Diary/Journal/Whatever is Manly

Chapter 26

"Hi."

Misty looked up from her work to the person who had greeted her. She hardly seemed familiar, but then again there had been a lot of students rotating round her classrooms. "Do I know you?"

"No?" The girl said, though it sounded more like a question. She had expected at least a timid hello, so the question had thrown her off guard.

"Then why are you talking to me?"

"I'm just trying to make conversation." The girl replied with a frown. She could hardly believe that this was the quiet girl Tyler followed around like a lost puppy. At first she had thought it was a 'hero complex' that caused Tyler to stay in her orbit. But, it was clear she would be perfectly fine defending herself, if not downright scary.

"I inferred that on my own from the fact that your lips were moving. What I want to know is why your lips are moving in my vicinity?"

"I just thought you seemed cool."

"When did you decide that? When I sat down or after I pulled out my scented highlighters?"

"Neither, I just like your outfit."

"Yeah, it's a hard one to pull off." Misty replied, looking at her simple band tee and her jeans. She never understood why people could not sort out their lies before approaching the one they'd be lying to.

"Yeah, you make it look effortless."

"I'm guessing there's not a lot of sarcasm in your world."

"Um no. Anyway, I'm a friend of Tyler's."

"Cool, as you can see he is not here so..." Misty trailed off, hoping the girl would take a hint. Misty even motioned towards the work spread out in front her.

"Yeah I know, which is why I was hoping you'd give him something for me."

"I can't."

"What? Why?" The girl was utterly dumbfounded by Misty's lack of hesitation in dismissing her.

"Because I won't be seeing him anytime soon, this is the one day we have opposing schedules." Misty explained with an irritated sight, once she realised the girl was not leaving without an explanation. "Listen, if you're Tyler's friend, give him whatever you want by yourself. If you don't mind I'm actually quite busy so please go away." Misty did not wait for the girl to leave before inserting her headphones that had conveniently fallen out when she had emptied her pencil case. She did not see Stacey making her way over, or hear the seething words that the girl spat at her before marching away.

"Don't bother," came the hiss.

"Jeez, what was her problem?" Stacey asked, watching the girl stomp away before taking a seat next to Misty.

"How am I supposed to know?" Misty answered with a shrug, before taking out the silent headphones from ear.

_ _ _

"Hi."

"Let me guess, a friend of Tyler's."

"How'd you know?"

"Haven't you heard? I'm psychic." The sarcastic comment had the desired effect, Misty watched as the girl's eyes grew comically wide, before looking around her as though her thoughts were on display.

"Are you serious?"

"No."

"You got me." Misty thought of parroting her, as her laughter quite literally got her, piercing her eardrums.

"I have a message for you, and feel free to repeat it to any more of Tyler's friends you may know."

"Yeah, what is it?" The girl asked, eagerly leaning closer to Misty to hear the news.

"Leave. Me. Alone!"