Bad Luck Katie

Anchor

The vintage iron radiator hummed warmly as Katie, stifling a yawn, glanced at the frosted window. Although it was late spring, winter still held its icy grip on the crisp air. Wearing a bow tie, the class instructor wrote on the chalkboard as the grating sound filled Katie's ears.

Katie tapped her fingers on the desk. After missing three days of class, she had a lot of homework and make-up assignments to catch up on. Trying to shake off the drowsiness, she glanced over her shoulder at some students in the classroom engaged in quiet conversation. Her thoughts wandered to Jules. What was he doing?

She hadn't seen him since she returned to school. She missed his laugh, his smile, and the frowns and scowls he would make when something irritated him. Her chest palpitated. She missed him.

Had she made the right decision to cut him off? She wasn't so sure anymore.

She discreetly reached into her jacket pocket to check her prescription bottle. She had a few pills left to last a couple of days and would need a refill soon. Her mouth went dry. How could she explain needing a refill for a month-long prescription?

She looked up at the ceiling, trying to come up with a believable explanation.

She furrowed her brow. "This could work," she thought. She could tell the doctor she lost it, or even better, that it was taken away.

Either excuse would be acceptable. She breathed a sigh of relief after finding a way to get another prescription without any resistance or suspicion.

"Care to share with the class why you're smiling, Ms. Amelie?" a monotone voice asked.

Katie sat up straight as the classroom instructor peered at her with an eagle-eyed gaze.

"I'm just happy to be here," Katie replied amidst giggles in the classroom.

Pursing his lips, the instructor returned to writing on the chalkboard. "Sure," he said dryly under his breath.

The class ran over by ten minutes as the instructor shouted out assignments to the students exiting the classroom. Ignoring him, Katie left the room just as the hallway filled with students pouring out of their classrooms.

She took her phone out of her bag and quickly sent a message to her doctor through the medical app, requesting a prescription refill. She hoped to get a prompt response so she could pick up the refill on her way back to the shelter.

She needed something to calm the jitters. The sooner the better.

She stopped in her tracks, thinking she saw Jules at his locker just a few feet away, retrieving something. He was sporting a new pair of black high-top Converse sneakers.

Katie froze.

Someone stepped into her line of sight, blocking her view. Irritated, she tried to step around them, but Jules was no longer there to her disappointment.

Katie chuckled, noting the irony. "Just my luck," she thought.

Her phone buzzed with an incoming text message. The prescription request was approved. She threw a fist in the air. "Yes," she exclaimed to curious stares.

Skipping her last-period class, Katie headed to the pharmacy to pick up her prescription.

She hesitated with the prescription in hand, wondering where she could hide it so that the shelter staff wouldn't take it away. Glancing around for onlookers, she slipped off her tennis shoe and concealed the bottle inside. The metal detector wouldn't pick it up she mused.

Testing her theory upon her arrival at the shelter, Katie went through the detector. It didn't beep, and she sighed in relief.

"Wait, Katie," Yvette said as she entered the lobby. Katie turned around, waiting for the woman to finish what she was saying. "There's a new rule we're enforcing today," the woman said. "Everyone is required to wear a badge. It helps us keep track of all the residents here."

She gestured to the mounted camera stationed at the front desk. "I just need to take your picture," she said.

"Okay," mumbled Katie as the bottle in her shoe pressed against her toes with each step, making her wince.

"On a count to three," Yvette said counting down. Katie didn't smile as the camera flashed.

Three minutes later, the woman handed Katie her badge. "See? Not all bad," the woman said as Katie scowled at her mugshot.

Her foot aching, she decided to take the elevator rather than the stairs. "I can't wait to take that damn bottle out of my shoe," she thought to herself.

Once in her room, she kicked off her shoes and massaged her throbbing foot. She remembered the bottle and quickly took two pills to ease the pain. "Much better," she muttered.

Flopping onto the bed, her thoughts drifted back to Jules. Did he catch a glimpse of her in the hallway at school? Did he long for her as much as she did for him? What was he up to now?

She took her phone out of her pocket and looked at his number in her contacts. She couldn't bring herself to delete it or block him. How would he react if she called him?

While attempting to close the contacts, she inadvertently dialed the number, and he picked up before she could disconnect.

Bringing the phone to her ear, Katie cleared her throat. "Um, Jules," she said, stumbling over her words, "there's something I need to tell you."