The WRA Draft

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Vending Machine

(After school; Olivia's POV)

"And that makes it a third minor chord," Mr. Wires finished as I stepped in the band room. Taylor and Toby watched the board carefully. Tommy sat in the chair behind them messing with his phone. When I entered the door, Mr. Wires looked at me. "This make sense, Mora?"

I looked at the board completely clueless as to what they were talking about. "Yep. One hundred percent."

"That's the spirit."

Tommy smiled at me when I walked further into the room and took a seat next to him. "Where you been?"

"Meeting with Clayton," I said. "We were reading through the script. I think we're almost done."

"That's great!"

"Yeah, but as soon as we finish the script, we have to get it edited and only God knows how long that'll take."

"I'm sure it's great."

I looked at him. A warm, reassuring smile from him is what kept me going sometimes. However, I couldn't form my facial expression to show my gratitude and  Tommy stood up. "Come on. Let's go get a snack from the vending machine."

"Okay." I nodded, knowing what that really meant. Come on. Let's go get a snack from the vending machine and talk about your feelings.

"You guys want anything?" Tommy offered.

Mr. Wires looked at his almost empty water bottle. "Another water? Here, I'll give you money."

Mr. Wires gave Tommy two dollars and we set off. Once we left the room, I started walking slowly towards the vending machine, but Tommy reached for my arm and tugged me in the opposite direction.

He looked at my confused face and said, "We're take the long way. Wires' water can wait."

I huffed. Tommy and I walked slowly down the hall, quiet for a really long thirty seconds before saying anything.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

Another sad sigh escaped my lips. "We had two kids drop out of school today."

"Dropped out?"

"Yeah, they made a huge deal out of it today. They had points, reasons, the whole works. Wasted a good ten minutes of work time."

"Were they a big part of something?"

"Tommy, everyone plays an important role here. We can't afford to to lose anyone and right now we're in some debt."

"You know what I mean," Tommy uttered looking at the ground.

"They weren't exactly high on the list, no, but still, losing kids isn't good. It's them giving up and giving up tends to be contagious. They're inspiring failure."

"What a way to see it," Tommy commented. "You are quite angry, aren't you?"

I stopped, anger starting to bubble. "I feel like I have a right to be, don't you think?"

Tommy stopped as well, however, a look slight shock coursing through his features. The shock soon turned to concern. "Olivia, I...I, uh," He stopped and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry."

I bit my lip and returned his sign of frustration. "No, I'm sorry. I knew what you were implying in the first place."

"How can I help?" Tommy asked as he began walking again. The corner came up on us and after we rounded it, the vending machine was in sight. Even though Tommy insisted on "taking the long way," it was still a pretty short walk from the band room wasn't very far from the cafeteria.

I still didn't know what Tommy could do to help. He, by law, couldn't do anything since he wasn't apart of the class. We were at the vending machine all the way down the hall before an answer was heard from my lips.

Can you just be there for us?" I asked. "For me?"

Tommy looked away from the machine to me. The machine rocked at he took the weight that he placed on it while leaning off. He pursed his lips then went in with a hug. His arms wrapped over my shoulders protectively. My head fell onto his chest and arms went around his waist.

"I'm so sorry, Olivia," he said.

"Will you?" I asked.

"Will I do what?"

"Be there for me?"

"Oh, Olivia." Tommy pulled away, his hands moving from my shoulders to my cheeks. "I always was."

I quickly hugged him again, this time making my grip tighter and my eyes shut at the same intensity.

"I always was and I always will," he continued.