Phoenix

Chapter 3: throw up and sexy jewelry

Tuesday and Wednesday, Ryker doesn't do anything other than what he did at school on Monday. He sits as close to me as possible, but the teacher noticed the tension between the two of us, and to Ryker's protests, she moves him to the front Right of the room in first period. I could kiss Mrs. Nellin

Ryker doesn't mention the rod, or how the heck he made it out my window and through the woods. I want to tell my friends, but they would think I was crazy, so instead I just mull over what he did as Ryker watches me all throughout school.

"you should ask him out." Katy whispers next to me, "He doesn't look like he would say no."
"Who?" I look over at her.
"Ryker!" Simon butts in and answers for Katy, "He obviously likes you, you guys would be cute together!"
"You sound like a girl Simon." I smile at Simon, "I don't like him anyways, you guys know I'm not interested in that kind of relationship."
"Oh we know." Katy jabs me in the side, "Jaryd probably would have asked you by now if you were."
"Jaryd?" I look at Katy like she's crazy "Why would Jaryd have asked me?"
"Cuz he's got the hots for ya honey bunches." Simon says in a funny voice and waves his hands in the air, and waggles his eyebrows for a finishing touch.

"Stop it honey boo boo." I slug Simon in the arm "He's like a little brother anyways, he acts like Tanya."
"Hold up there you two rednecks," Katy's eyes have wondered away to a different part of the room, and we follow her gaze.
"Looks like Sidney beat ya to it red." Katy points to what we are now looking at. Sidney Webbers is talking to Ryker, her cheeks turning red when he answers her. I can't hear what they're saying, but I don't really care. Sidney can have that guy. She writes something on a piece of paper and hands it to Ryker, a smile and nice little blush ever growing on her face.

Ryker again turned his gaze back to me and my friends as soon as Sidney went back to her seat. I leaned over to Katy,
"I bet that she gave him her number."
"Yeah, and I bet she gave him someone else's digits too." she pauses for emphasis, "The condom distributor's number."
We both try to stifle out laughter and even Simon smiles, overhearing our joke.

Ryker just continues to look at the three of us, but then switches his gaze over to Katy, staring at her now. Katy looks up to follow my gaze, but as soon as her eyes meet Ryker's, her face turns a strange shade of white. She begins sweating, and her eyes seem to bulge out of her head, and she seems to have lost all of her strength suddenly.

"Katy?" I look at her with concern and place my hand to her forehead. Her slick head is burning with fever! How could she be good one moment and then the next she seems to need medication?

"Are you okay?" Simon notices too, and turns his eyes on her as well, "Katy?"

Katy's face suddenly turns a sickly green color.

"When you all see my lunch," She grabs her stomach and covers her mouth,"You can ask it."
Katy quickly stands up from the seat and runs over to the trash can in the back of the classroom, the one closest to us. She doubles over and I look away as she gives her breakfast up to the plastic trash bag, leaving the rest of the class horrified.

"There's no way I'm asking that." Simon turns away from the scene in front of us, disgusted.

"I will gladly second that governor." I look away from Katy and search for a new place to put my eyes. My eyes mindlessly wonder to Ryker who, instead of looking away like the other students, looks directly at Katy, no expression on his face. I don't know how it would be possible, but I have a feeling deep down in my gut that says this incident has Ryker's name all over it.

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When 8th period rolls around, I don't have a friend in my class to sit next to since Katy was sent home sick, raging with an inexplicable fever. I still sit in my normal spot in the corner of the classroom, only this time, I have an empty seat next to me. I doodle on my English notebook, waiting for class to start. The second bell rings and Mr. Garner still hasn't come to class yet. Neither has Ryker.