Lessons from a Rude Boy

Upsets

“Hey Addi!” a voice I did not recognize called out as entered school on Monday morning.

            “Hey,” I answered, trying to remember where I had seen the boy before, was he in my physics class?

            “Great party Friday night,” he smiled, giving me a whack on the shoulder before moving on, which kept him from glimpsing my beet red face.

            “Hey A,” a blonde girl smiled at me from across the hall, waving her hand wildly. I glanced over my shoulder and then back at her, “Yes you silly,” she laughed.

            “Hey,” I waved shortly, trying to turn the other way.

            “Addison in the house,” someone shouted and then and array of hands were patting me on the back.

            “Yo Adds, Hey Addi, Hey Girl, Party Animal,” were thrown from every which way. Dear god was everyone there that night?

            “Hey,” finally a familiar voice cut through the ruckus.

            “Hey,” I turned gratefully to him, “please get me out of here.”

            “Why does it seem that I am always rescuing you lately?” he laughed, grabbing my hand and pulling me from the fray.

            Shouts of disappoint followed me, but then they erupted once again, “See ya later Addi,” some yelled, while others threw out, “Got another one this weekend,” and then there was one more, “Can’t wait to see those moves of yours again.”

            “Kill me,” I groaned.

            “You’re a celebrity now,” he smiled back at me.

            “Shut up,” I grumbled. “Have you seen Izzy this morning?” I settled into my chair.

            “Nope,” he leaned forward, dropping my bag next to me. “Did you ever find your phone?”

            All of Sunday Mason and I had inspected every square inch of Michael’s house looking for my phone, but it never turned up and to top it all off I hadn’t heard from Izzy since last seeing her Friday night.

            “No,” he shrugged, “I’m sure they will both turn up.”

            “I hope so,” my eyes were trained on the door as the last bell sounded.

            “Well I better get to class,” he laughed leaning down to kiss my head.

            “I’ll see you at lunch,” I called after him, but he was already darting out of the room.

            Lunch was eventful, apparently I was now the newest member of every single clique assembled in my school. Jocks were pulling at my arms, begging me to come sit with them, while the cheerleaders were yelling loudly that they wanted to sit with me first. It was chaotic, embarrassing, confusing, but nothing compared to the panic that I was feeling when I realized izzy wasn’t at lunch either. She never showed up to our first class, but I had hoped maybe she was just late, though now it seemed she was simply not here.

            “Alright everyone,” Mason’s voice cut through the argument that had erupted while I stood undecided in the middle of the lunch room. “How about you let my girlfriend go so she can actually eat her lunch?”

            “Booo,” some jeered, but Mason was already pulling me out of the overcrowded room.

            “We really need to do something about your crazed fans,” he laughed, finally stopping us outside the door, where the argument was still being shouted across the large room.

            “Izzy never showed up,” though it did not pertain to his statement, his brow creased.

            “Really?”

            “Yea,” I shook my head up at him, “I even tried calling her from the office, but she didn’t answer. I’m really worried Mason.”        

            “Well then let’s go,” he started moving us toward the entrance.

            “Where?”

            “To her house of course,” he shook his head down at me, “sometimes I wonder about your intelligence.”

            “Ditto,” I quipped with a smile.

            “Cheeky.”

            Upon entering Izzy’s messy room and seeing her curled up into a sobbing ball, tissues surrounding her quivering form I quickly dismissed Mason.

            “You should go,” I kissed his cheek and without waiting for a reply pushed him from the room.

            “Iz?” I approached the bed as though she was a wild animal, capable of striking at any time.

            “Addi?” she wailed, not bothering to sit up.

            “What’s wrong Izzy?” Cautiously I lowered myself next to her.

            “Your-your-your-,” her sobs hindered the words, “Br-brother-bro-broke up with meeeeee,” a tissue was pressed to her wailing mouth.