Tell Me Lies

The Pretty Scene

FIVE

Have you seen that girl?

~~~

Joy ended up being late for most of my courses. He would basically show up five minutes before clases ended so the teachers could see his 'commitment'. He would guide me to my locker, say; "I need to go to the toilets." before taking his phone out of his pocket and suddenly disappear in the crowd. Leaving me to wait religiously 15 minutes off my next course.

By the sixth time he did so, I figured he either had chronic diarrhea or he was probably using me as an excuse to attend classes whenever he wanted to, without being marked absent. And since I was in a wheelchair teachers didn't dare to object.

I glanced at my watch, it was already 13:40.

I had now lost 20 minutes off my calculus class.

"That's it," I said to myself as I pushed the wheels forward. "I'm gonna miss geometry." It was hard to keep my bag from falling from my lap and pushing the wheel forward.

"Miss Parker?" It was the director, shocked he glanced at his watch, "Shouldn't you be in class?" He asked accusatively.

Why do you think I'm wheeling myself to class?

"Yes," I replied letting a bit of sarcasm slip out my tongue.

"Then what are you doing here in the middle of the half way?"

Because Joy is an asshole. "Because I am getting to class."

When the sentence 'where's Mr. Wallace?' left his mouth, I realized I had screw up and blew up Joy's cover. Mr. Prinkly glanced at his watch again.

I honestly tried to cover for him, "Toilets?"

He only nodded his head. I figured my excuse wasn't original because Mr. Prinkly did not look convinced.

I knew Joy wasn't going to be happy when Mr. Prinkly personally decided to wheel me to my geometry class. And, as we entered the classroom, asked the teacher to tell Joy to meet him in his office after he dropped me off to my next class.

That is if he actually showed up.

The class ended, Joy was the first person to be outside the classroom. His pokerface quickly melted away when Mr. Harvey told him the director wanted to see him. He didn't look back at me, but I knew he blamed me.

I didn't roll my eyes because this guy had a clear sight of me. I bit my tongue to keep myself from vomiting a snarky comment.

Instead, calmly, I reached out for my backpack and pulled out my schedule. I signed, it was lunchtime. I bit my lip. I briefly traveled through memories, memories where having lunch didn't matter, or having friends. All that mattered was getting good grades and just getting through high school.

It still was, but not for the same reasons.

Now, I couldn't bare the thought of sitting one more lunch by myself while everyone looked at me like a lab rat.

"What?" I asked again. Joy's faded voice brought me back to reality. I noticed Joy's usual indifferent attitude had shifted. I felt him slightly more heavy handed as he pushed. He was never graceful at it, but now if seemed more sketchy. If this version of Joy pushed off the stairs, it wouldn't be an accident.

I frowned realizing we were no longer in the hall, but right at the entrance of the cafeteria. If this guy could've gotten me as fast to my calculus class, we clearly wouldn't be having this conversation.

"Why didn't you talk to me first before talking to the principal? Didn't you used to be absent all the time? Why is that any different from now?" Joy hissed at me. "I needed that extra
credit," Joy had literally lost his head. I blinked blindsided by the nerve of this guy. He was shouting right in the middle of cafeteria. Everyone was staring. "Now, all my hours of civil service have been erased out of my record. I had gathered those hours since the beginning of junior year!"

No one but Joy's voice could be heard, everyone was dead silent and the spotlight on us. I realized this was exactly what Joy wanted.

"God, why do you have to be such a bitch?"

I breathed out a low chuckle incredulous, "You didn't just say that." I snapped right back at him. I spoke as loud as he did. He seemed surprised when I barked back at him. He probably thought I was a spineless loner. I was a loner, but I stood up to bitches in a daily basis since age five.
"I'm a bitch?" I echoed him, "Oh, yes, excuse me for trying to get on time to class! You moron got yourself called off by Mr. Prinkly because of your own irresponsibility. You lost your hours because you didn't do your job and that is not my fault. The only one who should get judge is you for using special-aid students to skip class! So, no, I'm not a bitch for wheeling myself to algebra class. But, yes, you're a jackass for complaining and blaming me for being rightfully punished!"

I was fuming by the time I finished, Joy just stood there in the middle of a dead silence. That was until he threw his coke at my face.