After a fun and busy weekend at the farmer’s market going back to school felt like a drag. Classes seemed to creep along at a snail’s pace and it didn’t help that my insomnia had been even worse this week, making me feel like a zombie during the day. The only thing I was looking forward to was the art show during the open house this Friday.
The open house was a big event for our school as it was both a chance for the school to invite future students to see the campus, and an opportunity for the parents of our current students to see what their children were learning. The administration was very passionate about putting on a good show for all the prospective parents and children wanting to attend our prestigious private academy. Students were getting in trouble all week for uniform infractions, not cleaning up behind themselves, and for any sort of behavior, the school deemed unacceptable. At least we had only a half-day of classes to look forward to on Friday. Although most of us were using the extra time to prepare for the event. A lot of people were just running back to the dorms to change into nicer clothes before returning to the open house. A few select elite students would get to wear their uniforms to show off in front of the adults, handing out flyers and answering questions. I knew nobody in my class wanted to be picked for that job.
We were sitting in English class, pretending to have a group discussion about our reading assignments but were goofing off instead. Mr. Burke seemed distracted as he worked at his desk, grading papers while muttering to himself. Since Sunita, Zola, Casimir, and I all sat near each other, we were in the same group.
“Can you believe Mrs. Tanner actually got the ruler out and measured a girl’s skirt in the hall?” Zola said, leaning lazily on Casimir’s side of the desk.
“I believe it,” I scoffed, pretending to write. Mr. Burke kept looking over at us like he knew we weren’t working but had yet to get up and check-in.
“I got in trouble for my hair earlier in the week,” Casimir added, pulling at the bleached part of his bangs. “My first infraction.”
“You gonna give into the man and change it?” Zola asked, smirking.
“I’d rather not,” he replied honestly.
“Damn the man,” I joked.
Sunita sat there silently, her face looking ill. She was worried about her parents, who were coming to see her perform a piano piece for the open house. She tended to get nervous around her father and all week she had been practicing her in the hopes of impressing him. Although I knew if she could calm her nerves enough she would do great, as I had heard her play it perfectly several months beforehand. She looked up at me and I smiled asking how she was doing.
“Good,” Sunita replied. Her emotions betrayed the fake cheeriness in her answer, I could tell she was a swirl of anxiety and fear.
“You finish your paintings, Diana?” Zola asked, eyeing the canvas I had propped up against the legs of the desk.
I nodded vigorously. “Oh yeah, this one has been done for months, I just had to bring it from home.”
The piece was entitled ‘Oak Tree’ and it depicted a large and ancient oak tree, its branches so big and heavy that they dragged onto the ground. It was an older piece but I was proud of the details I had put into the shading of the leaves. The oak tree was yet another piece of my cryptic dreams, although a less recurring one. I yawned loudly and resisted the urge to put my head down on the desk and nap.
Zola watched me yawn, an amused expression on her face. “Hey there sleeping beauty, you gonna make it to lunch?”
I was leaning my head into my hands, both elbows on my desk as I rubbed my eyes to wake myself up. I gave her a thumbs-up in response and she laughed. I felt a strong chill go through me as a wave of anger ran across my body. Our laughing seemed to have irritated Mr. Burke, whose emotions I could feel clearly, even across the classroom. When I glanced over at him I could indeed see him glaring in our direction. I quickly returned to my work, trying to look a little busy at least, so as not to get in trouble.
Not too much later the lunchtime bell rang and we all gave a little cheer, happy to be done with our schoolwork for at least one hour. I sprang from my seat, grabbing my art portfolio in a rush.
“Still going to the art studio to drop off your painting?” Zola asked, eyeing my portfolio.
“Yeah, I need to talk to Mrs. Gomez about the open house, but then I’ll join you all for lunch,” I said.
“Need any help?” Casimir asked, smiling brightly. “I can go with you.”
“Um, no. I’m fine,” I said bluntly. I was taken aback for a moment, uneasy with his need to help. I was pretty sure grandpa was still having him follow me in case I fainted again, but I was slightly annoyed by this because it had been weeks since the last incident.
