The Circle

Chapter 2

 "Everybody stand up!" Mrs Nancy said with enthusiasm...To be honest it sort of annoyed me, the joy in her voice, the bright-fullness that seemed to radiate off of everyone in the room. It seemed like everyone was in such a good mood, except for me.

The voice in my head that kept bugging me about god knows what last night put me in this state of....denial I guess. "I don't need a boyfriend", "as long as I have Tommy" I repeated to myself over and over again in my head while I tried to fall asleep last night. Well guess what...I never did fall asleep, so not only am I upset but I'm exhausted. I ignored the temptation to collapse on the floor and close my eyes and I grabbed the National Anthem out of my choir folder.

After a while of practicing our parts Mrs Nancy called for Warren Parker. If you don't know who that is I'm not surprised, I've never mentioned him once in my short lifetime of narrating my life. He's a year younger than me, sorta skinny with blond hair always worn the same way: slicked to the side with cans of hair spray to support it there. He's about the same height as me maybe taller...I don't know.

"Warren can you sing me your tenor part" Mrs Nancy asked. Warrens eyes widened with enthusiasm and he began singing. I watched him stand on the top riser, slightly swaying side to side to the tune of the piano. His voice low and angelic, his bright eyes carefully following every word on the page. Although I've always thought of him as clumsy and gawky, in this moment he seems so relaxed, so appealing.

Suddenly I felt a gnawing inside me. Like my body is telling me to stay away. I ignored the strange feeling and quickly lowered my head toward the watch on my wrist. 5 seconds...4...3...2...BONG BONG BONG BONG The sound of the bell scared me even though I was fully aware it would ring in seconds. I walked out of class, my head spinning. Maybe that whole thing with Warren was a side effect of my exhaustion. Or maybe I am going insane.