Let Them Talk

(Four)

There is nothing more boring on Earth than talking about high school.

Everyone (or everyone but an infinitely small number) has lived though it, and anyone worth talking to doesn't want to relive it.

That said, I'm going to begin this section where I feel like I have to- Health class.

***

The good state of Maine mandates some form of "Health Education" but not that it be accurate. This basically lets the teacher control how quality your experience is, and Mrs. Barnes is hard to put on that spectrum.

I'm told it's typical to put a condom on a cucumber or some nonsense- Mrs. Barnes bought in a twenty six piece set of, impossible to describe any other way, dildos.

Maine also requires that some kind of abstinence education be taught- I remember a brief, snide mention of it before she proceeded to tell us that as long as we didn't catch anything that "why, she didn't see what was holding us back."

The teen pregnancy rate has miraculously stayed the same in our city since she arrived, fifteen years ago.

Health was the first time that I heard about the paintings (after Madeline showed me).

"It's just flat out slander," began a voice, from within a group peering around someone's phone. "I mean, he's dead."

"I think it's because he-"

"Faggg-"

"James shut up everyone saw you and Eric in that Prius."

"One time, okay, and it wasn't even like a real thing."

"It's, like, the art is good?" someone new says, cutting off the beginning of an argument.

"Is it for an event or something?"

"I'm not sure..."

I tried to focus on labeling parts of the trachea, of which there are few. The discussion circles around, and I can't help but tune back in.

"Maybe we should ask the Institute kid."

"He's only here for like, one class."

"Go back to your own school-"

"James, fuck, shut up."

"Don't be a bitch- ow Jesus don't kick me."

I slide my paper around on the desk and clear my throat. "I...I can ask him, if you want."

Their faces snap towards me. "What?"

"The Institute guy? I'll ask him if he knows anything."

I swear, all of their eyes are equally suspicious. "Thanks, bro," someone says finally, and they turn back to their own work (or conversation- I'm too busy critiquing what an idiot I am to notice).

"Guys? Like, what class-"

"He has Calc third hour or something," a girl snaps, and I am officially excluded from the conversation.

However, the information gained might be worth it.

***

Blaze does not have Calc third hour, he has a free period, like me. I follow him down to the library rather than going to my normal classroom, and sit next to him in one of the study rooms.

"Hey, oh, you're the guy that convinced me to help him vandalize a car and break up a releationship."

I laugh (one of those nervous breathy laughs that make you feel worse than before) and nod. "If you want to phrase it that way, yeah."

He slides open a book and starts copying a passage. "Not to be rude but, ah, do you need something?"

"You...so how bout that painting of Mr. McGovern?"

He glances up. "I haven't seen it yet."

Liar. "Oh, really? It's- very impressive. I heard it was because of his surprise-"

"I couldn't tell you," he says, ducking back to his notes. "But, you know, just speculating, that would be my guess."

"Just speculating, there were probably a few people who did it."

"You could assume so."

"And with all the attention-"

"You might think they'd do it again."

"Institute students, upper level..."

A smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "All valid assumptions."

"I wonder if I might be able to find them?"

"Really?" He's walling himself off now- smart. Don't get caught, unless it's by me, obviously.

"If you had to theorize- like, just a guess- where might I find them?"

"If I had to say," he says slowly, "I might suggest the pier next to the beach where you met me, sometime in the middle of the night. Morning even, before dawn." He looks up, expression unreadable, and blinks. "But that's just a guess."

###

[a/n] I WRITE ONLY TRASH.

Oh my God I need to edit this so bad but I'd never post new chapters if I did-- I'm sorry that this one is late O_O

PLEASE remember to vote if you liked it (knowing you guys are reading makes it harder for me to slack off-- keEP ME AT THE KEYBOARD)

-harper