Wolves (English)

Chapter 16

Everything will be fine. I am very sure of that. Finn said it to me himself. We are different from the rest, but we have each other. Everything will be fine.

I keep repeating those words to myself as I walk out into the schoolyard. Actually, I should have just called in sick. Because of all this hassle with Dyre and Finn, I was unable to learn for today's test. Fortunately, my math average is a pass so it won't be a bad thing if I mess up. I calculate it in my head. If I manage to get an F in spite of everything today, I will still have a D on my report card. Exactly right. Every disadvantage has its advantage.

At the door, Amy runs towards me enthusiastically. 'Esteeeeerrrr!'

'Amyyyyyyy!' I call back with a laugh, and walk up to her with open arms to hug her.

'Ester, you never believe who I met in the village yesterday!' Amy says when she lets me go.

She pauses on purpose, and looks at me with twinkling eyes. She looks like a small child who receives a candy from the cashier in the supermarket.

I grin at her. 'So, tell me.'

'Jim!' She hasn't said it yet when she's jumping around screaming. 'That incredibly handsome guy from the eleventh grade, you know?'

I immediately know who she means. To be honest, I can't blame her. Jim is a tall, slender, muscular boy with a tanned skin and half long blond hair. He looks like he goes to the gym every day, which most likely is the case. Because he has such a toned body, most of the girls at school lie at his feet. That might make you think he's a bit of an arrogant guy who thinks he's great. There are plenty of guys like that around the world; even at our school. But compared to those guys, Jim is quite the opposite: modest, gentle, and sometimes even a bit shy. No wonder Amy finds him so attractive.

As we walk to the classroom, I try to hear her out, 'So, what did he say to you?'

'Well, not much, really.' She shrugs, somewhat disappointed. 'I happened to run into him when I was cycling home. He was on his way to the gym. I waved to him and he waved back. Then he came cycling past me and asked where I was going. I replied that I was on my way home, and then we talked about school and homework and stuff. But then I was home way too soon so unfortunately, we had to say goodbye. Nothing more has been said.'

I don't understand why she looks so sad. Isn't it a lot that one of the most handsome boys in the school takes the trouble to approach her and talk to her?

Apparently, Amy guesses my thoughts, as she continues, 'At home, I did homework first, and when that was done, I decided on a whim to send him a message via Insta. Of course I wanted to keep in touch with him. But I still haven't heard from him. And a little later, I saw that he had posted a photo on Facebook, where he was together with a red-haired girl. It looked a bit too cozy for me so I immediately thought: never mind. He's already taken.'

'But you can't be sure if you don't know who that girl is, right?' I ask her. 'Did he change his relationship status or something?'

Amy sighs. 'No. But it was very clear to me that there was something going on between the two.'

Now I am getting curious about that photo. 'Do you have your phone with you? I want to see how cozy they are together.'

Reluctantly, Amy removes her phone from the side pocket of her shoulder bag. She unlocks it with a code, and taps various apps and buttons a few times before handing it over to me.

The first thing I think is, what the hell are you worried about? There is not much to see in the picture. Just a girl with red hair and freckles, standing in front of a building in sportswear. With her height she could start working as a model so I understand a little bit that Amy feels inferior to her. But still, there is absolutely nobody in love in this photo. In fact, Jim is not even on it, as Amy just claimed.