Claims on a Soul Volumes 1 & 2

Chapter 12: Mar

Dean

"Hey, there's Lex," Lionel says, nodding across the hallway. "Go say what's up to your girl."

I turn from my locker to glance over my shoulder, finding Lex standing with the same group of annoying, gossiping, snobby, vindictive girls she usually hangs with - no surprise. I become annoyed by just looking at them.

The law of attraction states, by the rule of thumb, you are most like the five people you hang with, and she's turned into just that.

Nothing like the kind girl I met on the bus that first day.

"Aw, man. Your girl looks pissed. Did something happen between you two? You two were fine yesterday," he says, confused.

No. We haven't been fine for a long time.

We start down the hall towards the cafeteria.

When the silence is at its heaviest, Lionel turns to face me, then eventually stops walking. I stop as well. Guess it's bound to come out some time.

I scratch my neck. "She, uh... she broke up with me."

"What?! Bro! Why didn't you say anything?!"

I shrug. "Guess it wasn't that big of a deal. At least, it didn't feel like it," I say.

I wonder if that's normal.

"How did you mess this up? Have I taught you nothing?" When we approach our usual lunch table, he looks up at the lunch line. "Damn, that's a long line. I'm going to grab our lunches, but we're not done talking about this. I want the details when I get back," he says before jogging off.

I get that it's a shock for Lionel—to find out about me and Lex. We've dated since that first day on the bus, which was six months ago. The crazy thing is it doesn't even feel that long. Within those six months, however, Lex slowly became someone I didn't recognize.

The breakup was best for both of us. Whether she knows it or not, she did me a favor by ending things.

A stack of books slams to the table in front of me, rudely interrupting my reverie. Reality zones back in as I take notice of Mar, who flops down in her seat across from me, a pouty expression glued to her flushed face.

I blink at her. "Bad day?"

"Mr. Palmer gave me a C. A C!" she yells, placing her elbows on the table and covering her face.

I stare at her, a slight smile forming.

"A C! Can you believe this?! What am I supposed to do with a C?!" She snatches her juice box from her lunch bag and aggressively attempts to insert the small straw.

"That's, uh... that's horrible," I say, trying to hide my amusement. She starts to get even more upset when her straw won't go through. I take her apple juice and insert the straw for her.

"Thanks," she murmurs sadly, fixing her glasses.

"Come on, Mar. A C isn't so bad. Is it?"

She glares up at me. "I despise C's," she snarls through her teeth. "They're ugly, they're average, and they won't look good on transcripts for college."

"Mar, college is more than three years away. We're still freshmen. I'm not saying don't always strive for the best, but I don't think a few C's at this point will hurt anything."

"They will for me!"

"Okay. Calm down, I hear you," I tell her gently, backing off. "Well, um, look at it like this. It could be worse. You could have gotten a D. Or an F, even."