Free to be

10

"Partner up." The history teacher can obviously not see that I am between three very curious bestfriends, one in particular who is looking at me like I just rose from the grave. She is submitting me to a lesson of questions, ones I can't answer. I look around, hoping for a better option but Erin isn't having it.

"Not today, missy." She says sitting promptly next to me and making a point that we are partners. "Now spill."

"I didn't bring any liquid with me." She deadpans and I grimace, yeah that was not my best attempt at humour. "Fine, what do you want to know?"

"Why did Sienna Rose drag you off in the middle of lunch like she was going to kill you?"

"Because I pissed her off and she wanted to tell me off." I say like it is obvious, opening the packet we are supposed to be working on. "So how about we each do half the questions then swop our answers?"

"Why was she mad at you?" She nods towards the second part, diving the pages between us. 

"Because I am noisy and she didn't appreciate it." I am being honest, even if I am leaving out most of the truth. I start answering the questions and it appears tht she is doing the same until a few minutes later.

"Noisy about what?"

"Her boyfriend."

"You are trying to steal her boyfriend?"

"What? No!" I am scandalized by the idea, more so because of what I know. I sigh, realizing she is not going to let it go until she feels like I am being completely honest with her. "She is with Parker from last year, you know the one?" She nods and I nod back "I was just telling her that he is an asshole and she didn't appreciate it."

"Duh," Erin eyes me "Sometimes I swear you have no concept of socially acceptable things to say to someone, more particularly someone who can ruin your senior year."

"Well I am fine." I mutter completely some more questions, I pause five minutes later looking at her side profile "If I was dating an asshole wouldn't you tell me?"

"Of course, but we are friends." She emphasizes tapping her pen against the desk "I am obliged to tell you, you do not go telling strangers that they are dating the wrong person."

"She isn't a stranger, we have known her since kindergarten." 

"You know what I mean."

I sigh and nod because I do. But now I am in it I can't remove myself. "So does she proper hate you now?"

"No," I shake my head "We parted amicably."

"Where do you even get your words?" I grin at my bestfriend and she merely shakes her head before we fall into silence to continue the work. I am sure there are going to be many conversations in the future but for now she is content with what I gave her. 

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"Ethel's back tomorrow!" I dance around the dinner table as mom serves plates of vegetables and rice. Along with some crumbled chicken each. "Ethel is coming home!!!" 

"Sit down." Dad says with no bite in his tone, he is smiling, we are all looking forward to Ethels return. 

"You think she is going to be pregnant?" Jenny asks and I frown, my parents pause sharing smiles over the table as Lizzy bounces. 

"Ethel is going to have a baby?!"

"No honey, we do not know that." Mom says placing a plate in front of her "Sit on your bum, Lizzy." She complies poking at her food.