How Not To Survive In High School

8 - How Not To Act Around Your Ex

Skye and I were shattered the next Monday. We both feel sleep in registration, English and French. Don't ask me how we managed to get four detentions.

We nearly had a heart attack when the lunch bell went.

"Wait!" our supply teacher said. "I have a letter for everyone. As part of your modern foreign languages course, you will all be required to travel to Paris on Friday until Wednesday."

She gave us the letters and we were off.

"So we have to go?" I yawned to Skye as we went to our corner of the hall where we eat.

"Apparently."

As we ate we discussed in a civilised manor the different kind of gruesome illnesses we could fake to be excused.

"No it might actually be fun."

"Fun?" Skye mocked.

"Just think about it. Us two in a foreign country. We are two innocent Americans who are unaware of the French laws. Anything could happen."

That set of our conversation topic for the next week.

After school on Thursday we decided to meet in town.

"So how shall we spend our last day as legal citizens?" Skye asked me as we walked into the town square.

For the rest of the day we:

-Sung really loud and put out a hat to busk (we got two cents!)

-Tickled the miming man

-Stole from the pick'n'mix in a newsagents

-Skye bought me candy floss or 'cotton candy'

-He won me a bear at the carnival and called it Sammie!

We were about to leave a clothes shop when I saw him. "It's Tom."

"Uh oh, I think he's coming..." Skye said and we tried to act normal.

"Well, well, well," Tom said walking up to us.

"Tom," I said. "You look great."

"So do you. Oh and Skye is it?"

"That's me," he said.

"Yeah I remember you. But I could barely see your face before, but I still don't get what you see in him, Sam."

"Tom, look I'm sorry. I thought we'd forgotten about this."

"Well it's pretty obvious you have."

Skye interjected, "Sammie, go buy yourself a top." He handed me a ten dollar bill and pushed me away. As much as I wanted a top, I couldn't leave them alone together so I his behind a mannequin and listened.

"Look buddy," Skye started. "I know you dated Sam and I know it's an awkward subject. But face it, I'm new and you're used."

Was he pretending to be my boyfriend? I didn't mind, I just kind of still had a few tiny feelings left for Tom.

"Woah, I never did anything wrong. I just wanted to say hi until I saw you here."

"I'm allowed in this shop and I think you should just stay away from us from now on, okay?" Skye stepped closer.

"Don't tell me what to do."

"I'll tell you whatever I bloody want to."

Uh oh... I should probably go...

"Just get out," Skye pushed him back. This isn't going to be over soon.

I ran in as Tom pushed Skye back. "Hey guys, green or blue?" I held two videos died offering of them but they were drawing attention.

Skye grabbed hold of Tom's shoulders and pushed him to the floor. "Boys! Calm it," a shopkeeper came and tried to separate them but Tom's leg sprang up and got him right in his... manly area.

Ok, I had to laugh as the shopkeeper made a squeaky noise and staggered slowly to the phone and called security.

"Skye, Tom! Stop it, seriously." I tried to get in between them but an old lady pulled me back. If she was so strong why didn't she stop them.

Now, everyone in the shop was just watching them kill each other. It was brutal, Skye had blood all over his face and Tom's leg wasn't moving.

Finally two large men with huge muscles came running. At least they managed to separate them. I immediately ran to Skye and took him off the man.

"A shop is not the place to fight. You can kill each other wherever else you want, I don't give a sh**." Charming... "Now get out of here all, three of you."

What me too? Ugh, that was rude. I heard tutting as we trudged out in shame.

We stood on silence for a bit until Tom tried to walk off. "Where do you think you're going?" I stopped him. "Come on then, what was that all about?"

"You have no idea?!" Tom said.

"I meant, why would you do that? Have we not gotten over this yet?"

"No, I haven't," Tom said. "I know we were with each other for hours but I liked you. Believe it or not, I've been having a bad reputation of cheating on people recently and what happened really surprised me."

I was silent for a while. "Oh forget it," Tom said and just walked away. I didn't think I was going to see him again.

"Maybe that was for the best," Skye comforted me. But I wasn't in the mood.

"How could it be for the best? I liked him too. I'm not a cheater. That's not me, I'm passed that now." I started to blubber and choke up a little.

"Hey, he's gone now. As much as you want to, you can't change that."

It was a quiet bus ride home.