Inevitable

Chapter 6

"Jayne!"

Someone shook my arm. I recognized Beth's voice in time to squeeze my eyes tighter. "What, Beth?"

"You'll be late for school, Jayne!"

I could smell her so clearly, lying in bed next to me. It was like fate mocked me, tempted me to open my eyes. I flailed out with my hands and stumbled off the bed. Only when I knew she was behind me did I blink, exhaling and picking through the clothes on my floor. "Then go get ready, Beth. You take longer than me."

She flounced out of my room. Her hair had regained its natural wave during the night, and it bounced around her shoulders. Just like mine. A knot formed in my chest. I couldn't avoid her eyes forever, and one of these days I would See her death. How could I prepare myself?

I got Beth to school on time, but not myself. The tardy bell rang as I jerked open my locker. I muttered self-deprecating insults and ran through the empty halls.

Luckily, Mr. Livingston was my first period teacher. He glanced from the board at me when I walked in, then turned around, saying only, "Cierra la puerta, Jayne."

I closed the door quietly, feeling a great sense of relief. He wouldn't count me tardy. I put my head on my desk and rested my eyes. They burned with desire to sleep. I had relived Hannah's murder over and over again in my dreams.

I didn't see Dana until second hour in calculus. I sank into my chair at the desk we shared and gave her a meek smile, just to let her know I wasn't mad, and then I threw myself into my assignment. Horrible images of Hannah's murder haunted me. I pressed my hand to my forehead.

My phone vibrated in my backpack pocket. I glanced down, pulling it out just enough to scan it. Dana's text read, "u OK?"

I looked at her and gave her a bleak smile. "Yeah," I mouthed.

She texted again. "What happened w SH?"

Stephen Harris. I forgot that I hadn't even told her. I leaned over, pretending like I was fishing for a pencil, and texted back, "Talk @ lunch."

Dana gave me a quick hug as soon as class was done. "Gotta go. If I'm late for gym one more time, I'll have detention for a week. I'll tell you at lunch all about that new kid in my stats class!"

Aaron. "Sure." I pasted a smile on my face while Aaron's face threw itself into the jumbled crockpot of my mind. Yesterday after he asked me out, I'd planned how I'd pump Dana all about him: how did he act, was he flirtatious or quiet, did he seem sincere or like a player, smart or silly?

But after last night, I just couldn't rouse the excitement to feel anything. My emotions were drained. I didn't feel like spending the next hour trying to avoid seeing Aaron's death.

There was no way I could skip English class again. I waited in the classroom like a wallflower, not sure where to sit so I could avoid Aaron. I watched the girls huddle around each other and giggle while the boys stood around flexing their muscles. I'm sure they thought the girls were watching them, but I saw the surreptitious glances the female posse shot toward the open door.

Seconds before the tardy bell rang, Aaron walked in. He held his head high with a poise and confidence that belonged to royalty. His eyes darted around the room. I lowered my head, trying to make myself invisible.

"Hey, Aaron!" Poppy Miles flashed a smile and snapped her gum with a crack. "I saved a seat for you!" She scooted off the desk and patted a chair next to her.

If Poppy's shirt were any tighter, her boobs would pop right out of it. Hmm. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that her name was Poppy. I rolled my eyes and wedged myself into a safe seat two rows back.