Twenty Fifty-Six

+10+

My favourite sound.  The ADCCG bell.  Yay!

Once again it interrupts my reading of The House of the Scorpion.

I was at Chapter 12, where Tom forces Matt to discover 'the thing at the hospital.'

Why does class always end when I'm at the good parts?

I stand up and walk to the cafeteria. I am proud to say that I can now navigate my way to and from my classroom and the cafeteria.

Sadie and I get line for food talking about El Patrón and his plans. 

I grab a tray and load it with a turkey sandwich, cucumber slices, an apple and chips.  Paige joins Sadie and I as we head to the table, the two of them starting an argument about whether Celia has good intentions or not.  Paige thinks she's just a pawn in some mastermind plan, Sadie thinks she is the mastermind. 

As the two of them discuss these possibilities, I see Aria, carrying a tray with nothing but a small salad on it.

I am struck with the urge to go over and see how she's doing, but I can already tell that Tess will be judgemental of her. I don't want to not sit with the gang of friends we seem to have assembled.

I continue to watch Aria as she sits down beside the '55 boy with the speech impairment. 

Hmm.  Interesting pair.

Just as this crosses my mind, I walk straight into a table of 19 year olds, drawn in '51 and '52.

I turn bright red. "Oh. Uh-uh. I- Sorry." I look at the 19 year olds, assuming they'll be laughing at me. They're not. One of them is looking at me with a quizzical expression. He almost looks familiar.

"Mitchel?" I ask, at the same time he asks, "Amber?"

"Yeah." I say. Mitchel gets up and hugs me. I awkwardly hug him back.

"How was Tasha?" He asks me.

"She was alright. Really sad."

"Yeah..." He says, trailing off. Then he looks to his friends. "Guys, this is Amber. We're both from Manitoba. My little sister was her best friend."

There's a chorus of Hi Ambers.

Mitchel and I stand awkwardly for a little longer.

"Well," I say.  "I better go.  See you around."

"Yeah.  See you Amber."

I head back over to my table.

"Who was that?" Dave asks.

"He's hot!" Tess chimes in.

Oliver looks up.  "Ex boyfriend?"

Tristan slaps him upside the head.  "Idiot!  They hugged!"

"Were you guys spying?" I joke.

"Yup.  Shamelessly."  Dawn smiles. 

"His name is Mitchel.  He was drawn five years ago.  He's my bestfriend's brother.  Anything else you need to know?"

"Is he single?"

"Really Tess?  How would I know? This is the first time I've seen him in five years!"

"Girls. It's okay," Tristan says, sensing tension.

Our table goes quiet.  After a moment Dave restarts a conversation, but Tess and I stay quiet.  I don't know what just happened between us.  She was getting in my nerves, like she sometimes does, but this time, I just snapped.