Dabbling In Sweetness

Chapter 8

When I reached my locker the next morning, I was expecting the still emptiness I was usually greeted with, not with my books splayed across the floor as Gina stood with her arms crossed and glaring at Link clearly having nagged him to stop, but he simply grabbed another book and tossed it to the side. I rushed to my locker and stared wide-eyed at them.

"What are you doing?" I half yell and half exasperated.

Link turns around to spare me a glance before returning to his search and speaks up from the locker, "I'm looking for a Chemistry book."

"Will you stop that already?" Ginna says, clearly irritated. "She doesn't take regular Chemistry."

"How do you know?" Link retorts, stopping his search briefly.

"I don't take regular Chemistry, Link," I tell him.

"See-" Gina starts.

Link abandons his search completely and closes the locker to stare at me, "then what do you take?"

I bent down to start picking up my books and stacking them together. "I take AP Chemistry."

"Oh- just like Gina," Link says and starts picking up my books as I look up as if a blaring alarm just went off inside my head.

"I didn't know you were in AP Chemistry Gina."

Gina looks at me sheepishly before hitting the locker 3 times, effectively opening it, which answered my unasked question on how they got in. She watched as Link stuffed the books back in my locker but then gave me a shy smile that I never thought Gina would wear. This was a girl who was wearing combat cargo shorts and a green crop top that reached just below her ribs. She had on her leather jacket and high heels that would make anyone wince in wonderment at how she managed to last long in them. In her mouth, she had a green lollipop which now rested between her two fingers.

Her fingers started twirling the lollipop as she spoke, "I'm actually in your class."

My eyes widen as my mouth stares at her agape. How could I be so dumb? "Gina- I'm so sorry-" I start but Gina quickly waves her arms and says, "don't feel bad. I usually sit in the back row with Matt and well Matt's pretty quiet."

"Still- I should have looked up instead of keeping my nose inside a book."

Gina shrugs as Link finishes putting all my books back in place. "We came to invite you to Matt's photography exhibit on Friday, a couple of weeks from now."

"Matt does photography?" I ask as I begin getting my books out for the day. I see a streak of blonde hair and Lynett's wide-rimmed glasses appear before marching along in the other direction, away from us. I scrunch my eyes in confusion but carry on grabbing my stuff.

"Yea. I think it's great" Gina says, "he seems to express himself through photos just like Link does with art."

"You draw Link?" I ask. I was learning so much about people that just yesterday I found intimidating.

Link shrugs, "I just goof around." That earns an eye roll from Gina. I see Link's eyes brighten up, "maybe I can show you some of my paintings sometime."

I give him a wide smile, "I would love that." I didn't know it was possible for Link's face to brighten even more but somehow it did which only made me smile wider. I stop my movement as I see that something has caught Gina's attention behind me. I turn to see Abacus approaching our direction. Gina hooks her arm with Link's and looks at me, "we'll see you later then?"

I bite my bottom lip as I nod wordlessly, staring at their retreating figures. "Hey, Amelia" Abacus' voice says behind me. Even though I knew he was approaching, I couldn't help but jump a little at the sound.