PearlTail (CH 6) #OnceUponNow

Pearltail 6-Not a Dolphin

Chapter Six

...I wouldn't say I rescued her. More like she had rescued me. She gave me a way out and a sense of freedom that I've never known before. With her I now know true happiness. I now know...

Marie scribbled down the answer to the math equation, listening to Steph's voice coming from the cell phone on her desk. Speakerphone was a blessing to multitaskers around the world and Marie happen to be one of them. Her ballpoint pen scratched across the surface of the paper the next math problem, showing her work while Steph continued on the other end of the conversation. "... So I told him where he can stick his burgers and asked him if he'd like some fries with that too," Steph stated boldly.

Chuckling, Marie grinned as she worked, "Nice. Does your mom know that you got fired from your job?"

"Not yet," the voice of Stephanie replied. "I ain't gonna tell her until later. Way, waaaaay later. Like... when I have to 'later'."

Marie laughed, dropped her pen on the desktop, then stretched her arms back high above her head. "Well, you only wanted to have a job for the summer anyway. You could have just quit you know."

"Naw! Mouthing off at stupid people is more fun. I ain't nobody's slave just 'cause I worked in fast food."

In the background, Marie could hear hip hop music playing. "Don't you find it difficult to concentrate on your work with music?" Marie inquired, picking up the phone and switching off the speaker then putting it to her ear.

Steph replied, "Girl, I don't need to focus on math. I already took the class before."

"And failed it," Marie added.

"You make it sound like such a bad thing."

A sigh left her, having expected such an answer but that didn't make it any better. Marie was working her tail off to get a scholarship and firmly believed that school shouldn't be taken so lightly. However, Steph didn't seem to care which did hit a small nerve. Shaking her head, she concentrated on loosening the stiffness in her legs from sitting for so long. Pacing about her room, Steph's voice continued through the cell phone.

"Figured out a way to avoid the swim unit?" Steph wondered. "You freaked out hard core this time at lunch, ya know."

"Yeah, I know," Marie replied with a heavy sigh. Running a hand through her hair as she paced, Marie said, "I'm sorry... it's just... you know... being in the water scares me. I keep thinking that I'm going to drown or something. Or that something is going to pull me under and never let me go."

"I can see where you would have that fear with the 'pom pom' squad in your class," Steph stated then was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a dog barking in the background. "Dang it! What is your problem? Hold on, girl, I gotta shut up the dog."

"No problem," Marie shrugged even though it was impossible for her friend to see any body language.

That was one of the main reasons why Marie wasn't too fond of dogs, the random barking at nothing. She glanced over at her quiet hamster, which was in his corner nest fast asleep. Hamsters were far more low maintenance and Marie liked it that way. While waiting for Steph to get the dog quiet, she picked up a few things meandering around the room. Once done with that, she leaned against the wall near the window, looking out at the ocean view below. Dusk was beginning to settle in the sky and the tide was low this night. Low tide helped in keeping the voices further away to Marie's relief. Sleep will come easier tonight.