The Flynn Effect

45 | welcome to the club

Jo

"HAVE FUN AT school today." Mum advises me as I reapply my lipgloss in her car. "I'm going to get these batches to your brother. Hopefully, he'll be able to eat most of them."

"Okay." I smile, tossing the lipgloss into my bag and zipping it shut. When I look out the window, I see Amanda and Cass waving at me and beaming with their trays of treats in hand, covered with foil paper.

"I'm sorry I won't be able to attend your bake sale," Mum apologizes for the one thousandth time today. "I'd really love to but it's important I meet up with my agent today. Plus I've got to babysit your brother."

I wave it off with a flick of my hand. "You don't need to worry, mum. It's fine. You did all this." I say, gesturing to the trays in the backseat because I definitely can't bake for shit. "Besides, I've got company already."

She nods, looking out the window like I just did. "I see that. I'm glad you're making more friends."

I roll my eyes and snort before getting out of the car because I know my mum. Give her a minute more and she'll make everything much more sappier than it's supposed to be. I open the door to the backseat and take out the stack of confectionery she made this morning before nudging the door shut with my hip.

"Remember to take less." She reminds me gesturing to the sweets around and I respond with an exaggerated nod. I give her one last wave before heading over to where Cass and Amanda are standing. We're not alone though. There are others like us hanging around the parking lot with treats here and there and by the time we get into the hallway, it's pretty much the same with posters hanging everywhere, advertising the bake sale for this afternoon.

We don't usually have classes on fundraisers and I'd always use that as an opportunity to sleep the whole day at home since I pretty much didn't participate in anything before but since exams are starting next week, the bake sale won't kick off until noon with revision classes taking up the time from 8 till 12.

"I'm super excited," Cass shrieks once we get closer to my locker. "So much sweets."

"Too much of everything is bad." Amanda says, clicking her tongue and I sigh before typing in my combination and forcing my locker open.

"Sucks to be me."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," Amanda smiles, patting my shoulder while I place the trays into my locker. The first bell rings and we make our way to class and immediately I walk in, Flynn is the first person I spot sitting on his regular seat. He's spinning a pencil between his fingers and his eyes are focused on it but it's obvious he's not himself. His eyes are droopy and dark circles have began to form under them. He doesn't notice us walk in, so he leans forward and drops his head on his table with one arm stretched forward. The hand that's still spinning the pencil.

"He doesn't look too good," Cass whispers in my ear. He definitely doesn't. He's grieving and he has every reason to.

Amanda nudges me with her elbow. "You should go talk to him." She says. "There's an empty seat next to him."

And she's right. There's no one sitting next to him, yet I fumble with the straps of my school bag.

"That's Semia's seat." I say dryly and Cass rolls her eyes.