“Everyone has handed...in...their...projects...so...” Ms. Nelson mutters leisurely. There is no such thing as all the time in the world. “I have...your...marks.”
“Already?” Nicole hisses, shocked. “She talks like a sloth, but grades like a cheetah.”
Ms. Nelson slaps each rubric backside up on each desk. I swallow. I flip it over nervously. There is a 96% on the sheet. I smile contently. My three hours of no sleep paid off. Last week, I had to stay up and finish my part of the project.
“What do you get?” I ask Marilyn.
“92%,” she says proudly. “How about you?”
“96.” I hate getting better grades than my friends. I feel as if I have brought down their self-esteem, but at the same time, I feel achieved by my intelligence and hardwork.
“You are so good,” she remarks genuinely.
“If you say so.”
She faces the front of the class afterward. I survey Leo three seats away from me. The expression that is plastered on her face is strange for her. She is leaning on her chin on her hand. There is a dreamy expression in her eyes. I doubt she is looking at the teacher—for sure. The people in the first row and second row are both girls. She is definitely not crushing on the girls unless she is a lesbian. I know her too well to assume that she will like girls. The two people that are left on the row are Dylan and Tyler.
I have a weird feeling that she might be crushing on Tyler. Why am I thinking like this? Why will one of the 5ies betray me like that? Even if she does like him, she would have spoken up. It will be against the rules if you do not tell your members the significant secrets, such as crushes, especially when Leo is the one who created the rules.
No, I am being silly. Leo will never be that distrustful she always has my back and I will do the same. I should be able to trust her...right? NO! Leo is trustworthy. End of story.
“Leo, what do you get?” Holly asks.
She does not answer. Her facial expression is still in another world.
“Leo? Leo? Leo?!” she exclaims, reaching her limit to explosion.
She still does not pay any attention. Wow, is this I when I am daydreaming?
“LEO!” Marilyn hollers.
Leo’s head jerks up. “What? What do I miss?”
“Holly is asking you something,” Marilyn says, gesturing to Holly.
“Oh, sorry, Holly,” Leo apologizes. “I was sort of...”
Holly waves her hand at Leo. “It is okay.” She does not bother telling her, looking provoked.
Leo puts her head down shamefully. What is she thinking about? What can be so important that she is daydreaming about, that Holly, of all people, will get annoyed?
When class ends, we rush for recess. I stuff my hands in my jacket pockets. Today is so cold you can see your breath as clear as day. Sometimes I pretend to make a cigarette in cold days like these.
“What do you think happened with Leo?” I inquire.
Leo is inside finishing her math homework that she forgot to do it. Leo always executes her homework. It is not like her to not do her homework.
“I’m not sure, but it seems suspicious,” Marilyn replies.
“What really doesn’t make sense is how she did not finish her homework. She always finishes it,” Holly adds.
YOU ARE READING
Red ✔
Teen FictionPEOPLE CAN CHANGE IF YOU LET THEM. Scarlet Moore and Clive McNeil have been at each other's throat for over nine years, ever since he flushed her favourite pink bag in JK. However, in Grade 8, Clive changes into a totally different person. He is [m...
