The week went by painfully slow. By Wednesday I had grown fatigued and restless, wanting nothing more than to end the school week altogether.
I sat in anatomy class, watching the clock as though it were a golden oasis in the desert. Laurie prodded at my cheek with the eraser-end of her pencil, letting out a hiss-like "psst."
I craned my neck towards her. "What?" I snapped.
After a rather satisfying scene with Laurie on Monday involving her lowering to her knees in apology, I had officially forgiven her. Well, to her face. I couldn't pretend I wasn't still a little bit mad that she had risked my getting caught to get hammered and then passed out on me in the middle of an alley. Had Brent not magically appeared, we would both probably be on the back of a milk carton with the caption "MISSING" above our faces.
Her straight blonde hair sat sprawled in all directions on her head, unbrushed and tousled. She was holding up her head with her hand and her eyelids sagged in exhaustion. She had on pink gloss, giving her already full lips a plump appearance.
"It's December," Laurie whispered, poking me again.
"Oh, jeez, is it?" I replied sarcastically. "I had no idea."
She continued as if she hadn't heard me. "Do you know what happens in December?"
"Increased suicide rates?"
"No. Yes. But no."
"Tell me," I said tersely, glancing at our teacher up front. Fortunately, she was preoccupied discussing the great enigma that is the human nasal cavity.
"I have a boy for you," Laurie whispered in a sing-song voice.
I snorted. "I already reject whatever you're about to say."
A wiry ginger boy nearby wheeled around and shushed us, prompting Laurie to reply, "Up yours, Connor." He gave us one last death glare before turning back around once more to face the front. Laurie's face dissolved back into a smile as she turned back to me.
"Come on, he's the friend of the guy I'm going out with--who is, by the way, a total panty dropper." She pretended to fan herself. "I'm talking four-pack, sun-kissed, dumb as a pole, and up for anything."
"That description says a lot about your priorities."
"Hush. My guy's name is Gregory. Cute, right? Kind of nerdy. Anyway, his friend's really nice and really eager for a certain lady friend in his life. We can meet them later."
"I can't, Laurie. I'm swamped with school and work."
Laurie pointed her index finger in my face accusingly. "Bullshit. If a can of Easy Cheese and five hours of Friends reruns constituted a 'busy night,' you'd be the most active person alive. But it doesn't, and this would do you some good. Come on, T."
I let out an unamused snort and turned forward, putting the conversation to rest.
After extensive discussion on the pharyngeal tonsil, the bell let out its glorious ring, releasing us from the room. Students practically climbed over one another to escape. As I stepped out into the prison-like hallway, Laurie placed a hand on my shoulder and yanked me back violently.
My books almost went flying out of my hands and I let out a hiss of protest. "Get off, Laurie."
I turned to face her, shuffling toward the lockers to avoid the steady stream of students filing out of the class. I rubbed my shoulder, frowning at her.
"That hurt, jerk."
"Sorry, sorry. My bad." She glanced behind me and her eyes began to widen. She shielded her eyes with her hand and looked away abruptly.
YOU ARE READING
Tourmaline
أدب المراهقين"Some people are just simply and utterly unlovable." He fell silent. His breathing was rhythmic and manual, as if he had accidentally fallen asleep. I took a moment to listen to the soft whistle of his exhales, the sound of his fingers tapping a fas...
