Falling All Over Again

5.0 | not good. just morning

I AM NOT happy. The thought of spending the whole day with Noah will do that to a person.

To top it off, the baby wailed the whole night. I had four hours of sleep.

I slam open the door to room 32, the assigned room for our in-school suspension with the baby underneath my arm. Thank God I could palm this thing off to Noah today.

Good morning Miss Standard," Mrs Clermont greets me, smiling slightly.

"Morning." Not good. Just morning.

I sit down in my seat and put my feet on the desk, despite Mrs Clermont's raised eyebrows. I get out my phone to text Emerson, which may sound like an easy job, but I have a cast on my hand for my thumb.

Lollipop, 08:32

Wisgh m,e luck

Emmy babe, 08:34

You don't need it, you'll be fine Lo :) see you at lunch

I sigh as the door to the room bangs open once again. Noah has swelling under his eyes and around his nose, and he holds an ice pack in one hand.

I involuntarily snort at the sight. I just can't help it.

His eyes narrow at me as he takes a seat on the opposite side of the room.

"Great to see you both here. I thought at least one of you would have ditched," Clermont spoke to herself at the end, while I just sat here, bored.

"Good luck with this thing," I call out and chuck the baby across the room.

His eyes narrow as he just catches it, "That nearly smacked into my broken nose."

"Well, it didn't."

"Stop talking, please. Do some homework or something. I don't want another fight on my hands today," Clermont sounds exasperated.

--

At the sound of the lunch bell, I gather my things quickly, slip out a goodbye to Mrs Clermont and run out towards renspo - the room my friends and I hang out in.

As I open the door, I see Emerson inside and run up to her, enveloping her in a tight hug, "Here you are Em, oh save me from him," I whisper as Noah enters.

She giggles, checking me for bruises or broken bones, "No injuries yet?"

"No," I sigh.

Alice and the others all enter at once. "Guys you know what time of the year it is!" She yells to us excitedly.

"No," I sarcastically reply. The whole school knows and is on edge. February 3rd. The day we pick someone to hang out with us for a whole night and if they get by, possibly more times in the future. It's pretty much your only way into our group, if you last.

"Recruitment time!! She squeals.

I groan.

"We need to find someone, a girl this year. Last year was that boy, but he was a disappointing candidate didn't get through the first night," she says shaking her head, eyeing Arlo who picked him. He ended up transferring.

"Any ideas?"

The others come up with some random students names until I remember someone, "How about the girl that hosted the party? Sara Mills was it?"

Alice ponders my suggestion, "Good idea. It's settled. Lola, tell her this next period. We'll stay at mine Saturday night."

We all mumble our agreement and I turn to Emerson, "Who are you partnered with for the baby project?"