Red Writing Hood: The Breakup

Prompt: I challenge you to write a conversation. This is fiction, and it was a bit out of my comfort zone!

He approached my locker when the hallway was congested with students struggling to get to class on time. I turned around, and he was there. Over his shoulder, I could see a group of his friends stationed at a discreet distance. For once.

"Hey," he said. He couldn't quite look me in the eye, but he was trying. He finally turned his head toward the exit at the end of the hall, and gave me peripheral eye contact. He seemed to be rocking side to side as he shuffled his feet.

"What's up?" The door to my locker slammed as I turned around, and I stood there stiffly hugging my books to my chest. We both stared at the exit sign for a couple of seconds, then I lifted my chin and faced his profile. I waited.

"Yeah, well..." he trailed off, head moving toward his shoulder in an eloquent shrug as he stared at the ground.

"Just tell me, David." I rolled my eyes. I shuffled my feet impatiently.

"I don't think we should go out anymore." David clamped his lips together. His jaw worked as though he were chewing the bones of his words. He looked over his shoulder at his friends.

I looked up at the ceiling, chewing my lower lip. I breathed in the stale, funky, hallway air. Then I let it all go in a rush, and shrugged.

"Okay. See you around." I walked quickly away from my locker, listening for the sound of the tardy bell.