That Awkward Moment

Chapter Two

It was officially 8:30, and I watched in amusement as my best friend ran into the classroom, looking flustered and sleepy. I smiled and waved my hand towards Megan, wanting her to join me and Ray on the fourth lab bench located beside the window.

"My, my, first day and you're already late Megan. Please do not let this happen again. Today I will let it pass, but I'm expecting better in the year ahead" Ms. Carafa stated. Nodding towards us, " join your friends will you?" Megan blushed, tucking her wild dark hair behind her ear, "thank you, it won't happen again". Megan practically ran into my open arms. I smiled hugging my best friend closer, we had met in grade 8 along with Lilly, first I had hated Megan for some reason, possibly because Lilly was showing more interest in hanging out with Lilly than me, I was like an old toy, ounce a new one came Lilly threw me out.

Although as time passed I had gotten to know the poor girl better, we had ended up having more things in common that Lilly and I; To be honest, I couldn't imagine a life without my best friend in the world.

"Sit, and calm down girl. You were up all night weren't you". I whispered into Megan's ear, doing so I shot daggers with my eyes towards the class's attention on Megan, I hated it when people didn't mind their own damn business and judged others. I relaxed as the teacher cleared her throat taking the attention back.

"Yeah, well I'm still in a summer mood. Wow, I have no idea how I got dressed, you should've seen me driving, I didn't know an old lady knew that kind of a word to shout" Megan answered shakily, fixing her composure, and smiling like a maniac. Un-doubtfully remembering the hilarious face of the old lady swearing at her, I thought, how awesome was that, but also a bit embarrassing and scary, to hear an old lady swear at you.

Ms. Carafa finally finished her safety presentation with an extra 20 minutes head start to work on the homework package. Hah, I smiled, I knew Ms. Carafa, I had her 2 years in a row for science and chemistry in grade 10 and 11, this safety package and presentation were from then, nothing changed. I reached out and grabbed my homework package from last year, all questions answered.

"Oh my god, can I please copy that, I am not doing this again. Shouldn't have had thrown out these notes" Ray squeaked, already writing down the answers, and Megan followed seemingly too bored.
"You know I would let you. Oh and congratulations, your brother's coming tonight right?" I replied, a bit excited to finally meet the boy Ray couldn't shut up about.

"Oh thank you, honey, I'm so excited and nervous. Since dad left 5 years ago with him, I haven't seen him" Ray said, looking tormented. My heart ached and I reached out for her hand, wanting to crack the mood. I told her my honest opinion, she always found it funny somehow. "Well, he's coming now, and don't worry he'll still make your life hell, it's the brother's job to do so. I consider you lucky that he wasn't here for the awkward years, he's all grown up."

Ray smiled, laughing along with Megan. "Oh my God, you're so right. Thank god, I did not want a brother back when I was stuck in my awkward phase, going through all that poverty and all." Megan said, looking horrified.

The bell finally rang, and we rushed out of the room and into the hallway, Ray separated walking towards her math class, as Megan and I began walking along the jungle of teenagers, towards chemistry.

"I really hope this year wouldn't suck, I just want to focus on my marks and get into a good university", said Megan, sounding nervous. I was thoughtful, last year we both were too tied up in Lilly's crazy boy situation. Which ended up with Lilly failing most of her courses, and Megan's distraction, she could've done better, if not busy confronting Lilly at 4 in the morning.

Well not this year, this year Lilly was on her own. What was unbelievable was that Lilly still flirted with everyone, denying that she is. That's when I lost it and backed out, putting space between Lilly and I, now poor Megan was left with all the problems, I thought, feeling guilty. Not for long though, Ray seemed more than happy to help Lilly.

"Don't worry about it, just don't care, that simple," I replied, I was concerned about my friend's future.
"It's not that easy, she can only talk to me since someone decided to not care," Megan said, sounding annoyed. I laughed shaking my head, which sent my ponytail smacking the side of my cheek. We fell in silence until the end of chemistry class.

Lunch came around fast as math class ended with me sitting alone, one of the classes I was alone in, with an empty desk beside me. This made me feel weird somehow, but I ignored it, who gave a fudge about what people thought. It would only bother me if I actually think about them too much. I stormed out of class and walked towards my locker, putting away my already heavy books and binders.

When I closed my locker, I was met with the familiar face of Matt, which somehow startled me, he easily towered over me now. Which posses me off, I missed the days where I had been the one towering. I wasn't short though, oh no, I was tall, about 170, but still, stupid Matt was about 175. "What do you want?" I asked him, closing my locker.

"Where's Lily?" He asked sounding frustrated, running his hand through his insanely curly hair.
"I don't know, but don't worry, you'll survive without her" I replied, angry at the fact that he ignored my snarky remark.

"Let's go, maybe she's buying lunch". I nodded following behind him towards the cafeteria, I was determined to buy orange juice and a steak sandwich, I hadn't eaten breakfast today, and my after school workouts in the gym made my body demand food.

As soon as we reached the cafeteria, Matt jumped up to Lilly picking her up and spinning her, jeez why didn't he just ask her out. I turned around to Ray and Megan, rolling my eyes as I stood in line. "I don't get it, why doesn't he just ask her out?" I asked out loud and was answered by Megan, "afraid she'll reject him, and the fact that she's not allowed to date. Remember her parents."

"True" was Ray's reply as her head disappeared in her phone, probably texting her mother about what to do for their surprise welcome party that Ray had said they'd throw, for her brother.

We spent lunchtime talking and mostly making fun of Matt's hopeless gestures to sit closer to Lilly and putting his arms around her shoulders, and Lilly's giggles filled the air, making me want to throw up, gah was this love, cause it was stupid.

School went on fast and ended with me saying goodbye, heading towards the gym, with headphones in my ears, ready for another painful hour of sweat, but somehow I couldn't help my mind drifting to the stranger I would meet tomorrow, Ray' brother. I found it odd and unsettling, feeling that tomorrow would not be an average normal day.