There's Something Against Us

Chapter 14

When I enter chorus, the first thing I notice is that Steven isn't anywhere to be found. Mr. Dwight focuses the class on the altos today, and so I spend the class doing nothing - except maybe staring into space and wondering where I'm going to sit at lunch. Who I'm going sit with at lunch.

Before we leave, Mr. Dwight reminds us again about the auditions on Friday - "Singers and piano players welcome!" He tells us enthusiastically.

~~

As I enter math, I notice Ted waving at me with a group of his guy friends. They are all staring at me, so I wave back - even though I'd rather not look at him at all.

"Mara!" He shoos his friend away, freeing the seat next to him. "Come sit here!"

I freeze in place.

"Come on," he pats the top of the desk, and like the pushover I am, I do as he says.

As I take my seat I feel the eyes of not only Ted, but of all of his friends. I recognize one of them - it's James, one of Johnny's very unpleasant friends.

"Oh, we met yesterday." James smiles at me, and I want to spit in his face.

"Yes." My voice is quiet. Yes, we met, and you made fun of my friend and I hope something bad happens to you.

"How'd you two meet?" Ted gives his friend a questioning glance. The way he asked the question sounded more like a threat than genuine curiosity. Maybe he'll beat him up after class. I feel myself smiling slightly at the thought, however twisted.

"Um, she's..uh-" he stumbles on his words, "friends with Maher." Funny... he wasn't at all nervous yesterday when he was laughing at Steven.

Ted turns to me now. "Johnny Maher?"

I don't respond, instead waiting to see how he feels about this. Well I'm not friends with his younger brother, that's for sure.

"You must have met Angie then." His tone changes. I nod yes, and for some reason this causes him to look relieved.

"I'm sitting with them at lunch today." I'm not facing him as he speaks, but I feel his eyes prying. Instead of responding, I chew on my lip and watch as the teacher scribbles notes on the board.

"You'll be there?" He asks me as if he's already asked me twice, sounding near desperate for an answer. What is the matter with this boy? He doesn't have to fake a friendship just to get me to do his homework.

I barely glance at him, very much annoyed by his artificial kindness. I know what he's like - I can tell by his friends.

Well, perhaps I could judge Johnny the same way. All of his friends seem terrible so far.

Except one of them.

"Yes." I answer without an ounce of enthusiasm. His face lightens up at this, and it's truly confusing. I'm being as rude as possible - don't you get it?

~~~
Math drags by, and especially so because I'm eager to go to Burr's class. It's hell in a classroom, but I can't help but wonder if Steven might be there.

Ted, James, and the rest of the people I don't care about say their goodbyes to each other after the bell rings. Ted has a special goodbye for me, and he starts off by leaning too much into my personal space.

"See you at lunch Mara." He purrs.

I nearly stumble backwards over my chair as I leave, stammering some attempt of "goodbye." It comes out more like leave me alone. Is he perverted or something? Is that why he keeps staring at me - at my legs, chest and even shoes?

I exit alone - thankfully - feeling more than eager to get to the next class. When I swing open the door to Burr's room I immediately rush into my seat, not even bothering to look around the classroom.

What's painfully obvious is that Steven isn't here. As the minutes tick by, I hope each time the doorknob clicks for him to walk through - for his handsome face to be staring back at me, and not gum chewing Charlotte's.

She comes closer and closer, now near enough for me to hear the loud smack of gum that's always emanating so obnoxiously from her mouth.

Instead of sitting in her usual spot, she takes Steven's seat to my left. A strange feeling comes over me: the get away from me and get away from Steven's spot feeling. Which feels a lot like intense annoyance, by the way.

"Aw, pretty boy's out today, is he? What are you gonna do without him protecting you?" She taunts me, but I feel so taken aback by what's she said I can't answer.

She's right...He really was protecting me from her the other day, wasn't he? I just can't understand why.

I should have done the same for him yesterday, when those jerks poked fun at him. I mean...I should have done a little more...at least.

"Just let me see your homework, would you?"

I'm dragged away from my thoughts. She's a bully, yes, but she's clearly very good at it because she scares me. There's something about her that makes me feel like she could hit me at any given moment.

I pull my notebook from my bag, flip the page to the work that took me nearly two hours to complete last night, and hand it off to her as requested.I stare hopelessly as she scribbles my work down word for word.

Lazy, lazy, lazy. But scary.

~~~

Class flits by. With a sneer, Charlotte returns my homework - and just minutes before we have to hand it in. As it turns out, Steven never showed up. Which is better than coming late...I guess.

I walk to astronomy alone, comforted only by the thought that maybe - by some miracle - he might be there.

When I'm finally in front of the classroom door, a familiar face stands before me. It's Johnny, waiting eagerly for someone. Waiting for Steven, is he?

If I'm to judge him solely on the fact that his eyes are flickering back and forth, and that he keeps ruffling his bangs, he is eager to find someone...he's nervous.

"Mara, have you seen Moz?" His brown eyes bore into me, the urgency in his voice making my stomach twist.

Now I'm sure that something is wrong.

A/N:

Cliffhangers suck, don't they?