Table for Five

Welcome to Heaven

Take a seat,
Fasten your seatbelt,
Enjoy the ride.

"Okay guys! Do you remember your teams from Monday?"
I looked around anxiously,
a team? I don't have a team! Oh fuck, no one is gunna want the new girl on their team.
I looked over to Andy, who smiled at me and it made me feel safe.
"New student!" Ms. Fleming smiled in my direction. She walked over to my desk and sat on top of it.
"Hey." She looked down at me.
"Hi?"
"I'm Ms. Fleming, but everyone just calls me Sadie."
"And I'm Brooklyn." We shook hands and her eyes light up when she sees my notes.
"You are an artist!" She smiles brightly and puts her hand on my shoulder.
I smile back at her, I turn to Pete, who was staring at me. I look down and blush. When I look back up, he is slowly walking toward me.  He wraps his arm around my neck playfully, "Ms. Flemming? I think my team will take her."  I blush deeply and look up at him. He smiles and walks back to his seat, when he sits back down he stares up into space.
Something is wrong.
When we left that class I was all smiles. As we entered the History classroom, Pete immediately detoured into the supply closet.
"He never pays any attention to us." Joe said as he motioned to the teacher, whom I now knew was Mr. Raymond.
The other boys talked, but I couldn't get Pete off my mind. What is he doing in there?
I finally gathered enough confidence to go in the closet. I got up and started walking towards the closet, I paused when I heard soft whimpering. This only worried me more.
I slowly turned the knob to see him huddled in the corner, crying.
"Oh Pete, are you alright?" He shook his head and I sat on the ground next to his feet, he slowly sat up and wiped his tear-stained face. He refused to look at me,
"Pete...what's wrong.... Please tell me...." Seeing him cry made me tear up as well, he sighed and turned his arm over; cuts.
I gasped, I put my hand on his chin and turned his head toward mine.
He finally spoke up,
"I'm sorry" his big thumb wiped off my tears,
"I didn't mean to make you cry..."
I looked back at his arm and held his hand,
"Why?"
He looked down, embarrassed, he sighed,
" I-I, it's just, i-i suffer from Bipolar Disorder."
I smiled and kissed his forehead,
"Me too." I closed my eyes and rolled up my sleeve, revealing similar cuts.
He looked into my eyes,
"I though I was alone." I put my head on his shoulder.
"You aren't. Gotta take pills everyday for it."
He looked at me in shock, he was about to speak, I put a single finger over his swollen lips, I held his face in my hands and replaced my finger with my mouth. I pushed him back and ran my fingers through his hair.
I continued to kiss him and he returned them. "You are good at this." I grin.
He smiled, showing his white teeth beneath his swollen lips. I started to turn around to go back into the classroom , but he stopped me;
"Please don't leave me so soon.." I sat on the ground again, he patted the floor, directing me to lay closer, I did as he told me. I cuddled up to him and grabbed his arm. He was warm and relaxed, he felt calm, it sent good vibes throughout my entire body. I could hear him breathe, soft and sweet.
I breathed in his sent.
Mmmmm, he smells like a man.
I tired his arm over again, I ran my fingers over the cuts.
I looked at him, he grabbed me and pulled me onto his lap.
"So, why do you do it?" He says as he fiddled with some loose curls.
"My self esteem, it's lower than Homer Simpson's IQ."
He smiled, and laughed. His laugh was different, oddly encouraging.
"You never told me what was really happening here.." I said directing his attention to his arm. 
" Life is just rough, you know?"
I nodded. I knew exactly what he was talking about. I feel like I can tell him anything.
He smiles like he can take everything I spill.
So I proceeded to tell him, about my family, my apartment, my brother, everything.
And he listens, he actually listens.
Then he tells me everything, the occasional, I've never told anyone this but....
And I listen too. Pretty soon we are back to the heated make-out session.
Without me even knowing it, I hand him my address, telling him to stop by some time.
He gets up, and helps me up.
"Back to the outside world?" He grins.
I nod and he unlocks the door. As I see the light again, I squint. We walk by the teachers desk, he raises his eyebrow.
Pete proceeds to flip him off, Mr. Raymond nods and returns his attention to his phone.
We sit back down and Patrick, Joe, and Andy are staring at us, Patrick smiles and nudges Pete.
Pete turns to me and smiled, he leans in close and says, "Same place tomorrow?"