“Aden,” I tried to pronounce the boys name, but couldn’t get the I to come out. “Aden.”

“Sounds like you’re wearing a retainer,” he joked.

“Yeah, jst giv it a ew ays,” I mumbled incoherently. “Jst gotta get usd to it.”

“Don’t worry Ashley, that lisp fits you,” he laughed.

“Uh huh,” I rolled my eyes sticking to short sentences. “Whtevr.”

I’m not listening not anymore

The more I learn the more I ignore

I’m not listening not anymore

The more I hear the more I ignore

I told you before won’t listen no more

I told you before lets settle the score

I told you before wont listen no more

I told you before lets settle the score

Well, Mrs. C definitely wasn’t happy with it. She sat there for close to an hour trying to get me to take it out. When she finally gave up, she just huffed away. I couldn’t wait to go to church with her and show it off some Sunday. Who knows, maybe I’ll get a tattoo to go along with it.

When Mr. C saw it, he just shook his head. Yeah, he knew that I was already getting grief from his wife. So I just smiled at him politely and went to go find Spencer.

If not me than who

If not now then when

If not me than who

If not now then when

I’m not listening not anymore

The more I learn the more I ignore

I’m not listening not anymore

The more I hear the more I ignore

Ever since that night, me and Spencer have been sitting up and talking at night when she crawls into my bed. When I was with Spencer I felt like a completely different person. I wasn’t angry. I was just content lying there next to her. We were always exhausted the next day, but it’s always worth it. It’s worth it just to be next to the girl, feel her breath, knowing that she actually wants to talk to me. It isn’t forced like some school project when you get paired with someone and try to make small talk. This was actually real, and every night I looked at her in the dark and tried to figure out what she saw in me, and if I would ever see it too. She’s the closest I’ve been to anyone since… Since Alex.