Choosing 13 | Johnny Kavanagh

chapter forty

Lilia

I tap my phone with my thumb to check the time, as the sound of my trainers slapping on the ground, making it echo in the quiet hallways of Tommen College.
"Fuck." Groaning, I jog a little faster, seeing the numbers 9:35 on my screen.
BO2... BO2...
My eyes land on the room and I walk in, preparing for the next two minutes.

"Lilia, you're late," Miss Flounces grumbles from her position in front of the classroom, making everyone look at me. "Would you mind enlightening us why?"
Pulling out one of my earbuds, I shrug casually as I walk to her desk to sign in, "you want the detailed version or the PG?" I drawl.
The room irrupts into laughter.

She tuts frustratedly, but her lips curve up, "you're lucky you have a pretty face, my girl," she shakes her head, "next to Garerd and Joshua."
I do what I'm told and sit next to Joshua Night.
I catch some of the guys chuckling, some of the girls shaking their heads, my tongue pressing against my inner cheek.
Liz looks at the front then to me, "please tell me you didn't go with Jenkins," she whispers, both of us leaning in.
No don't be mad at me, I wasn't late because I was having sex. I was helping Carden get Jack out of bed because my baby brother didn't want to go to school, making us an hour behind schedule.

Carden is also stressed because Harvey hasn't been at the house since Saturday, and we think it is because not either of us came to the brunch with Will.
And I get it.
If we view Will the same way that Harvey does, we would be there, but we don't. Yes, Harvey and I are twins, but we went through different routes growing up. He was playing football and I was helping around the house.
So I'm sorry if that doesn't sound right, it's just the truth and I don't want to see Will and his family.

Wes scoffs, smirking, "of course she did. Couldn't control herself."
"Like you, Weston?" I shoot back, leaning more closer, "literally caught you going down on Maya Ris-"
Liz gasps softly, "you did not?! When?!"
"Last week, birthday," I reply exasperatedly, smirking at our best friend.
Josh bursts into laughter, coming from next to me, "oh fuck, you're fucked."

"Weston Benne-" Nessa was about to scold him but clapping stopped her, making us sit back in our seats.
"Okay," Miss calls to the room, everyone quickly quiets down, "I know it's a bit late for being the last week of term, but—"
Making us glance over, holding hands, the interruption is Ethan Cole with his hair messy and extra puffy, red lips, his girlfriend standing next to him with her lipstick smudged, her face buried in E's shoulder.
Miss sighs, shaking her head, "why are you—just sit down, the pair of ya."

The class whistles and teases the couple as they walk to the back of the room, where a group of four are sitting.
Ethan ruffles Josh's hair in his walk past, a cocky smile playing on his face.
Liz and I roll our eyes, smirking.
Then, I catch a glance at Sof, who is picking at her nails and looking at the back table, visibly hurt in her eyes.
I frown softly, wanting to hug her or squeeze her arm, not just for the moment we just witnessed, but for my behaviour last week.

She looks away from it when Miss starts talking again, causing us to make eye contact and I try to offer her an encouraging smile, which she gives me a bright smile through glassy eyes.
Always the brightest star.
"Ice cream, lunchtime?" I mouth to her.
She playfully frowns, "if you're paying," she mouths back.
"Count it as my apology."
The sun shines brighter and that's good enough for me.
"I want you to work with the person in front of you and create me a 500 word essay about each other," I catch the last part of Miss' sentence.
"Why?" someone blurts out.

Miss shakes her head, "social skills practice, I said the person in front of you because nine times out of ten you already know the person next to you," she explains, "go on, get started."
A chorus of groans echoed throughout the class, as books are slammed on tables and zippers are being opened then closed joined with.