Verge of Insanity

Chapter Three

Mara Leigh

The next day I walked into Anatomy determined that it was going to be a good day. No matter what Ella Barton did to me, and no matter what kind of panic entered my mind about what would happen after school, I was going to make it a good day.

Beau was smiling at me from his seat at our table and I noticed that he'd already got the cat out and the tools were there ready for use. How sweet, I thought, smiling.

"I figured I could go ahead and get everything ready since I know how much you hate getting the cat out," he said as I sat down.

"Is it that obvious that I hate it?" I wondered out loud.

He laughed. "You always make that face that looks like you're going to lose your breakfast when you have to get the cat out."

I laughed along with him, loving that he wasn't teasing me about it. "What can I say? It stinks!"

It was a good way to start the day. But good things never last. 

Uninvited, Ella came to visit our table. It seemed fate was accepting the challenge of not letting me make this a good day. 

I was surprised how much it irritated me that she stood so close to Beau. Probably because I don't have the balls to try standing closer than a foot to him.

"Do you mind showing me how you outlined the latissimus dorsi?" she asked him, looking shy.

Wow, Blondie knows big words.

"Well," Beau replied, smiling politely, "I truthfully don't know. That was Mara Leigh's doing. She's really good. If you ask, she might just show you."

I couldn't stop the blush and when I saw Ella glaring at me from the corner of my eye, I knew she had seen it. That wasn't good. She wouldn't do anything in front of Beau, but I would get it at lunch.

"No," Ella finally said. "That's okay."

Beau totally misjudged her answer. "There ain't no shame in asking someone for help, Ella. I did, and now I've got a lab partner that knows what she's doing, and a study partner that I trust can help me pass this class."

"Study partner?" Ella raised an eyebrow.

Oh crap. I'm dead. Thanks, hottie. I probably won't make it to the study session tonight. But you can come to my funeral.

"Yeah, we're going to start studying and stuff. You should find someone to try it with."

I'm so dead. So dead. 

I could see the muscles in Ella's face twitching and could tell how hard it was for her to plaster a smile on her face. But she did and went back to her table, where she sat and glared at me for the rest of the class. 

When I entered the lunchroom after Anatomy, I entered discreetly, trying to blend in with the crowd so maybe Ella wouldn't see me. I didn't get any lunch, because I figured I would end up wearing it if I did. And I really wanted to go sit at someone elses table so maybe she wouldn't be able to find me as easily. But I didn't. I sat where I always sit and waited for what I knew would come. 

When I felt a tap on my shoulder I knew who it was. Wonder if she's gonna switch it up  to orange juice this time?

I slowly turned around to face Ella. Her face was contorted in visible anger. I knew I was in for it. I tensed, waiting for a punch. But none came. Instead she spoke in an amazingly calm tone.

"Are you two dating?"

Not what I expected. 

"No," I answered.