Chase & Adrienne

4

ADRIENNE

TUESDAY MORNING

If there's one thing I hate more than Monday mornings, it's Tuesday mornings. I try to rub the sleep from my eyes as I stalk down the hallway to my locker. My hoodie--originally Chase's hoodie--is about three sizes too big, and I try to melt into it. I'm unsuccessful. I clutch onto my coffee like a lifeline with one hand while opening my locker with the other. The door squeaks open hesitantly. 

As I shove books in my locker only to shove others into my backpack, Chase stumbles over to my locker like a zombie. His nearly-black hair hangs down over his forehead rather than his usual semi-spiked style. His hair looks better disheveled, but he never listens to me when I tell him that, so I keep my mouth shut when he approaches. He leans his head against the locker next to mine as his eyes flutter closed. I half expect him to fall asleep right there, standing up. I flick his forehead, and his eyes fly open. 

"What gives??" he exclaims.

"What time did you go to sleep, Chase?"

He rubs his eyes. "Like...3?"

"Why would you do that??" I ask. "You look like you got hit by a train."

"Thanks, Adrienne. I can always count on you for a good ol' confidence boost. And I was working on something. Don't worry. You'll see," he explains mysteriously. 

"Okay..." I say, confused. 

He rustles my hair and sticks out his tongue at me before walking toward his locker located two bays over. I roll my eyes and smooth out my hair, wondering about whatever it was that he stayed up planning. I shudder as I think about all the devious pranks he could try and pull on me today. I make a mental note to check my gym shoes for any insects. Or worse. 

**********

As soon as the last bell blares through the school, I let out a sigh of relief as if I've been holding my breath all day. Chase didn't punk me, much to my surprise. I silently scold myself for being so hyperaware all day. It made my particularly boring classes that much more unbearable. 

I push past people to get to my locker, fighting the flowing sea of bodies that tries to swallow me up. In the end, I give up, taking cover in an empty alcove to wait out the teenager tsunami. Seniority? Give me a break. 

Once the hallway clears out a little, I make my way to my locker. When I open it, a note falls onto the floor. What the...? Of course, the movement totally freaks me out. Chase could've been waiting all day until my guard fell. I bend down and pick it up cautiously with my thumb and index finger, holding it delicately as if it could explode at any second.

I look around, half expecting Chase to be hiding out behind a corner, but the coast is clear. I unfold the note. On it is a typed message:

You are ACORNY person. LEAVE your spot and BRANCH out, you dumb ASH. I am going to go out on a LIMB here and tell you to go to the TREE in the quad. You know which TREE I'm talking about. 

This is when I realize that someone is asking me to the dance. Without warning, my heart starts pounding. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before, and my mind begins to race through the possibilities of who this could be. Sure, I talk to plenty of guys my classes or clubs, but not enough to give me any kind of dating potential. 

The puns triumph over my doubts--priorities, am I right?--so I gather my books quickly and shut my locker, clutching the note between my fingers. I stride briskly toward the quad. The air is chilly on my face, but my excitement provides some warmth to my cheeks. 

Finally, I get to the tree. This tree should not be noteworthy. It has a thin, flimsy trunk, and its leaves have long since fallen off. The branches are skinny, naked twigs. The thing that sets this tree apart is the adornment of multicolored, chewed-up gum all over its trunk. Because all of the language classes meet in the building right next to the tree, some students years ago designated this The Gum Tree. I guess they got tired of getting in trouble for their chicle, so they would mash their gum on this tree on their way to class. At first, the custodians tried to scrape off all the gum, but it got to the point where students replaced the gum as feverishly as it was removed. The custodians had no choice but to surrender. Personally, I like this tree, at least the idea of it. It gives the school character and culture. It looks like street art! Abstract street art. 

As I approach the tree, I spot another note stuck to a freshly discarded piece of green gum. I pluck it from the tree, trying not to be at least a little grossed out, and unfold it. It reads:

So glad you found my next note. Next on the menu: ME-N-U at Homecoming. Let's see what else is COOKING here at school, shall we?

I remain in the quad, stumped for a second. I chuckle at the cheesy pick-up line. Whoever it is, I'm not worried. Homeboy sure knows how to play on words. I have to think for a while before realizing that my next stop has to be the cafeteria.

It's completely empty when I enter except for Miss Pam looming behind the counter. When she spots me, she calls out, "Adrienne La Londe?"

"Yes, ma'am," I answer, walking up to the counter. She disappears into the kitchen. I tap my fingers against the counter rhythmically as I try to picture what awful concoction she must be bringing out to me. 

She returns in about 30 seconds, carrying a pink, square box with my name scrawled across the top. I don't recognize the handwriting. 

"A boy left this not to long ago," Miss Pam tells me sweetly, winking. 

I thank her and open the box. Inside sits a beautiful personal-sized chocolate cake with frosting roses on the top. This guy must be unfamiliar with the capacity of my appetite, but I mentally award him with mad presentation points. Miss Pam slides a note over to me. I open it excitedly. 

It's about TIME you found this note. I have to HAND it to you. I hope all this guessing isn't WINDING YOU UP. Don't CLOCK me out yet because I promise you can COUNT on me. You will have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE at the dance with me. It's the MOMENT you've been waiting for. Meet me in the admin. building. 

I thank Miss Pam again before practically sprinting out of the cafeteria and in the direction of the administration building. Right inside the entrance, a massive clock hangs directly above the door. I balance the cake carefully as I go, failing to repress the huge smile on my face.