Rock Me Softly

Broken Pieces

           “Callie Carter, please come to the office. Callie Carter, please come to the office.”

            The teacher paused in her lesson and gazed at me, “Callie?” I shrugged my shoulders and quickly gathered my stuff.

            When I was walking up the aisle to get to the classroom door, I tripped over an outstretched foot. “Opps. Careful Callie, we might get lucky and you’ll break your neck.”

            Heat spread over my face when quiet giggles filled the room. “That’s enough Veronica.” Mrs. Kinder said as I bit my lip and kept my head down.

            I turned my head and Veronica’s cold, blue eyes met mine laughingly. She mouthed the words, “Payback’s a bitch.”

            That might be true, but I think she got her bitch lessons from the one smirking at me right now.

            I gave her a cold glare and hurriedly walked out the door, heading to the office.

            When I opened the office door, Noah’s smiling face turned towards mine. “Hey cuz!” He said, spreading his arms out wide before walking over and smothering me in a hug.

            “Umpth.” I mumbled when he buried my head into his chest as he walked us back over to the counter and smilied at the secretary.

            “Auntie called and told me to pick up my favorite cuz from school, seems like she’s throwing you a party.” Noah said, silently pinching my side, telling me to go along with it.

            “Ow!” I said, and quickly shut my mouth when he pinched me again. I smiled at him through clenched teeth, “Really, cuz? What’s the occasion?”

            He looked at the confused secretary before turning around and smiling at me sweetly, “Well everyone is excited, of course, that our little Callie Cat has finally become a women,” He paused and acted like he was wiping fake tears away, “I can’t believe you’re grown up on me! Already having your period.”

            I looked at him mortified and he bit his lip, his eyes shining with laughter.

            I quickly turned towards the secretary, “This- it’s not true, I started my period in the eighth grade!”

            The lady’s face got blood red as she looked from me to Noah.

            I heard Noah chuckle softly before he slung his arm over my shoulders. “Now don’t be shy, Callie Cat, it’s a natural thing.”

            I tiled my head up and glared at him and he smiled at me before touching my nose lightly.

            “Um… just sign these and you two may leave.” The lady said in a small voice, red staining her cheeks and her head kept down to keep from making eye contact with either of us.

            Noah winked at me and signed the papers, “Thank you. Come on cuz, time to go par-tay!”

            I glared as he put his arm over my shoulders again, and walked us out of the school building.

            “What the hell was that?!” I demanded as we reached his car and I slung his arm off of me.

            He started laughing, “That was hilarious!”

            I glared at him, “Maybe for you! My dignity was thrown out of the window!”

            He just kept laughing and I sighed, giving up the argument.