...smile because it happened...

#2- The Staring Game

My alarm went off at precisely 6:01 am. I have a personal problem with people who choose to wake up at 6:00 because that's to early and people who wake up at 6:30 are just lazy. So I wake up at 6:01 every week day morning.

I can hear my mom knocking on the door and calling for me to wake up.

"Let's go Jamie! Time to get up!" She calls out.

I roll out of my bed and walked to my bathroom. I turn on the shower and for lack of a better way to say it, showered. Then I grab a pair of jeans and pull on a shirt. I meet my mom on the stairs down to the kitchen

"Ready for your 2nd to last day of school before Christmas Break?" She asks.

I roll my eyes and hurry down the stairs ahead of her. I pop an Eggo in the microwave and get to work making my lunch. After I eat breakfast, I shove my lunchbox into my backpack, grab my gym bag and run out to the bus stop just in time to catch the bus.

{---}

My first period class is Science with Ms. Spalding. She is a tall women with piercing green eyes and red hair. As I walk into class, those eyes land on me for no identifiable reason.

"Good morning Ms. Daly." Ms. Spalding said.

"Good morning." I reply slowly.

Then I walk to my desk and sit down, ready for another boring day of note taking, PowerPoint presentation watching, and lecture listening.

All throughout Science, Ms. Spalding is watches me, as if she is trying to drill a hole straight through my head with her eyes.

During second, third, and fourth period I am also acutely aware of the fact that my various teachers are watching me. Very intently. During second period Mr. Chen asked me if I had done something different with my hair, which I hadn't. Then he proceeded to stair at my hair for the whole class. During third and fourth period, Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Botswell asked me how I was doing and then both watched me through the whole class period. During 5th period though, I made a point of avoiding Mrs. Arnold's gaze so I don't know if she was looking at me or not. She probably was.

As I was recounting all this to my best friend, Callie Brooks, she asked me a question that jolted me up and made me stare at her.

"When's the next time your dad is coming home?" She asked.

Callie knows not to talk about my dad with me! I've told her like three billion times! Why would she ask that!?! I'm trying to tell her about my weird morning! I thought.

"Uh...don't know." I said, stuffing my mouth with a cookie so as to avoid answering any further dad related questions.

After lunch, I slip out of the cafeteria without Callie because I am fuming mad at her. I slide into my seat in Mr. Hopkins' 6th period Spanish 1 class. I watch closely as other students file in and take their seats. They all seem so careless, as if they all have zero problems and perfect lives with perfect families. It makes me even more furious so when Mr. Hopkins walks into the room, I am about to burst.

About a minute and a half later, Mr. Hopkins asks me some question about verbs or something and I look up and stare at him blankly.

"Jamie? Are you still with us or has your mind wondered elsewhere?" Mr. Hopkins asks.

"Uh sorry." I say, "Will your please repeat the question?"

Mr. Hopkins does and I answer in a manner that while does provide the correct information, it makes me sound like a drunk little baby. I put my head down after answering because I realize that Mr. Hopkins has been watching me as well and it's starting to get to me.

I am to out of it to notice if my 7th or 8th period teachers are staring at me or watching me like a hawk but at this point, I don't even care anymore.

Let the teachers watch and stare at whoever they choose to watch and stare at! I think.

{---}

That afternoon, after 8th period, I go to my locker and grab my things. I avoid talking to or making eye contact with anyone as I walk out of the building. I find my bus and slip into Seat #12. I am so zoned out that I don't even realize when Callie comes on the bus and slides into the seat next to me.

"Jamie. Jamie! Jaaaaamie...." I suddenly hear Callie and whip around.

"What?" I demand.

Callie, taken aback, said "Oh uh...I was just gonna say that I am sorry for asking you about you dad at lunch today, I know you hate it when I do that."

"It's fine." I mutter and go back to staring out the window.

The bus is moving now and I can tell that we are moving at a normal speed but it feels like we are practically going backwards. I see trees and houses passing but to me, it seems as though they are passing at a speed that is simply ridiculously way to slow for a school bus to be moving.

Eventually, after what feels like an eternity, the bus wheezes to a stop in front of my house. I turn to get up and am surprised to find that Callie is not there anymore.

She didn't say goodbye to me? Of course she didn't. I was being a complete unadulterated raving bitch to her. No one says goodbye to complete unadulterated raving bitches, even if they are best friends. My mind was spinning as I headed into my house. 

I walked into the kitchen and my mom was on the phone, talking quickly. She hung up when I walked in and looked at me as if I had walked in on her planning Christmas. Weird.

"Uh." I said, as a form of greeting.

"How was school!?!" My mom asked, a little too enthusiastically.

"Fine." I said.

"You ready for you game tonight honey?"

Oh right. My game. I had totally forgotten. Basketball. Right. My schools freshman girls basketball team had a game today. No wait, the team was playing first round in the State Championship tournament tonight...And I am the captain of said team! I suddenly remembered everything and grinned.

"Yeah I'll go suite up!" I said and smiled, tonight was going to be fun.