A Free Life

Chapter 19

Rebecca

Rebecca watched as the teacher wrote in big bubbly letters on the math board. The Green marker she used was fading the more numbers she wrote down. "Hey, what'd you get for 37?" Jesse leaned over the gap between their desks to talk to her. Rebecca looked down at her page. It was filled with meaningless math. What would she need it for?

"42" Rebecca looked up at the board again and wrote down what the teacher said. Despite her beliefs the it was pointless, she still believed that failing was bad.

"How?" Jesse whispered when the teacher looked up at the two of them. Rebecca shrugged. "Oh, okay."

"Alright everyone lunch is in two minutes, so pack up." Mrs L, the teacher, Announced as she erased what was on the board.

"Hey, Becca, I consider you my friend. What about you?" Jesse inquired as he grabbed his planner to write down the homework.

"I've known you since 7th grade, and now it's 8th, and you always talk to me against my will." Rebecca stopped for a minute to think. When she looked at jesse his deep blue eyes were filled with tension. "I guess you are my friend." Rebecca smiled when she saw the light on his face. Jesse nodded and started out of the room. Rebecca followed, ignoring the frantic calls of Rain as she left.

"Can I ask another question?" Jesse asked as Rebecca caught up to him in the halls.

"But you just did." Rebecca smiled softly, feeling happy for once in a long time. Jesse put his hand to his forehead and rolled his eyes.

"I know. I guess I should ask if I can ask a ton of questions." Jesse said sarcastically as he shoved his things into his locker. Rebecca still wondered how he managed to keep his locker clean. Rebecca spun the dial on her locker and opened it to put her things in. "Number one, why do you always wear black?"

"Because I can. Is there something wrong with that?" Jesse shook his head, then looked at his hands as he closed his locker carefully.

"It's just that everyday you wear that gray jacket, and when it falls down to reveal your arm you freak out. I'm just worried about you i guess." Jesse's expression was flat, his blue eyes deep with emotion as they walked.

"I'm fine." Rebecca was taken aback by his short speech. Did he really care? Or was he just acting like he did?

"You see that's what's wrong." Jesse stopped walking and stood in front of Rebecca.

"What?!" Rebecca stepped back from jesse. His eyes no longer soft, but filled with a type of anger and compassion.

"Every day I ask how you are, or if your okay when you look sad. And every day i get the same response, 'I'm fine.' Those two words are killing me. I don't know why but when you say 'I'm fine' i get this feeling that something is slowly killing you on the inside." Jesse snapped. Rebecca felt her body tense up. How could a person she'd known for a year know more about her, and see more things than her best friends?

Rebecca looked at her shoes. The gray converse were tied messily and one lace was attempting to come undone.

"Rebecca i want to help you." Jesse said softly. All the confusion in his voice had been replace by the feeling of being useless.

"I just...." rebecca started. "I want someone to help me." Her own voice shocked her as she spoke. Her mind wasn't speaking anymore, pure desire was.

"Then let me." jesse sighed in relief, his hand holding tightly onto Rebecca's. Rebecca nodded as a tear slipped down her cheek. Jesse's strong hand gently wiped it away, then pulled Rebecca to continue walking.

"Question two," Jesse began, "What do you think of me." Jesse's stance turned into that of a cocky prince.

"You're full of yourself" Rebecca choked out a laugh, and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah I am, but you love me for it." Jesse elbowed Rebecca lightly in the stomach.

"You wish." Rebecca said softly.

September 17th, 2012