Worse Things

Chapter 2

When I get to the door at the far end of the east wing I brace myself for the hell I'm about to walk into. Mr Scott is the toughest teacher in the school. Everyone who's arrived late to class this year has had to stay after school for detention. I think about how I could just walk away. Walk out of the gate at the front of the school and find some cafe to sit in for the rest of the day and read while sipping on an endless amount of caramel lattes. But then I open the door. Everyone turns to look at me and I can tell what they're all thinking. Here comes Maya, the girl without a mom.
"Miss Hart, your late." Says Mr Scott
"Yeah, I got caught up in the library." I reply, hoping that he will cut me some slack.
"Well maybe you can get caught up in detention this afternoon. Take a seat."
Everyone starts giggling as I make my way to the back row where Riley is sitting with one of our friends Lucas. We've known him since we were kids and he's lived in the same street as me for ages now. I can hear them talking about what movie to see next Friday. For about a year now every second Friday of the month Lucas, Riley and I all go to the movies and see the most popular movie available. I don't really know how or why we started but I couldn't think of something I would rather do more than right now.
"Hey, Hart." Yells Lucas as I sit down and dump my books on the desk.
"Sup, Friar." I say thinking about my run in with Josh in the library.
I wonder if Riley will be able to tell that I'm lying to her. That I have a secret crush on her older brother, and that today I ran into him in the library. I decide to put it out of my mind and just get lost in my thoughts. I think about how if my mum were here I'd probably be a lot happier. I just don't know what will fix the mess that my life is right now.