Prep School

Chapter 41

I shoot up from where I'm laying.
I whirl my head around, looking at my hands and my arms.
I look to the side and see Zane. His brows are scrunched together, and his eyes are soft.
"You o-"
He doesn't finish.
I throw my arms around his neck, hugging him tight.
He freezes then wraps his arms around me.
"What's wrong?"
I push away from him. "You bum! What's wrong?! You just sent me into a weird, twisted universe!"
"I don't really remember doing that."
I sigh and hug him again. I bury my face into his shoulder.
"I'm just glad you don't hate me."
"I don't what now?"
"Nevermind."
As I pull away, he says,"That thing that I did, I was hitting a pressure point. It made you fall asleep. Whatever happened after that was your subconscious."
I have a seriously messed up subconscious.
"Why'd you do that anyway?"
"To see if you could stay calm in an unknown situation."
"Well, for your information, I did."
"Then why are you sweating?"
I huff. "I'm not sweating."
"Yeah, you are."
He takes my hand and holds it up against my forehead.
It comes away wet and cold.
"Was your dream really that bad?"
"It wasn't that bad. It wasn't anything I couldn't handle," I add.
Lies.
"If you say so."
He stands up and holds out a hand to pull me up.
I grip it and swing up. I grab my stuff and we walk to the car.

"How does the shape of a beak show what a bird eats?" I read aloud.
"How the hell am I supposed to know," I mutter, flipping through my textbook.
I jot down the answer and go to the next one. Music streams into my ears and I hum along, doing my homework.
"Why are you so quiet?"
I look up and see Riel standing in the door frame.
"I'm studying."
"That's weird. Stop that."
I make a face. "What?"
"Studying."
"You make no sense."
"Whatever. You want some ice cream? Mom just bought some."
I jump out of my chair and go downstairs.
I rush into the kitchen, panting.
"Where.....the......ice cream?"
My mom looks at me and laughs.
"The freezer."
I swing it open and pull out the box.
"Hey! Save some for me!"
Riel pushes past me, grabbing at the box.
I snatch it away from him and grab a spoon. I rip open the lid and scoop out a bite.
It melts in my mouth in bursts of chocolate and mint.
"Ahhhhhh," both me and Riel let out a content sigh.
We go to sit down on the couch, scooping out ice cream.
Riel flicks on the TV and we watch a movie, Emperor's New Groove, I think.
We laugh as we watch. We snicker loudly at almost every scene. When Kuzko turns into a lama and goes over the waterfall with Pacha. And when Yzma turns into a kitty. When Kronk talks to his angel and devil and cuts the chandelier.
After the movie's done, Riel and I mess around, acting it out.
Mom and Dad come out an watch us make fools of ourselves, practically laughing themselves to death.
Mom wipes a tear from her eye. "I remember when you two were younger, you were inseparable. Like twins. It was adorable! You guys had little matching onesies and everything."
"Didn't they have matching diapers too? If only you guys were still like that," Dad says, wrapping an arm across Mom's shoulders.
Riel and I glance at each other, making faces.
"Mom, you made it weird," I say.
"Yeah, Shorty and I have an understanding."
"Not anymore we don't!"
I chase him as he runs around the living room. He runs into a wall and falls down, grinning.
I punch him in the shoulder.
"Ow! Damn, Aria!"
"Riel! Watch your language!" Mom glares at him.
I stick my tongue out. "Yeah Riel, watch your language."
He starts to stand up. I run upstairs, giggling.
I run into my room, collapsing on my chair.
Riel calls up.
"You're lucky I'm too lazy to go up there!"
"Yeah, yeah."
I smile to myself and finish up my homework.