Chase & Adrienne

10

CHASE

THURSDAY MORNING

                 

In English class, Adrienne won't look at me. Just as well. I can't think of anything to say. Mr. Aston drones on and on about Pride and Prejudice, and it takes him a good 20 minutes to realize that literally no one in the class is paying attention to him. He huffs, and I look up at him.

"Get in partners. Discuss last night's reading amongst yourselves."

He proceeds to group us, placing Adrienne and me together. We glance over at each other for the first time today, neither of us as excited as we wouldn't been a couple days ago.

I scoot my chair a couple feet over so I'm sitting right next to her.

"I didn't do the reading, so there's nothing to talk about," Adrienne says curtly, focusing her attention to the flower that she is doodling in her notebook. The pets branch off in several different directions. I watch her draw for a couple seconds before tapping my pencil eraser against the page.

"What's your problem with me and Luke?" she asks abruptly.

"He's a douche."

"Well, he's not to me. That should be enough for you, Chase," she spits.

"You deserve better, and you know it."

"Oh, like who? You?"

I try to act like those words don't sting, but it takes me a few seconds to come back from that comment. Finally, I scoff out of disbelief.

"I'd treat you a hell of a lot better than that clown ever will because I would never ask a girl to a dance just to get in her pants."

"You guys are so sensitive. 'Adrienne, we love you, but you can't hang out with anyone else but us.' I thought you guys were supposed to be my friends."

"We are your friends. That's why we're giving you so much crap about Luke."

She scoffs. "I don't know why you hate him so much. Yes, he has his shortcomings. So does everyone else ever. If you gave him chance, you'd realize how unreasonable you're being about this whole thing. There is nothing to worry about."

"You don't understand, Adrienne."

"No, Chase. You're the one who doesn't understand. You don't understand Luke, and you don't understand me."

"I understand you more than you understand yourself."

"You don't know the first thing about me!"

"Adrienne--"

"Just stop, Chase." She holds up her hand like I'm a child and looks back down at her desk.

"He's gonna hurt you, Adrienne. All Luke is good at is making girls fall for his phony act long enough to get what he wants and then throwing them away as soon as he gets bored. He's gonna break your heart."

"Then don't bother picking up the pieces. Just leave me alone. Maybe we've been spending too much time together. Maybe it's time for a break."

I stare at her, eyebrows up and shock all over my face. She gives me a dirty look as the bell rings and marches out of the classroom.