It's Complicated

Chapter 17: Kacey Eton

I slide awkwardly into the desk in my fifth period English class. Placing the crutches loaned to me by the school nurse on the floor, I take off my book bag and pull out my English binder. I get a few glances from my classmates, but I pretend I don’t notice them. While pulling out my bell work notebook and turning to the most recent date, I catch a few more glances, which I ignore. As I pull out my pencil, I read the bell work displayed on the overhead.

If you could have any super power, what would it be? Why?

Hmm. I wonder if naturally high endurance, physical strength, vision, and healing would count. I laugh to myself and get a few more glances. I return some of their glances this time with glares. I would like to tell them to buzz off, but I leave it alone. I hunch over my paper and write about the topic I had been expecting Mr. Reed to give us all year. Every teacher I have ever had has asked this question, and I answer it exactly the same way every time.

If I could have any super power, I would want to be able to turn invisible. I think it would be funny to be able to pull pranks on people, and they’ll never know it was you!

I would say flying, but it’s terribly over-used, so I chose something a bit more original. I turn my head right as Jordan walks in the room. Oh jeez, here come the questions! When she walks in and notices me, her mouth drops to the floor. The crutches are in perfect view. She runs over to me, almost trampling a kid in her mad dash.

“I think you just ran that kid over,” I say casually as she reaches me. She ignores my statement and lifts me out of my seat by pressing my shoulders into each other and pushing up. I stand up and wince when my foot hits the desk leg.

She questions, “What happened to your foot?” Her finger skims my cheek. “And your cheek?” I forgot about the cut on my cheek from the dagger. I rub the cut, feeling that a scab has formed over the cut.

“I fell running to school after I missed the bus and twisted my ankle,” I say. Her not being here third period gave me some time to add more to my story.

“Geez, I miss a few hours, and look what you do to yourself,” she mumbles. She let’s go of my shoulders. “Why were you chasing the bus? Why didn’t Travis take you?”

I nod my head towards his empty desk and reply “He didn’t come to pick me up this morning. I guess he’s not feeling well or something.” I shrug my shoulders as if I really didn’t know, and I hope I pulled off the act. She seems to buy it. Her attention goes back to the cut on my cheek.

“That’s a really straight cut from face-planting the sidewalk,” she comments, almost as if to herself.

“I never said I face-planted!” I exclaim, giving her a little push. She goes to push me back, but then thinks twice about it. “I must have just hit something when I…”

“Face-planted?” she asks, smiling. I decide to just go with it.

“Shut up!” I laugh. I lightly push her again. This time, she gives me a little shove. I wince.

“Oh my gosh! I’m sorry!” she says quickly. A slight crease of worry appears on her forehead. A smile cracks my lips.

“Kidding!” I laugh. I know she was only worried about me, but I can’t believe she fell for it. Then again, I do believe she would.

“Jerk!” she says, laughing. She pushes me again, this time a little harder. This time, my foot hits the ground, causing me to actually wince. She seems confused as to if she actually did damage, or if I’m just faking it. I shake my head, dismissing it, and sit back down. She pulls a seat over next to mine and sits down.