desert gorge

chapter one

Only two more days, Liz reminded herself. Two more days until I'm done with precalculus for-fucking-ever. It was May 24th along with being the most Monday-ish Monday to ever Monday. Liz had only been in school for three hours and twenty-six minutes but she was already over the place. In two days, she would officially be both on summer break and a high school junior at North Hills Academy.

"Elizara Sanchez!" called out Mrs. Burke.

Liz broke into a cold sweat, and slid her gaze up from a page full of doodles to her exasperated teacher. "Yes...?" She slid an arm across her paper covertly and rested her chin on the other hand.

Mrs. Burke was unamused. "Liz. You know you aren't allowed to doodle in my class." The middle-aged math-loving psychopath teacher plucked Liz's paper off her desk and folded it gently in half. "You can have this back at the end of the period, don't worry. Just don't do it again, please."

Liz glanced around the desolate room as Mrs. Burke returned to teaching her third period precalculus class about some math junk that nobody cared about. The class was typically empty enough, with an average of eleven students every day. Now that summer vacation was so close (but so, so far), Liz noted that only a few people remained.

The clock's hands spun slower every time she glanced up, and Liz almost groaned if it weren't for Mrs. Burke examining her closely, like she was waiting for Liz to start doodling again. Probably waiting for an opportunity to get her in trouble, just like every other teacher.

Almost all of Liz's teachers hated her, or acted like it. They seemed to love writing her up for anything possible, from doodling to tank tops to blinking, and don't even ask about the amount of times she'd visited the counselor in the past month.

Thank god it was almost summer.

Another look at the clock read 11:27, which meant three minutes until lunch. After lunch, she had a study hall for her last period. Basically, she could leave at the bell with no repercussions as long as Principal Mallory didn't catch her. Which he usually did, but Liz had a great feeling about today.

Tuning in to the last three minutes of precalc was awful, but usually Mrs. Burke assigned something in the last few seconds before the bell rang, and Liz didn't want to drop a letter grade just because she wasn't listening.

"Okay everyone, listen up. Tonight your assignment is to write a short summary of what you've learned this year and your favorite, or least favorite, things about my class. I'll see you all on Wednesday!" boomed Mrs. Burke just in time for the period to end and everyone to make a mad dash for the door.

Liz rushed down to the lockers lining the first floor and pushed through throngs of students until she reached her own. As she shoved her books into the mess of papers and traded them for tomorrow's set, a voice rang out behind her.

"Lizzie!"

A yelp greeted Aspen McCormack in return, along with Liz whipping around with a furrowed brow.

"Hey, Aspen. I swear I've told you a million times to stop sneaking up on me," Liz groaned. "What's up?" She turned back to her locker and shoved a few old wrappers into her bag to throw away later, then slammed the door shut and started off toward the student parking lot with her girlfriend following closely behind.

Aspen grabbed Liz's hand and swung it between them as they walked. "Well, my mom said that she's cool with us going up to Flagstaff for the ren faire next week, and I figured since your brother is coming to visit..." She trailed off a little, and looked up at Liz with an inquisitive look.

"I don't mind if he comes but we'd have to find him an outfit to wear. Maybe at the thrift store?"

Aspen's grip on Liz's hand tightened in agreement. "Yeah, I figured we could take him on Friday afternoon. He gets here that morning, right?"

Liz pressed the unlock button and the two got into her 2015 Toyota Camry. "Uh...I think so. I'll have to check with dad later though and ask about the ren faire too." The two girls sat in amicable silence until she pulled into Aspen's gravel driveway. "Here you go. I'll see you tomorrow!" Liz leaned over and pulled her in for a quick peck, then opened the door for her.

As soon as Aspen shut the car door behind herself, Liz backed out and started the long drive to the Sanchez' ranch out in the boonies of Desert Gorge, Arizona. She flipped on her favorite radio station and settled in for the two hour drive out into the hot dunes.