“Oh, okay,” he said, only slightly disappointed by my refusal. “Are you sure? I can carry your painting or…”
“Please don’t worry,” I insisted, my annoyance growing. I could feel a blush growing on my cheeks. I was never sure how to deal with people being overly helpful. If I could only read his emotions I knew I would probably feel better, but I just didn’t trust his motivations. Zola’s loud cooing cut into my thoughts.
“Aww! How cute!” she sang, leaning closely into Casimir. “Casper doesn’t want to be separated from her! True love perhaps?”
“Z-ZOLA!” I sputtered quickly, glancing at Casimir’s face, which was blushing heavily. “Stop teasing him!” I leaned in close to her, holding up my hand so as to whisper, although I was pretty sure Casimir could hear everything. “You need to stop before Casimir thinks you are being serious!”
“What if I am being serious, huh?” Zola whispered back. She was grinning now, a sly smile sliding across her face. I had hit my limit of embarrassment, my cheeks now a rosy red. I bolted, clinging to my portfolio bag as I made a mad dash for the exit.
“I’m going!” I spat out, cursing myself for getting so overwhelmed. I heard Zola call behind me, claiming to just be joking. I told them I would see them later but didn’t look back as I ran out the door. I hoped I wouldn’t be followed as I ducked and weaved around slower-moving students in an attempt to get some space. Once outside I let out a deep sigh, taking in as much fresh air as possible to calm my nerves.
Why did Zola have to say that? I thought bitterly. The image of Casimir’s smiling face replayed in my mind and I felt my heart skip a beat. He’s just being polite, it’s nothing. Zola’s just been watching too many romance stories.
I was fantasizing about napping on the train ride home when I heard a familiar voice coming from under the walkway around the corner. It was a popular location for secret make-out sessions until the administrators locked the doors to the side entrance, making it impossible to sneak in and out discreetly. I stopped short when I heard the voices begin to argue. My hackles immediately raised when I heard the tone in the second person’s voice.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she whimpered.
“Come on, don’t be a tease,” Zach chuckled. “Will told me everything.”
“H-he what?”
“It’s just a kiss, what’s the big deal?”
The girl cried out meekly and I found myself rushing forward, anger burning inside me. As I rounded the corner I cried out harshly, hoping to alert someone to the situation if I couldn’t stop it.
“HEY!”
Zachary stared at me, shocked at my sudden and loud appearance. The girl let out a small ‘eek’ noise as she turned away from Zach. I recognized her from a class that was a year behind us. I couldn’t remember her name but she was a skinny Asian girl who was in the same music class as Sunita. I was pretty sure she played the cello. Zachary had her cornered, pushed up against the pillar much like he had done to me a few weeks ago. He pulled his arm away quickly, stepping backward and the girl took her chance, running away in embarrassment. Part of me knew I should run after her, but I stood there, glaring at Zachary as rage began to fill my body. I don’t even think I was this angry when he attacked me, but there was something about seeing it happen to someone else that just pushed me over the edge.
Zachary regained his composure, his usual smirk crossing his lips as he checked me up and down. “Way to cockblock, Massey,” he scoffed, walking towards me.
I backed away as he approached, my voice dripping in venom. “Sorry but I don’t think she wants to be your girlfriend, Zach.”
“And what makes you say that?” he chuckled.
“Call it a hunch,” I shot back. We were glaring at each other and I could feel his irritation coming off him in waves. He quickly shrugged off my comment, glancing around to see if anyone else was walking down the path toward the clubrooms.
“You know, you’re not half bad looking yourself, Massey. I could get into the whole pale, angry girl look.”
I felt my rage return as I spat out my response. “Drop dead creep!”
Zachary ran forward at that moment and I was too slow to react. He cut off my best escape route, which would take me back to the front of the school. Panicked, I darted away as he reached out to grab at me with his beefy hands. I had almost slipped out of his grasp when I felt a tug on my sweater. There was a ripping noise as I pitched forward but I soon found myself jerked back into his arms. I was still clutching my portfolio bag as I curled my body forward in an attempt to get out of his grip. I was about to scream when Zachary pulled me close against him, his arm wrapped dangerously around my neck.
“That mouth of yours is going to get you in some serious trouble. I can think of a few better uses for it,” he hissed into my ear.
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