Hard Rock and Heartache

Study Session

     Once I finally managed to leave Eddie's place, I had a few errands to run. They didn't take too long. A quick trip by the bank to deposit some money for bills and buy a few groceries at the local mart and then I was pulling back into the driveway at my house where I spotted Nancy and Robin already sitting on my front porch steps, talking amongst themselves. 

     I climbed out and gave them a smile in greeting before unloading the bags in the backseat, making my way towards them and they both stood to follow me inside, already discussing Mrs. Grundy's exam on Monday.

     "What type of cell provides support for the neurons?" Robin asked Nancy, reading from an index card while the three of us stepped into the kitchen and I began to unload the things I'd purchased into the shelves and fridge. "The... glial cells?" Nancy said with a strain in her voice and Robin raised a brow, speaking like a drill Sargent. "Are you asking me or telling me, Wheeler?" 

     Nancy nodded sternly, bolder in her sureness as she pointed, "I'm telling." Robin smiled. "Correct." They both had a silent victory before looking my way, noticing my silence. 

     "What?" I asked, looking between them as I folded up the paper sacks, setting them on the counter.

     "What's going on?" Robin asked knowingly, causing me to scoff. "Nothing?" I pretended to be clueless, but neither of them seemed to buy it.

     "Can we please just focus on studying?" I begged, collecting a bag of chips and a few cans of cola. They reluctantly huffed, Nancy's arms crossing over her chest with an eye roll. I proceeded to lead them up to my room, and they greeted my mom when we passed her. She smiled, setting her knitting needle down long enough to wave happily in their direction, "Hi girls!" She called out. It was nice to see her knitting again.

     We quickly ascended the stairs, entering my room, and I closed the door behind us, passing out the drinks while we all situated ourselves around on the bed, floor, or me personally, my favorite mushroom chair. Robin crossed her legs, snatching my pillow to lay in her lap before she flipped to the next index card. "What is the primary and unique role of surfactant in the lungs?" She asked to anyone who was willing to answer.

     Nancy squinted thoughtfully, searching through her mental bank. But I spoke before she could, my voice monotoned and uninterested as I picked at a loose string on my chair, "Lowering the surface tension of the alveoli." I looked up when they didn't say anything to see them both looking at me with concerned and accusatory stares.

     "What... happened...?" Robin pressed, setting the cards down roughly. Nancy gaped, looking at the cards with protest as she stuttered, "We should really focus on..." Robin silenced her with a finger, her brows shooting up but eyes never leaving me.

     All I could do was groan, scooting down deeper into my mushroom chair and covering my face in hopes that if she couldn't see me, she would forget I was here at all. "Charlotte... Caroline...Henderson..."

     Uh oh...

     "Okay, fine!" I snapped before exhaling a shaky breath, "Steve kissed me..." Nancy blanched, her mouth gaping while her ears turned red with what I could only assume was jealousy. But Robin damn near squealed. I had never heard her sound so girly before. It made me cringe and coil deeper into myself as Robin jumped off the bed to crawl over and kneeled in front of me.

     "I knew it! I freaking called it! You owe me ten bucks, Wheeler." Nancy rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, leaning back against the bed with a huff.

     "That's not all..." I confessed quietly, grimacing at the look on both of their faces. Robin was intrigued, but Nancy looked like she might throw up. "Eddie... also kissed me..." My hands slipped over my mouth as if it were possible for me to push what I had just said back into my mouth. Because the way these girls eyed me now had me regretting ever saying anything at all.