Straighter than Parallel Parking

≈ t w e n t y - n i n e ≈

{Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Diablo Family Lives Up to Its Namesake}

FLIPPING THROUGH A REVISION BOOKLET, Janice bites into her apple and tries to avoid staining her pages with the droplets of juice lingering on her chin.

Readjusting herself in the school library's uncomfortable chairs, she stretches the knotted muscles in her back due to sitting in the same position for so long.

"And this is why Albert Einstein's theory of..." Janice mumbles to herself, trying to engrave the laws into her memory.

Being just shy of a few days from April is enough to leave her cramming as much information in her head as she could before her impending midterms.

"Hey, Janice?"

Janice blinks, bookmarking her section of reading with a fingertip as she turns her head to the source of the voice.

A girl her age stares right back intensely, timidly shuffling her feet beside the wooden table Janice is currently sitting at.

"Uh, I'm in your Biology class," she says, "I'm Donna. I was actually wondering if I could study at this table with you?" She points dumbly to the empty chair beside Janice. "I mean, it's fine if you don't feel comfortable, but I've always done better when I've studied with someone else."

"Oh," Janice says. "Oh. Um, yeah, of course."

Janice laughs awkwardly, internally wincing at the awkward pauses. "Um, so what do you want to study first? I mean, I've been sitting in study hall for almost half this entire period and I still only cracked through thirty pages." She lifts the right flap of paper in her book as emphasis.

Donna nods. "Well, I was with a group of science helpers a while ago but they had to leave for another class. We were focusing on the study of cells, like biochemistry—diagrams and stuff. Just so you should know, I hate labelling things with a huge passion."

Janice lets out a whistle. "Trying to memorize the periodic table is trying to understand Russian for me. If anything, I'll probably start another Cold War."

Donna cracks a smile. "I can help you! I'm a huge science nerd, even if theories make me want to tear my hair out. Seriously, every time I think I have a formula down, I end up switching science subjects. Man, I put the equation for mass in my chemistry class once."

Janice gapes, giggling. "You think that's bad? I only took Biology because I might become a Phys. Ed teacher when I grow up, and I'm telling you, I once sang 'head and shoulders' during my exam."

"Damn," Donna says, letting out a low whistle. "I memorized that body-bone song on Hannah Montana once. Did it help?"

"Maybe. But I think my teacher reported me for suspicious behaviour."

"Nice," says Donna, "I guess we can work out some of the revision together. I haven't actually started the second section yet and two minds working together is better than one."

"I think the only reason I stay in school is because I know my dad's paying for me to go here," Janice teases.

Even though she'd been trying for a light attempt at bad humour, Janice catches Donna's eyes tightening at the sides, a strain around her lips. "Donna? Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Donna says, opening her book quietly. "It's just—well, I'm actually here on scholarship."

"Oh." Janice, sometimes I wonder why God had so many different particles in the universe, but ended up making the mess you are. "Well—I mean, that's amazing! You're, like, insanely smart, yeah? I wish I was like you."