These Classrooms Talk

XVI

The date is set. Now I just have to wait.
Just a few minutes. Don't want anything looking suspicious.
I exit the stairwell, and head to class, giddy.
With a skip in my step I pass Sean and Briar, making out.
"Hey, Kenny," Sean says.
"Don't call me that," I say.
"Sorry," he shifts, and Briar holds him. He's mine, she seems to say. I don't want him anyway. "Me and Briar are gonna have fun this weekend. Sunday night, at seven. Wanna join. We could have a threesome?"
People giggle and laugh, as if they know something I don't.
"Sorry," I say, "somewhere to be."
I walk off, happy.
"Replaced me already, slut?" I hear him call. I ignore it. He won't be getting under my skin anymore.
I knock on the door to my classroom. I'm five minutes late according to my phone.
"Miss Kendall," Mrs Gerard asks, "why are you late?"
"Mr Smith spoke to me."
"Did he, now?"
"Yes."
She looks at me, and in my peripheral vision, I see the whole class staring at me.
"Alright." She says.
I run to an empty seat at the back and sit down. Just so happens Emily is next to me.
"Seans party, you going?" She asks.
"What party?" I ask.
"Sunday, six thirty." She informs me, "I heard we're hiding until Sean shouts 'fuck yeah' and then we pop up."
"Bastard," I mumble.
He was gonna expose me.
"You got the invitation, right?" Emily asks.
"I'm busy," I say.
Emily's phone beeps.
"Oh," she says, "Sean says the party is off."
"I'm busy, anyway," I repeat.
"What're we doing?" She asks.
"Uh," I say, "just me."
"What?" She asks, upset, "what can't I be there for?"
"Girls at the back," Mrs Gerard hollers, "quiet."
"Sorry, miss," we say in unision.
We quieten our voices, but continue talking.
"What can you do that I can't?" Emily whispers. She's obviously offended.
"Nothing, it's just-"
"What, Kenny?" She raises her voice.
"It's important..." I say. I can't admit that I'm going out with Mr Smith.
"What is-oh," she says, hit with a wave of realisation. Her frown is replaced with a mischeivious smile, "are you going on a date?"
I stare down at my feet.
"Who?" She ecstatic.
"No one you know," I say softly, "his name is Pete."
"Pete, huh?" She says, "I see. You're the Marcy to his Pete."
She's referring to an ameteuristic article we both read about a Pete and a Marcy Lane.
"Wait, is he a teacher?!"
"GIRLS!" Mrs Gerard shouts, "final warning!"
"What's going on with your dad?" I ask, hoping to change the subject.
"Well, he's a cunt," she says.
"Obviously," I agree.
"But I want to join him."
"What?!" I shout.
"That's it!" Mrs Gerard says, "Kendall, move over here."
"Shame," Emily says, a bit too loudly.
"And Emily, detention."
"Fuck!" Emily whispers.

~

The next day is Saturday. I wake up feeling groggy.
I stumble downstairs to the kitchen and make myself a bowl of Froot Loops™.
"Morning, Ken," Mum says as she comes downstairs.
"Morning, Ma," I say.
She begins making herself a coffee.
"What's going on with Emily?" Mum asks.
"What'dya mean?" I ask.
"Her dad, and all."
"Oh, jeez Mom, I don't fricking know."
"What don't you know?" Dad walks in.
"Nothing, Dad."
"Have you had the talk yet?" He asks, "I told you, right? Maybe I should give you the talk, how bout it?"
"Ew, no!!" I shout.

~

Me and Emily are at the shops.
"I know." Emily says.
"What?" I ask, paying for a block of chocolate.
"I know about your mom."
I look at her, "what about my mom?"
"She's cutting herself." Emily says.
"Dafuq?" I shout.
"I found razors, blood soaked, in our bathroom bin."
Shit! They were mine.
I mean, I haven't since Thursday.
"

Um," I say, "they were actually mine."
"You're cutting yourself?!" Emily shouts.
"No, I just-" Emily stares at me, "I don't know how to shave."
"What?" Emily giggles, "Shoulda asked me for help."
"It's embarrassing!"
"Okay, hun."
We head to the food court and sit down at a spare table.
Escalators positioned right next to our table, going up to another level. I glance over and see a girl trip.
A laugh escapes my throat.
And then the girl stumbles over the railing and falls.
"EMILY!" I shout.
Emily stands up with me. The whole mall is squealing with us.
A tall, buff man comes out of nowhere and catches the girl just before she lands.
The mall erupts into applause.
Then twenty or so people run towards them. The guy sets the girl down and they start dancing.
Oh my gawd. It's a flash mob.
"Yasss," Emily says. I yank her by the elbow.
"I ain't watching this shit."
Me and Emily exit the mall and get to the car.
I sit in the drivers seat and turn on the ignition.
"Want to tell me who you're going on a date with?" Emily asks.
"I did," I say, "Phil."
"You said Pete, actually," Emily says, "and besides, I know its a teacher."
"IS NOT!" I shout.
"Is, too!"
"Whatever," I reverse out of the park, "at least I have someone to date."
"I do," Emily admits, "on Monday, me and Sean are going to skip school and go to the beach."
"What about Briar?" I ask.
"Don't tell her!" Emily suddenly gets defensive.
"Why?" I ask, "Because you love him? Because you're meant to be together?"
"No," says Emily, "I didn't say that."
"You know he's gonna dump you Tuesday," I say, "after he's gotten what he wanted."
She stares at me with a face so angry it could kill Satan. Her eyes pin me down as if I'm but a hair on her brush.
"I'm sorry," I say.
"Fuck. You." She replies.
"What?" I ask, "Why?"
"Sean won't dump me, or blackmail me, or expose me," she says, "just because you're a slut that got what was coming to her, doesn't mean I am."
"Get the FUCK OUTTA MY CAR!"