Imogen Grey

Chapter 2

As I'm walking to class my head is not filled with numbers of letters, but what I'll tell Audrey. I have till Thursday and today is Tuesday.

My feet carry my body to class but my mind is far, far away. I'm practically on auto pilot, distracted by my thoughts. My mouth is saying one thing but my mind on a completely different subject.

My teacher passes my desk but then stops and then turns around. "Imogen," she says, "have you been smoking?" Huh? Great. This is exactly what I need now.

"No miss, I haven't. I don't smoke."

"Come here. Now."

"Yes ma'am." Once in front of her she leans down, takes my sweater between her red manicured nails and sniffs. Her nose scrunches up and she grimaces.

"You aren't the brightest are you? Imogene, go to the nurses office now." She says and turns around. Her hand reaches down to the phone on her desk as I grab my bags. She picks up the receiver and brings it to her ear while punching in numbers. She notices me standing by the door and shoos me away with her hand, I shrug and turn around as I hear her speaking into the phone. "Hi, yes, I'm sending Imogen Gray to your office right now. Hmm? Oh because her clothes reek of cigarette smoke and I thought it would be best to maybe give her test. Yes, ba-bye."

I shake my head as I walk down the hall and out the doors. My converse smack against the cement with every step I take. I scoff at my teacher in my mind. I look both ways as I reach the end of the stairs and turn left. I stare at my converse with every step, except I'm imaging my converse taking me away from home. Running away. I still don't know what I'm going to tell Audrey and Ethan.

I let a loud oof and as if by coincidence I realize I walked smack into Ethan. My eyes meet his icy blue ones and I just look away stupidly.

"Hey, umm, sorry about that."

"Whatever." Is all he says. I awkwardly half smile and stand there. "Are you going to move so I can get passed or are you going to continue blocking my way?"

"Umm do we have problem or something?"

"No but we will if you don't move." What is his problem?

"Whatever." I steal his line and shove passed him. If he keeps acting this way towards me I won't go with them. Or maybe I will just to piss him off.

My converse make a clacking sound against the sidewalk as I stomp towards the office. I fling the door open and go in front of the desk.

"Excuse me" I say agitated.

"Name?" She says without looking up.

"Imogen Grey."

"Second door on the left." With that I turn and head straight over there. I might as well get this over with considering I already know the outcome. All of this is just a waste of my time, a huge waste of my time. I don't even bother knocking, knocking would be pointless. Or so I thought.

I see the school nurse with her legs around a teacher. She lets out a gasp and pushes him away. The teacher lets out a few ragged breaths while the nurse does the same. As he takes in the fact that I'm here, he straightens his tie and quickly heads out the door.

"I've got to go, breaks over."

"Wait, don't go" she says and the door closes. She turns to me glaring, if looks could kill I would be dead. "Did your parents never teach you to knock?"

"Can we just get this over with?" I've had to much to deal with this morning to even care that I just walked in on two staff members. She looks at me confused and then just shrugs. She hands me a cup and tells me where the bathroom is.

"You can't tell anyone about what you saw, you know that right?" She says right before I exit. I stop after she says that and an idea pops into my mind. I turn back around and quietly shut the door behind me and walk towards her, stopping just a few feet from her.

"Twenty bucks." Is all I say and put open my left hand. Her mouth drops open and she looks at me with her eyes filled of nothing but disgust. "Listen, let's put it this way. Do you want to lose twenty bucks, or do you want to lose your job?"

"You're a cold hearted child" she says and hands over the money.

"Nice doin business withcha." I say and walk out of her office and towards the bathroom. I slip the money into my bra and do what I was given the cup for. After I quickly rinse my hands and screw on the lid, walk towards her office, then set the cup on her desk and walk out. I don't bother asking when the test will be done. If they need me they'll call me through the intercom.

I grab my bag and quickly head out of that damn office. Instead of heading back to class, I head towards the smokers den. Yes, the same place where the smoke seeped into my clothes.

"Hey!" I spin around and see Audrey running towards me. "Imogen!" She plows into me and we both stumble. I pat her on the back while she squeezes the life out of me. Is this what it's like to have friends?

"Hey, so have you thought about...you know?" She says and winks at me. Yes I have, have I come up with an answer? No.

"Uhhhh..."

"Obviously she hasn't. And when she does, you already know what the answer will be." Ethan's obnoxious voice fills the air, and that little fiery part of me flares up but only to a nice little simmer. 

"Oh? And what do you think I'll say?"

"No. You'll say no. You're- how do I put this? Safe? No that's not the word. Hmm, you're the opposite of an opportunist. You never take full advantage of the moment. You only look at it from one view and only think of the cons, never of the pros."

"You know what. Fine. Audrey, I've made up my mind. I'm coming." Audrey squeals and wraps her arms around me again. I only look at the cons my ass. I'll show you.