The next day at school things, were really stretched thin between Lizzy and I. All though Shane wasn't making it any easier. I meet her at her locker, like usual. Her face becomes blank when she sees Shane next to me. I glance at Shane, his eyes bouncing from one thing to another but always avoiding Lizzy. When I look back at her she's gone, I search for her blonde highlights and watch as she quickly climbs the stairs to the second floor. I'm watching Lizzy as I take a step forward someone rams into me. My books and papers scatter just like Shane's the first time I met him. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were there. Here, let me help you." I look up and freeze, it's Sam. The high school quarterback, the hottest guy in school. Sam Fletcher, the Sam Fletcher. "No it's fine, it really is. Go and be hot," my face turns red and I wince. I wish a meteor would hit me right this second. Sam smiles a heartbreaking smile, "So I'm hot then," I turn even redder. I look over my shoulder, to find out why Shane wasn't helping me. Ignoring Sam and his deep blue eyes I search for Shane, but he's nowhere to be seen.
I rush to finish picking up my papers and grab the ones Sam was holding. I haphazardly throw them in my backpack. I zip it shut, and scramble to my feet, still searching in the sea of students for Shane. I catch a glimpse of him slipping behind a corner. I start to walk toward him when I feel a hand grab my arm, a zap of electricity going through my skin. One I've only felt a couple times before. "Hey," I look back to see Sam jerking his hand from my arm. His brows draw together, "Are you okay?" I smile at him, "Totally fine, I'm just in a hurry to my next class," I'm shouting the last part while fast walking toward the corner, I saw Shane slip behind. I look at my watch five minutes till the bell. I walk faster. Everytime I catch a glimpse of Shane he's always turning a corner. I walk faster, noticing I'm seeing fewer and fewer students frequenting the hallway. We're heading to the back of the school, where the less liked classes are. Less liked classes meant less students. I follow Shane puzzled how he knew the hallways so well when he's only been here a few days. Always with me and I've never even been back here myself.
Shane turns another corner. As I get closer, I begin to hear voices. I slow my gait, trying to be quieter. The voices get louder the closer to the corner I get. Its Shane, and... I can't make out the other one. Whoever it is, they are talking to quietly for me to hear.
"Let me see it."
"Why should I even be showing you, it's her choice. Not yours."
"Just show me the goddamn thing you idiot."
"Fine."
There's a pause and the jingle of metal.
"Well shit. It's a match."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive, I've seen the other half for years."
"I've got to tell her. I have to-"
"Say nothing is exactly what you're going to do if you want to keep your balls."
"I can't keep this from her. She deserves to know. It's not your choice. Not even close."
"Yeah, well. She doesn't need anything else to worry about. Especially since you're the one who has the other half. I know all about you Shane. Don't forget that. So keep your frickin' mouth shut."
"I can't lie to her. If she asks I'm going to tell."
"Then keep the damn thing out of sight and don't let her see it you idiot."
"Why the hell am I even listening to you?"
"Because I'm the only one she talks to, and I don't want to have to put the pieces back together when your done."
"I wouldn't-"
"Shh, I hear someone."
I start to hear footsteps head toward me, I quickly back away as quietly as I could. Slipping into the janitor's closet I freeze, and listen. Soon enough I hear footsteps stop outside the door, I stop breathing. Hoping, and praying that they'll move on.
"Who was it?"
"I don't know, they ran off before I could find out."
"Do you think it-"
"No, she doesn't skip class ever. She's in class for sure."
"Okay, you better be right. Remember, say nothing, or show anything, or else you might want to protect you genitals."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. If she does find out though-"
"Yeah, yeah, you'll tell her. But don't purposely shove it in her face or soon you'll be looking down the barrel of my shotgun."
"Fine, got it. Can you stop threatening me now?"
"You wish."
The footsteps begin to fade down the hall. I slowly slide down the door as realization dawns. The other voice was... Elizabeth.
**************
I'm still staring at the wall when the lunch bell rings. Shit! Shane will notice that I wasn't in my last class. I try and think quick as I dash to my locker. Shane is already there and waiting for me, I smile at him and try to act natural. Slowing down my gait to my normal pace. "Where were you last class?" Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. "Umm, I was in the library finishing a project. I had already asked Mrs. Lily about it." He looked confused, "Jess, we had Miss. Jenny last class." I turn red, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. "That's who I meant. I get them mixed up all the time." I can tell he doesn't believe me but he doesn't push. I glance over, and see Lizzy, she's walking in a fast walk almost sprinting upstairs. "Shane, you can get lunch without me. I, umm, forgot to print out the paper I was working on." I walk away without even closing my locker as I follow Lizzy upstairs. She walks down hallway after hallway. I follow her trying to keep up. I was basically running at this point.
Suddenly she whips around "I know you're following me, come out!" She yells. I stop dead at the corner, right before she would have been able to see me. "Come out!!" She yells again, I wince as her voice echoes down the hallway. Suddenly I hear her stomping over to the corner, knowing there's nowhere to hide I stay where I am. She whips around the corner, literally running into me. I stop her fall by grabbing her arms and keeping her upright. "What the hell Jess! You scared the crap out of me!" I let out a nervous giggle, "Same here." Lizzy immediately straightened, "Wait, why the hell were you following me?!" I wince at how loud her voice was, "I needed to talk to you, I would have yelled but you were too far ahead, I had trouble just trying to keep up," I say smiling at her and, taking deep breaths to prove my point.
Lizzy narrows her eyes at me, not believing me. "When have you ever been shy about yelling? Even when you're breathless and have been running? That's usually when you yell the most. Usually about how you'll never run again because it's too much exercise." I laugh. "Yeah, well my voice is a little sore from the basketball game last night on TV that I watched with my dad." She still looked skeptical but left it alone, assuming I just didn't want to talk about what had really happened. We walked back, but deep down. I was wondering what her actual assumptions were.
