Metamorphosis

Feel the Heat

Chapter 40

Feel the Heat

"Monroe is such an asshole," Ava mumbled while tapping her pencil against the spiral of her notebook. It was study hall, and Ava and Zeke had found Mira sitting by the school's Olympic-sized pool.

"It's times like these where I'm glad being on the football team makes Mr. Monroe like me," Zeke said playfully. Ava smirked and nudged him with her elbow.

"He's making us write this stupid paper about the symptoms and effects of domestic violence," Ava continued, watching the blonde out of the corner of her eye. But Mira just started pulling off her shoes and socks and rolling up her pants.

"What are you doing?" Zeke asked.

"I'm having a baby in three months, my feet hurt," she explained before scooting forward and dunking her feet into the water. She sighed, "That's better."

"Are you sure you should be doing that?" Zeke questioned, trying not to openly gape at her swollen ankles. Mira shrugs nonchalantly.

"Probably not, but I used to come in here and swim every study hall my freshman year. I highly doubt they'll care if I stick my feet in."

"Oh yeah, weren't you on the swim team last year?" Ava asked in genuine interest. Mira smiled and nodded proudly.

"Yup, came in first place in the 200 meter freestyle last March."

Her friends looked impressed.

"Yeah I thought you looked like the girl in the swim team picture." Zeke stated. "You think you're gonna join again this year?"

Mira's eyes immediately looked at the blue tiled floor; Ava elbowed her boyfriend's side roughly.

"Great job, babe." She said sarcastically. He looked at the blonde guiltily.

"I'm sorry, Mira… I didn't mean-"

"It's ok." She said, "It's not like it's anything major. Swimming was just something I was good at because I had the body for it. You know, aerodynamic"

"I'll say," Ava quickly agreed, "I mean you were what, like 98 lbs.?"

"I wasn't that little," she said with a small laugh. Zeke and Ava chuckled along with her.

Sara stoop on her toes, her palms splayed over the large poster she was attempting to hang in the library bulletin board. She stretched her hand to the side to pick up the stapler gun from the table, only to find it slightly out of reach.

"Crap," she mumbled. The curly brunette had spent the last five minutes trying to get this 'Les Miserables' announcement to stay straight. She sighed in frustration as the poster slumped forward and landed on her head.

"Need some help?" a male voice asked from her left. She lifted the paper off her face and saw Paul Reynolds standing there. Paul was the amazingly adorable guy in her theatre class. He and Sara usually playfully flirted throughout play practice. With his curly black hair, dark green eyes, and awesome singing voice, he and Sara had been told more than once that they looked hot together. Coincidently, Paul played Marius in 'Les Miserables', Eponine's -AKA Sara's- secret love.

"Uh… no thanks, I-I got it." She said quickly, turning back.

He smiled and walked to stand behind her. He splayed his large palms over the poster, straightened it on the board, and pressing her back to his chest.

"Now," he whispered through her curly mane of hair into her ear, "I'll hold it, and you staple it."

Sara repressed a shiver and lifted the staple gun, effectively securing the ad onto its destination.