SkaterGirl

Chapter Twelve

"Hey, Abs!" Kyle smiled as I walked into my fourth period.

"Hey," I sat next to him. "How's your first day been?"

"Good. Saw Vince and Cayla a few times. You?" He asked.

"Okay, class," the economics teacher, Mr. Rolland, said. "I'm Mr. Rolland, but you know that because of your schedules. Anyway, today we're gonna get to know each other a bit, I'll go over rules and stuff, and that'll be all."

Mr. Rolland had been married for ten years. He had two kids, both girls. He played almost every sport there is in his spare time and likes to make jokes. He asked a bunch of people about them and when it got to Kyle, I looked at him.

"Well, my name's Kyle. I skateboard, I'm a senior, that's about it, I think," he shrugged.

"Do you know about where you're gonna go to college?" Mr. Rolland asked.

Kyle shook his head. "No, I don't know yet."

"That's alright. Okay, your turn," Mr. Rolland pointed at me.

"Uh... My name's Abigail. Senior..." I started tapping my fingers on the desk and shaking my leg. "I, um, also skateboard. And I don't know anything about college."

"Is the tough ice queen Abigail nervous?" Kyle whispered to me.

"I don't get nervous," I tried to downplay my epic fail.

"You two know each other?" Mr. Rolland asked.

"Yeah, he's one of my best friends," I said.

"Alright. Your turn," he went to the next person.

I took out my notebook and made doodles in it.

"You were totally nervous," Kyle said.

"No I wasn't," I whispered.

"Okay," he chuckled.

"And what was with the whole 'ice queen' statement? All of that melted away after my dad died," I snapped quietly.

"At certain times, yes. But for the most part, you're very private, don't talk to anyone about him, never smile. Not necessarily a bad thing, but you're still icy," he said.

The bell rang and I went to find my next class. Except we had lunch, so I got a tray from the cafeteria and went to find Ms. Ames' room. I could eat in there right? I just didn't want to have to look for a place to sit and I needed some distance from people.

"Hey," Ms. Ames looked up at me as I approached her door. "You can come in."

I walked in and set my tray on my desk.

"How's school been?" She asked.

"Fine I guess. Ready for it to be over, honestly. And I'm really sorry about this morning. I usually don't break down like that," I said.

"It's okay, Abigail. You don't have to apologize for having feelings," she said.

I nodded and picked at my food. "I just wish all of this was easier. Making friends, dealing with loss... It sucks."

"It does," Ms. Ames agreed.

I ate the bread I had and drank my water. My stomach started to hurt and I stopped. I looked at Ms. Ames, who was doing something on her computer. All I could think about was how much I missed my mom. And how Ms. Ames was slowly making her way in as my mother figure. She was there for me and truly cared.

"Hey, Ms. Ames," a guy walked in. Then I realized it was the same guy who I sat with in Ms. Ames's class.

"Hey, Alex," she said.

"Abigail, right?" He looked at me.

I nodded.

"My girlfriend said you two have third period together," he said.

I shrugged. "I don't pay that much attention."

"So, Ms. Ames, a friend of mine wants to join your class. Do you know when he could?" He asked.

"That's up to the counselor. Tell him to go see the counselor," she said.

"Alright, thanks, Ms. Ames," he said as he walked out.

"Bye, Alex," she said.

I threw my tray away and rested my head on the desk to rest my eyes.

"Hey, Ms. Ames," a male teacher walked in.

"Hey, Coach Wallis," she said.

I looked up as he approached her. "You have the list of stuff we need to give to the principal by the end of the week?"

"Where's yours?" She laughed.

"I lost it," he said.

"Killing me, smallz," she quoted Sandlot.

As she dug through her desk for the list, Coach Wallis looked at me.

"How ya doin? I'm Coach Wallis," he said.

"Abigail," I waved.

"You okay?" He asked.

I nodded. "Tired."

"Here, Coach Wallis," she said.

"Okay, I'll try not to lose these," he said as he left.

"A. Mess," she laughed as he left.

"He your boyfriend or something?" I asked.

"Oh, no," she said, appalled. "He's married, has three kids. No way."

I nodded. "Sorry."

"For what? You don't need to apologize for small things like that. People have tried to hook us up forever," she laughed.

"Oh."

"Let's take a walk," she stood.

I did too and followed her out the classroom.

"You know you can talk to me," she said.

"Yeah," I said.

"So what are you not saying?" She asked.

"I miss my mom," I said as tears streamed down my cheeks. That was the first time I'd said that since she passed.

Ms. Ames hugged me and petted my hair. "You'll always have her in your heart."

All I focused on was the mother-like hug I was in. I hadn't had one in so long I forgot how nice it was. Why couldn't Ms. Ames be my mom?