If Only It Were That Simple

Chapter 17- Truth Slip

Connor-

Johnny Williams just unnerves me. He's a jerk, and Lorrie lets him walk all over her.

"How can you just let him treat you like that?" I whisper to her as she writes up the lab and I'm illustrating it. Rose and Patrick talking quietly in the back.

"I don't really have a choice." She answers, "We need the money, or I need the money." Her voice trails off and I barely catch the last part of her statement. I work silently and wonder what Lorrie Scott would need money for if she lives in a huge mansion and her mother is a A-list Attorney. "Write up is done." She announces, "When you finish your illustrations, would you turn it in?" She asks. Without waiting for my answers she heads straight for Johnny to help him with his work. Right until the bell. Johnny darts as soon as class is let out and Lorrie stays to clean up after him. She hums quietly, a beautiful unfamiliar tune as she works. It must be a show tune. I know most other songs.

"Why do you put up with him?" I ask her as I walk over to help her clean up the papers, "And clean up after him."

"Like I said, we need the money." She sticks to her answer gathering the books from the desk and turning in the papers. She proceeds to gather her own books and place them strategically in her hands so she ca walk out of class with her crutches. "Look, Connor, it's really sweet that you're so concerned about me and you want to help me. But I can't and won't go into details about my life to someone I hardly know." She grabs her bag and heads for the door. A boy with a mop of shaggy brown hair meets her at the door greeting her with a hug. He takes her books and her bag from her adding it to his already precarious load. He waits for her to exit the room before following her out. Lorrie pauses and her friend waits, "Have a nice weekend Connor." She flashes me a smile before they both walk out of sight.

"It's her brother Connor." Someone says making me spin around, because I thought I was the only one left.

"What are you still dong here?" I ask him  grabbing my books and heading for the door.

"Forgot my book." He answers holding up his science book.

"Why do I feel like you're following me around, reading my mind, and know everything to know about me?" I ask him, "How do you know it's Lorrie's brother? How do you even know she has a brother?"

"He showed me around the school today, and where all my classes were. He loves talking about Lorrie." He answers, "But why does it matter who he is?"

"It doesn't." I insist.

"Admit it Connor, you like her. It's pretty obvious, even if you've only talked to her for a week and I'm just the new kid. The way you look at her, you're protective over her, when you talk about her your demeanor changes."

"Patrick," I begin, "How is it that you know everything about me, yet I know next to nothing about you?" I ask him.

"You'll have to figure that one out on your own. I have to run." He answers waving as he walks out, "I'll see you in history on Monday." He leaves me completely alone in the science room mulling over what he said. Finally after thinking too hard and making my head hurt I head home.