Washed Clean

My iphone vibrated against my thigh — another DM from Skylar's group chat. I ignored it, focusing on my breathing instead. Two months ago, running meant nothing to me. Now it was the only time my brain shut up about how awkward I'd been at lunch, how I should've laughed at Tyler's joke, how everyone definitely noticed I was wearing the same hoodie as last Tuesday.

The trail behind the abandoned mill was my spot. No service, no expectations, just dirt and creek sounds and the rhythm of my sneakers hitting earth. That's where I saw him — the new kid, Liam, sitting on the edge of the old concrete water tower, legs dangling over where the creek rushed beneath.

"Skipping too?" he called out like he'd known me forever.

I stopped running. "Skipping what?"

"Everything." He hopped down, landing easily. "Your phone's been buzzing nonstop. I figured you were avoiding it like I avoid my mom's texts about my missing assignments."

I blinked. How did he notice? I'd thought I was invisible.

"Yeah." I pulled out my iphone, twelve notifications glaring back at me. "Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in them. Like, everyone has this perfect life online and I'm just... behind."

Liam nodded. He was suddenly right there, walking beside me toward the water. "My old man threw my phone in a lake last summer. Said I needed to learn to be present. I was so mad, but then... something happened. I started noticing stuff. The way the water hits rocks differently depending on the season. How people actually look at you when you're not checking a screen every five seconds."

We stood there watching the water tumble over itself, bright and cruel and beautiful.

"You think I should...?" I held up my phone.

"I'm not saying throw it," Liam laughed. "But maybe sometimes you need to let it sink a little. Notice what's real."

I didn't drop it. But I did turn it off, slipping it into my pocket. We walked back in silence, and for the first time in months, I didn't feel like I was running away from something. I was just moving forward, one step at a time, with someone who didn't need a filtered version of me to stick around.

The next day, when I finally turned my phone back on, Skylar had sent: "Where were you?? We were gonna ask if you wanted to come with us to the fair!"

I smiled. Maybe I wasn't as behind as I thought. Maybe some things could wait — and some things, like water and running and unexpected friendship, were exactly what I needed, right when I needed them.