Note to self: learn social skills

Chapter 4

CH 4
Hey! Sorry, I went out of town longer than I expected. But I'm back. Enjoy!

Did everyone read chapter 3? It got messed up and didn't alert people, so make sure you read it!

CH 4

Wednesday passes without incident, mainly because I purposefully come into chemisty late and leave as soon as the bell rings so I don't have to even look at Hal. I'm dreading Thursday though. I know Hal is angry at me about the dinner thing. Of course, I can't imagine why seeing as how it's his own dumb fault that he got in trouble.

Thursday I wake up and tell Mom I'm sick.

"You don't look sick." She says.

"Well I am." I reply grumpily, sitting at the kitchen table.

She looks at me, handing me a Pop-Tart, "Tell you what, Katie, if this illness is not about Hal Monroe, then you can stay home. But if it is about Hal, then you have to go."

"But why?" I whined.

She smiled a little, handing me my backpack, "Sooner or later, sweetheart, you have to learn these lessons."

"I'm not learning any lessons. He's just going to torture me."

She smiles and pats my head like I'm five, "Katie, he's not going to torture you. Now, off you go. You don't want to miss music time, do you?"
I sigh, grab my violin and head out of the door. Obviously my mom is way more out of it than I thought. Too many long hours.

School drags on without mention, as it normally does. Bland generic waves of the same information given in slightly different ways every year. Because of the monotony of school, lunch is the most exciting time of day for most students. Like my friends.

The day is sunny and unusually warm for November so the seniors flock to our picnic spot outside of the cafeteria. I settle with Ruth and Lily on the table by the door. This table, I realized at the beginning of semester, designates our social status. We're not total outcasts, like the wanna-be punk kids who flip out rubics cubes and playing cards by the road to the dumpsters. But we're definitely not Hal and Whatever-Her-Name-Is and their crew, sitting on the brick retaining wall, their feet resting rebelliously on the table below.

I'm eating my lunch, minding my own business, when I see Ruth roll her eyes, "There he goes again. Doesn't she know what'll happen to her."

"Yea, she gets to date the hottest guy in school." Lily whispers reverently.

I roll my eyes too and look over to the brick wall and see something that makes my stomach churn. Whatever-Her-Name-is is sitting in Hal's lap. I mean, gross! Who does that? Get a room, seriously.

"What's with the look, Katie?" Ruth asks.

"Well, they're totally gross." I reply, "It's just so rude for them to be like that in the courtyard where everyone has to see them."

"Your face is red." Lily observes passively.

"Well he makes me really mad. He just uses women."

"I think she knows what she's doing." Ruth tells me.

"Whatever." I grumble.

"What's up?"

I feel my face go extra red as I realize James is behind me. I spin around too quickly and end up colliding my face with his stomach. His rock hard stomach.

"Watch out, Katie." He says with a smile.

"Yea.. um... I'm watching... out."

He grins and leans over, his arm nearly touching mine as he rests his weight on our table, "So you're coming to the football party on Sunday, right?" he asks.