Jade Awakening

Gossip

I had only been sitting in Mr. Gradstein's classroom for 5 minutes before an impatient redhead came whirling through the door. I had planned to sit here in peace, by myself, with my coffee before class would start, but Cat had other plans. She ran right up to her seat next to mine, and gripped onto the back of it, unable to contain herself. She is never here this early so she must have been truly anxious.

"Jade! Will you tell me already? You're killing me!" she exasperated.

It humored me that it was causing her so much distress from not knowing what my "news" from yesterday was. I wanted to see her wait a little longer, so I only smiled at her and took another sip of my coffee.

Still gripping her seat, she stomped in place a little and begged, "Pleeease. I am going to explode!"

"I would love to see that," I said seriously.

"Tell me!"

To toy with her a little more, I chose that I wouldn't tell her anything after all. Instead, I would have her-

"Guess."

"Jaaade, I don't want to guess. Just tell me!"

"It's a game. Ask me 'yes or no' questions."

"Ooh! I love games – okay!"

I rolled my eyes, out of her field of view, at how wishy washy she can be.

"Did you get a phone call from the president?"

"What? No Cat, guess something that could actually happen."

"It could happen!" she said defensively. "Umm, did you find a puppy in the middle of the street, take him home, and name him Franklin?"

Oh my God.

"Cat. That is a horrible guess. Ask more broad questions."

"Kay, umm... was it something that happened at school?"

"Yes, good!"

"Oh yay, I got it!"

She sat, happy with herself, and looking away absentmindedly.

"... That's not all, Cat. Keep going – something happened at school."

"Oh. Was there an animal involved?"

"No."

"Dang it. Was it after rehearsal?"

"Yup. Keep going."

"Okay, did something happen at your house?"

"No, you already asked that – we were still at school."

"We?"

Darn, I thought to myself, that's a nice little hint for her.

"Were you with the cast?"

"Part of the cast," I admitted.

"Was Robbie there?"

"Ew, no."

"Don't say ew, I like Robbie. Umm, was Beck there?"

"Maybe."

"Was anyone else there?"

"... No."

Cat's face started to light up with excitement – surely she would guess it right any second now. I did worry a little that she wouldn't get there fast enough though. By now, I could expect to see some other students slowly making their way to class and I wouldn't want them to overhear what happened. The last I needed was more unprompted and undesired attention.