Noted

SEVEN

"I think my mum said she's going out Saturday night. My brother's say it's a date because she's allowing us to have people over."

Maeve adjusts her English textbook and laptop, her grin spreading wide across her face. June knows it'll stay that way for the rest of the week. Maeve is a happy person. June wonders if happiness stems from explosive starlight, burning up into a life-form that brings humanity to life.

June doesn't want to pick her brain wondering why humans have lost that.

"The most depressing thing about that is all my brothers are having their friends over, which means it'll be a little crowded. I'm wondering if we can ask Kim or Phoebe to do something at theirs. I just need to leave the house."

A shiver runs up her neck.

Christian's unlocking his locker, eyes forward in focus, never hazy. June suspects he's doing so out of respect for Maeve. He wouldn't have done it if she were here alone. They would be too busy glaring at one another.

It makes her wonder if he's secretly plotting out her humiliation.

"We'll definitely have to see what they say," Maeve continues, then sighs. "I'm just glad the weekend is tomorrow."

They leave for Biology when the warning bell rings.

She cant shake off the irritation of that shiver. It sticks to her like snow.

She won't admit she's on edge. Admitting will mean acknowledging how dumb she'd been to send that recent note. That acknowledgment had a spiral of other consequential relations she preferred stayed locked up, which would make her feel anxious. June never feels anxious.Okay, not true, but as far as June's concern, this doesn't require her to feel that way.

Least of all because of a boy.

It's the beginning of group project day in Biology — another way of saying "socially acceptable for open discussions so long as you ask Mr Rodroy a question regarding the project at least once". Maeve and June find a spot in the back and begin circling the areas of what their project will be about.

Conversation in the classroom stirs up a moment later.

"It's not like we can start the project without Lissa," Maeve says, groaning into her seat. "Why is it always days we start something new that she's never here?"

"Or Namit," June adds.

"We knew he wasn't coming in today."

"What do you want to do instead?"

Maeve frowns, then relaxes her face. "Trust me?"

June doesn't get a say in the matter. Maeve already has her hand up.

"Excuse me, Mr Rodroy. Do you mind directing us a little? Two members aren't here today and we're not sure how to go about this."

June tunes in when their teacher comes around and labels the areas for them to work on. He seems quite pleased they're taking their project seriously — it's only ten percent of their grade, but any enthusiasm is better than little interest — and once there's a basic foundation of what they have to do, Mr Rodroy leaves.

"Glad that's out of the way." Maeve grins widely at June. "So, this weekend. We're asking Phoebe and Kim if we can do something at one of their houses."

"Most likely Phoebe's place. Her dad is easy-going." That makes one of their dads. June knows her friends' parents aren't as strict as hers, but there's something about parties that no one likes. June can only wait and see how they'll be once they all turn eighteen.