Missing Pages

Chapter 28: Pep Rally

Once I was sure that I wasn't being followed, I made an attempt to fix my appearance. With trembling hands, I dabbed at my eyelids and smoothed out any wrinkles in my skirt. I needed to take my mind off of what I lost. 5 tissues and a dash of water later, our homeroom could be heard over the intercom.

"If your class has been called, please report to section 1B in the gym. Thank you!"

I didn't know where section '1B' was, or what that even meant for this matter, but I went along with it. My legs nearly gave out as I progressed up the last of three flights of steps leading to the plastic bleachers. The vice principal, and other members of our school staff guided students to their corresponding areas with ease. A bald man who I assumed to be a fill-in basically shoved me towards the seats. A cursory glance at the crowd before me screamed that the area was deserted. And by deserted, I meant that there were no popular kids in sight. What a bust.

In the midst of all the chaos, I just sat there quietly, being a "good child" as my mother instructed, thinking over the next few weeks. What would I be allowed to do in the days that come? I knew for sure that my parents weren't going to take this lightly.

My thoughts were put to a halt, and my ears perked up at the mention of my name in the conversation going on behind me.

"I honestly don't believe she did it. I mean she barely had any Facebook friends when it broke the web. Jasmine would want as many spectators as humanly possible..."

I turned around to see that it was the nerds who ignored me earlier at lunch. "Yes indeed, Tommyboy. If I did want to cause damage to someone's emotional status, I'd make sure I went out with a bang. Especially if 3 weeks of suspension was guaranteed. Don't try it, I'm living proof that petty offense is not worth the hassle."

Their eyes widened once they realized I heard their discussion.

Veronica was the first to speak. "We didn't see you right there, but I promise that we weren't being mean or anything--"

I stopped her with the wave of my hand. "Yes. The silent treatment totally shows what great, reliable comrades you are."

Kyle made his way up the steps with a pink face, then clumsily plopped down in between the two nerds I knew best out of the clique. His chest was heaving, and he adjusted a new pair of bifocals on his face.

"Well don't you look fancy. I thought you wore contacts," I commented.

"I needed...a break from them, they were a little too much.." he managed to breathe out.

"Dude, you were about to miss the rally," added Tom, "What took you so long?"

"I had to take care of something important."

After that it became real awkward real fast. I let the deafening noise pollution send me to a void of nothingness.

"Hey," Veronica perked up. "How about a celebratory selfie to celebrate?"

"Did you just use 'celebrate' twice?"

"Heck yeah!"

"Self-portraits are overrated."

"Let me get my pom-poms!"

She took out her new phone, assuming it was a yes, although I thought otherwise.

"No can do. My make-up smudged and I can't be revealed as a relative of Rocket Raccoon," I disagreed.

"Don't ever say that about yourself! You never look bad!" Kyle exclaimed a little too fast. That just made the gathering even more weird.