Mr. Cumberbatch

Chapter 13- Mr. Cumberbatch...?

Nicole is sitting in her car out in the parking lot before school starts. She's patiently waiting for Amanda to enter through her passenger door to begin the usual gossip. It's been about two weeks since her friend was first admitted to the hospital after her car accident. Her healing process has already begun. She no longer needs a cast for her arm considering it was only a sprain, but she does need to continue to walk with crutches or she won't be able to get around anywhere.

"What's up Nicky?" Amanda says through the open car window as she slowly arches her arm around her crutch to open the door.

Nicole reaches over and helps push It open.

"Nicky? Since when have you called me Nicky?" She asks jokingly.

"Since now," Amanda says laughing. She sits on the leather seat and throws her crutches to the back. "I've missed so many things. You have to fill me in. How's your life been lately?"

Nicole smiles knowing this is what Amanda had been looking forward to the entire time she was gone. The Gossip.

"It- It's been good." She says.

Nicole's stress levels are at the lowest she's had the entire school year. Her grades are steady, her mom hasn't been getting on her about her social life, and for once It feels like having Amanda back will make things start to return to normal.

"So, have you and.. you know, 'Mr. C', talked lately or anything?" she asks gesturing with her eyebrows by raising them up and down.

Nicole rubs her arm feeling uncomfortable. "I don't really want to talk about it."

Amanda nods and looks down at Nicole's lit up phone screen.

"New Message!" She gasps. "And who could it be from?"

She picks it up before Nicole could reach it and lets out a high pitched noise only a dog would be able to hear.

"Kevin..." She reads. Her jaw flies open. "Kevin?! You've been talking to Kevin?"

"Oh, shut up!" Nicole says ripping it from her hands and smiling all embarrassed.

She tries to ignore her and looks down at the message.

*

Hey Nicole, I'll be running a little late to school today. It would be great if you could just let Mr. Blenderdick Crackledong, or however you spell his name, know. Thanks :)

*

She can't help but giggle after reading it. Blenderdick Crackledong? That's a good one.

Amanda lightly punches Nicole's side. "Smiling at your phone screen I see there, ehh?"

"No, Amanda. It's not like that. We're just friends."

She looks over to the clock above her car radio and back at Amanda. "We have to leave! The bell will ring at any minute!"

They both scurry out of the car and to the building as fast as they possibly can, even with one of them on crutches.

Once inside, they split off into separate directions; Amanda to the school office, and Nicole to Mr. Cumberbatch's classroom. She decides that if she wants to make it in time, she has to skip putting things away at her locker. She doesn't want to be on Mr. Cumberbatch's bad side, even though she knew she probably already was. They haven't contacted each other about the teacher's assistant job ever since the day they met up at the café. He more than likely is mad at himself for falling for girl nearly half his age.

Nicole enters slyly through the doorway hoping no one would call her out for being a minute or two late. She searches the room and sees all the desks are filled up but three; Kevin's, hers, and Mr. Cumberbatch's. She slides into her desk in the back and places her bag filled with all her schoolbooks underneath.