How to Save a Life

Chapter 10

I sit in the back of the classroom as I took notes. My pencil twirls across the paper as I follow Mrs. Doli, my math teacher. She clicks the next slide of notes for us to copy.

Elimination-Find the variable with the number's opposite and plug in zero, then solve for a third equation to find x and y.
example: 12x+6y=147
                 -12x+8y=210

I jot the notes on my page and wait for the other students. Mrs. Doli concludes the slide and begins passing out classwork.

"Ok, class, this is your class assignment for the day. You may get with a partner." She says as she passes papers. I immediately look at Emma as she looks back with a smile. I quickly dash over to her desk and take the seat next to her.

"Did you understand the notes?" Emma asks as she writes her name at the top of her page.

"Yeah. It's pretty simple." I say with a sly smile. Math is not her subject; I tease a bit.

"Don't rub it in my face." Emma says with an over exaggerated sad face. I give a small laugh and begin our class work.

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"Lets line up." Mrs. Doli says as we all run for the door, eager for our lunch break. I carry my small black bag with my lunch and wait patiently in line.

"Hunter, you may exit." Mrs. Doli signals to everyone for lunch. We all fast walk orderly down to the cafeteria across connections hallway. Emma walks behind me as we whisper to each other about random stuff, mainly about lunch.

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"I ship it!" I shout with enthusiasm. My friend, Dan, face palms as I ship him with Austin. They both began to blush a crimson red and look away, hoping nobody will notice. 'Why can't that be me?' I ask myself mentally.

"You ship everything." Dan and Tre state together. Dan seems exasperated whereas Tre is joyful. I look at them and shrug.

"I have no love life...this is all I get." I retort back, with a small sigh.

"The last thing we need is for you to get depressed...again Cass. Don't take this too serious." Emma says, trying to make me feel better.

"Emma's right...Don't focus on the past, just look ahead." Dan says with a sad, worried look in his eyes. They all look at me worried. They all worry over me, especially when I make comments like that.

"...You don't understand." I whisper. Dan looks at me reassuringly.
"I know it's rough, but you have to push yourself to move on no matter how much it hurts." Dan says. Emma and Tre also give me reassuring looks, hoping I would consider what they were telling me. I look at all my friends at the table and sigh.

"...All right...I guess I'll try to do better, but it's gonna take some time." I state with a bit of confidence.

"Don't worry, We will help you." Tre says with a small smile, his cheeks flaring up...again? Lately he's been a bit strange but I'm not sure why.