My Lifeline

22

"River!"

My head flies backwards from the sudden scare. I gasp loudly, my ear stinging from the idiot who just screamed in it.

As soon as my back is straight, the back of my head slams into something hard. I cup the sore area with my hands and groan out in pain.

"Fuck me!" Brains shouts out, gaining the attention of our entire chemistry class.

Still holding my head due to the pounding sensation, I narrow my eyes and look at Brains who stands behind me, holding his nose and squinting his eyes.

So that was what my head slammed into. I could've sworn it was the wall.

"What is wrong with you?" I snap, trying to hide my watery eyes from my classmates who are all gawping over at us.

"Me?" he gasped. "You just almost broke my nose!"

"You shouted in my ear, you scared me."

"Well I didn't expect you to swing your head back like that. You'd be a terrible victim in a horror movie."

"Yeah? Well...you'd be a terrible murderer."

He moves his nose around to inspect the pain and check it's not broken before he sits down beside me and grins, acting like he's not in pain. "Maybe so, but I'd be a great sidekick. I've got the brains, you see. It's in my name."

I roll my eyes and shake my head, trying to ignore him.

"I was worried about you the other day. You missed the entire lesson when you went to the toilet. Did you have a poorly stomach?"

Please shut up.

"Or was you with Will?" he sings, teasing me.

My face grows more flushed by the second, especially when I look up and see a few students laughing in our direction.

"Please stop," I beg in a whisper, trying to keep my head down and not attract any more attention.

Brains leans forward to rest on his forearms. "He's quite fond of you," he whispers loudly.

"That's nice."

"You should join us for lunch again. The others are eager to get to know you. Myself included."

I have a headache.

"Maybe."

Brains smiles contently and leans back in his chair, finally leaving me alone after embarrassing me numerous times.

The classroom door suddenly opens, and Lola appears, scanning around the classroom until she finds me. When she catches my eye, a mischievous grin coats her cheeks.

"Just a minute," she tell Miss Fischer in an innocent voice.

"Lola, you're not in here until next period. You can't disrupt my class," Miss Fischer warns her, but in a calm tone like she's so unbothered by Lola's presence.

"I know, I'm sorry, but I just really need to tell River something. I'll be one minute, I swear, and then I'll get out of your hair."

Miss Fischer sighs in defeat. Lola smiles in response and rushes over to the desk where Brains and I are sat together.

"Well, hello, stranger. I haven't seen you since  Wednesday. How've you been?"

I'm surprised she's even speaking to me, especially when she could speak to Brains instead. "Um...good. Thanks. You?"

"I've been great. I'm having a party tomorrow night, and you're invited."

"Me?"

She sits on the desk and giggles at my cluelessness. "Isn't that what I just said? So, are you up for it? Will is going." Her eyebrows wiggle as she gives me a knowing grin.