Daydreaming
a bus, 2am, and doc martens
I sat in my math class staring at the white board trying my hardest to tune into whatever my teacher was saying. Something about factoring or radicals or whatever. But my mind just kept revisiting my weekend plans. I had it all sorted out and I couldn’t stop going over it. I would eat dinner with my family, engage not more or less than what was expected, take a nice hot night shower, which was not out of the ordinary, and then hand in my phone at exactly 10:07, because if I handed it in on time they definitely would be suspicious. “When factoring, remember to take out the greatest common factor.” Then, I’d lie in bed and wait. 11:15 would come around and I’d hear my mom’s steps on the creaking stairs, shortly followed by the running water in her bathroom. “Now when you take out the greatest common factor you can’t just forget about it you gotta…” 45 minutes later I’d crawl out of my bed fully dressed in baggy denim and a zip up, doc martens in hand. Because of the golden rule to sneaking out: do NOT put your shoes on until you’re out of the house. Quietly, I’d sneak over to my window and take the familiar leap of faith. Then, the giddy feeling of being free would strike. I’d slip on my docs, not tying my shoelaces but tying knots on each one so it keeps them tight, but I’d let the laces hang loose because they look cooler that way, and I’d head off in the direction of the bus stop. With no phone, I had to hope he’d meet me there on time, because if he didn’t, he’d never hear the end of it. Standing in the little plexi cubicle outlined with blue, we’d marvel over the portfolio of art we’ve created over the years. The graffiti and stickers filled with inside jokes that are long forgotten and replaced. “Now that you have the answer you should go back to check it.” Then we’d climb up on the bus, expertly pulling out the exact change needed for two teens out on the town. And we’d embark on a night filled with midnight snacks and 2am kisses, just to take the earliest bus at 5am back home, part ways with a long hug, take off our shoes, climb through our windows, and lay in bed. “Z do you understand what I’ve just explained? Oh yea? Wonderful! Would you like to come up and give another example?” Fuck.