Red As Roses and Black As Night

1. Rain, Rain, Go Away

Class was pretty boring.  It always was. Who needed to use geometry in life, anyway? Logic has no use whatsoever. I tugged at my hair. Probably the only guy in the whole Junior year who doesn't cut it, and it makes me look scraggly a little, but the ladies like it, so I'm fine with it. Until it gets in my eyes then I only see red. Because me hair is red, not because I see blood.

But I do, every once in a while.

"Fane, care to tell me what the answer is?" my teacher asked me, thinking I wasn't paying attention. Despite my evil reputation, I still have to keep my grades up to go to Harvard. So I was paying attention, sadly.

"Contrapositive." I muttered, rolling my eyes and looking out the window. It was grey today, as it has been the past week. But rain hasn't come, oddly enough. It kind of disappointed me, I liked the smell of rain and damp earth. It was soothing.

"Uh...that's correct...um, anyway, anyone care to tell me why he is correct?" the teacher asked, and Wylan's hand shot up. I could practically hear the class groan. As the official teacher's pet, he tried to answer everything. I'm glad I only have one class with the black-haired wimp.

I tuned out his quick answer and flicked my gaze to the worksheet we had. I finished it within five minutes, but the teacher thinks we are so dumb and is now going over it. I've got it all correct anyway, I copied Analice's answers, and she's the smartest girl in class.

I sagged in relief when the bell rang for us to leave. As I stuffed my geometry binder into my book bag, I caught a whiff of perfume. Ick, was Opal really doing this again? Ever since someone smelled her period last year, she's been using so much perfume she smelled like an actual flower whenever her monthly monster came around.

I shouldered my book bag, not bothering to put it on correctly, and raced out o the classroom. Nobody liked math, not even the math geeks, which was actually a surprise to me. As I went to my elective class--art all the way, man--I heard moaning coming from the stairwell I was heading to. I ignored Paul and Jane as they went way to far in the stairs, my face not even turning pink. These stairs have seen a lot more than just a steamy relationship, and so have I.

I entered Ms. Pana's classroom, sitting on a worn stool. The art classroom was always a mess, but it always felt right. The papers strewn about the floor, paint along the cabinets, cuts and dents in all the tables and wooden chairs, art supplies left about...it was aesthetic. My classmates filtered in, and I settled into my seat. I sucked at drawing, even if I've been taking art since middle school. As I took out my sketchbook, I hid it, because on the cover I had scribbled a picture of my mom. It looked more like a depressed elephant's behind, and showing it was not on my to-do list.

"Yo, Fane, did you hear about the movie Constipation?"

I looked up in surprise to see a Hindu boy, all brown eyes and dimples. His clothing was a mess, with his shirt buttons all wrong and saggy jeans. I couldn't find his book bag. I knew I dressed better than him, at least. Metallica T-shirt and ripped jeans. Also socks with sandals, I hope he didn't notice.

"No, Henri, I have not heard about a movie called Constipation." I told my friend, arranging my stuff so he could take the stool next to me. When he sat down, he beamed at me. "That's because it hasn't come out yet." he whispered, acting like it was a secret.

Yes, these are the types of friends I have.

"Okay, everyone, pull out your portfolios and get to work on your sketch for your clay creations!" Ms. Pana called, walking I from the back room. She dyed her hair on a bi-weekly basis, and today it appeared she went for the I'm-pretty-in-pink-and-green. Her outfit seemed half-hearted, with a grey skirt and ripped-up shawl over blue turtle-neck. Her hair was pulled back in the messiest bun--it probably wasn't even a bun anymore--and her brown eyes scanned the classroom. She frowned and closed her eyes, her thick mascara making her eyes look hollow. "Has anyone seen Illea?"