and fall madly in love with me. Oops? I guess that isn't going to happen. Well, not now.

I get up and knock twice more. Maybe I'll just try and talk to her tomorrow because obviously, this isn't happening tonight. God, I am such an idiot for thinking this would work. Maybe I should just knock once more for good luck?

I start to lift my hand to knock again when I hear the lock shift on the door. I head Sky's groan as she starts to open the door.

" Who the hell keeps kn-"

"Hi," I wave awkwardly. "Uh, I came here to, uh, talk to you?"

"Why?" She peers at me before stepping out onto the porch and closing the door behind her.

"Uh, I- because.." I'm mentally hitting myself for not planning any of this. I didn't even plan what I'd say if she answered. Now I'm just at a loss of words.

"Just say it, Alex."

"I'm the one who's been texting you," I take a deep breath, "and I am ridiculously in love with you, Skylar Rose Thomson."