Off the Charts

Chapter 3

Chapter 3
In school the next day I can't help but notice that every time I see Celia, Ronan is no where in sight and vice-versa.
When I walk into my english class, Ronan's saved a seat right beside himself for me. I sit down in that chair and we turn to each other and continue our conversation from last night. As he had to leave in the middle when his dad called. He told me that his parents were also split up and that his mother's now in jail for dancing at a strip-club while drunk, and hi-jacking a car to run from the cops.
She got tazed.
People kept looking at us like someone upset the balance between the top and bottom of the charts. They look like they're trying to figure out if I've risen to the top, or if I've dragged Ronan to the bottom. When their confusion turns to disgust I could tell that they've decided on option number two.
Mr. Rick walks into the classroom and we're all silenced by the bell. We spoke about our debate topics and everyone else had gotten ahead of Ronan and I because when they entered each other's homes yesterday they spoke about homework. Ronan and I did everything but. Hell, we even had a Nerf battle with Loki! But now that we're in class we have to get stuff done.
Yea.... I don't know if that's going to happen. We try our best to talk about what we should debate. Politics? Boring. The death penalty? Scary. High school "charts"? Too close to home. So we speak about Celia. And me.
"So, you and Celia were friends?" Ronan asks.
"Yuh, huh." I answer.
"Like best friends?" He continues.
"Yes sir." I reply.
"And she betrayed you with that... um... secret?" Ronan questions.
"Absolutely correct." I nod my head.
"Right," he trails off.
"What's wrong?" I ask and his head is hung low.
"Nothing. I was about to ask another question but I can't." He explains.
"What question? Ask away. I thought we were friends. You can ask anything. I won't get offended, I swear." I assure him.
"Well, I was gonna ask if you changed your mind about... me?" He spits out. I blink in shock. Oh Ronan.
"Ronan, I'm worried you won't like me."
"But I do!"
"But you won't be ready to go from number one on the charts to number 'non-existent'. You wouldn't like me after that. I'd bring you down, you'd break my heart and go running back to her." I say softly.
"What if I bring you to the top. And we kick Celia out." Ronan suggests. As much as I want to love him I can't do this to him. But I do love his offer. The bell rings and I walk away. Away from ELA, away from Ronan, away from me.
I go through my classes as usual and leave for the parking lot after ninth period.
My mom is waiting there for me in a car I've never seen before. I open the passenger side door and sit in the seat. I close the door behind me and drop my stuff in the back of the brand-new, stunning, white Saloon.
"You got yourself a new car?" I ask Mom.
"No." I'm confused. "I got you a new car. You've had your license for a year now and I finally got up enough money to--" I cut her off with a hug.
"It's beautiful Mom, I love it!"
"Did you bring your license?" She asks and I whip it out of my pocket.
"Never leave home without it." I say and I drive home today. It's official. I'm the only Junior, in my school right now, to have a car. It makes me feel good about myself. Until Celia drives up in her matching white Saloon.
"Her mother and I planned this!" My mom exclaims.
I scream at her in my mind. Celia and my mom roll down their windows and talk to each other at the red-light. Then Celia calls to me.
"Hey Pey! Nice ride!" She squeals. I ignore her.
"Be nice! I thought you guys are friends!" Mom whisper-screams.
"We were! That ended FRESHMAN YEAR!" I start out whispering but end up yelling the last part so Celia can hear. My mom is in the middle of apologizing to Celia when the light turns green and I drive away, as fast as the speed limit will allow.
As I drive my mom scolds me and threatens to "confiscate" my license. I ignore her all the while. Instead I think about Ronan.
When we arrive home and I slowly ease the car into the driveway I'm still ignoring my mom. Finally she turns to me.
"You're grounded." She says bluntly and I simply walk up to my room and pull out my cell phone. She never grounds me from my cell phone. She only grounds me from going out of the house. But I never have anywhere to go.
I open up my tiny flip phone and check the screen. I'm shocked at what I see. But only a little bit.
The notification reads: 107 new messages
And then the usual: Reply or Deny, underneath. The strangest part? Only 39 of those are from Ronan. The rest are from some guy named Noah Michelson.
That's funny. I'm not sure I know anyone with that name. I am thinking as I read the first few messages.
Noah: Hey Paisley?
Noah: You probably don't know me. Maybe because I'm at the bottom of the charts at school.
Noah: So the thing is... I've liked you since freshman year.
Noah: I see the popular kids pick on you the same way they pick on me. but I like how you keep your head high and push through.
Noah: And how you stood up to "Queen Celia" the other day. You were amazing.
Noah: I love you.
Excuse me?!?!
This is ridiculous. Of course Ronan would go through all this trouble to try to get me to like him. Why am I not surprised, but pretending to be someone else? This is a new type of low. He doesn't even like me! He's just trying to get information out of me.
Ugh. I HATE HIM!!!!
I'm never talking to him again. I'll ask Mr. Rick to switch partners with Paula. I'm done with getting my words flipped and twisted. I'm done with Celia. I'm done with 'Cool Kids'. I'm done with Ronan!