Wicked

Chapter Sixteen

It was six days before Halloween -- and my birthday. Like always, I was more excited about Halloween than my birthday. Rarely, did I ever celebrate my birthday, usually, I went to a Halloween party and called it good. Once I turned ten my mom stopped throwing me birthdays. It never really bothered me, but this year I wanted to do something special. It was my sixteenth birthday, after all.

Today, was Tuesday, so not as rough as a Monday. Over the weekend Daniel and I had video chatted while we watched this boring History video. It was about the Salem Witch Trials. Daniel tried to impersonate the British narrator during the whole video, making me burst into laughter every time. Basically, I didn't retain anything from the video. This wouldn't really have mattered, except we had a quiz on it today.

I walked into class completely unprepared. Then, I saw Daniel and that didn't seem to matter. He gave me this smile that sent butterflies flying away in my stomach. Mr. Geller was already handing out the quizzes and when he got to me I did something I've never done before.

"Oh, I was going to tell you," I found myself saying. "My mom said hi and to call her sometime." I lied to him. He froze, a test half extended towards me. I grinned and took the test, hoping I didn't just do something stupid.

"Okay, um thank you, Cornelia." I nodded. It wasn't fair that I said that. I felt bad for him, yet my mom kind of deserved it. I had been so consumed with anger about what she told Gran. If it helps me get a better grade and helps Mr. Geller, then maybe I did the right thing. Hopefully, if he calls her she won't turn him down too badly.

~~

"How did you do on the quiz?" Daniel asked as we packed up our things. I groaned and he laughed. "That bad?" I put my head in my hands.

"Worse." I grimaced, remembering what I told Mr. Geller. "I didn't study," I told him solemnly.

"Me either, I watched the video with you, but that was about it." I bet he was going to get a better grade than me. He was from this Witch Trial obsessed town. He had been learning about the Witches since he was in diapers, it wasn't fair.

"Yeah, I didn't read any of the chapters," I confessed.

"Well, I'm sure you still did well." His tone was reassuring, but I wasn't buying it. I knew how I did on the test. The second I got home I was going to study for the next quiz. History was my favorite subject, I couldn't fail.

"Thanks, but don't think so." I hated ho defeated I sounded.

There was a pause. We were out in the halls. I always waited for Addie so we could walk to our next class together. Daniel usually waited with me.

"Do you have anything planned after school tomorrow? I was thinking we could go get dinner." I waited for him to mention studying. It seemed like whenever we hung out it was to study for History or something. I was starting to think we only hung out as study buddies.

"Dinner?" I asked and he nodded, waiting for an actual response. I was slightly stunned but glad he was finally asking me out. Unless this wasn't a date. I bit my tongue. "I don't have any plans tomorrow." I finally said.

"Sweet, so tomorrow I'll pick you up. Let's say five o'clock?" Still stunned, I just bobbed my head up and down. "Alright, see you around!" He claimed, walking further down the hallway. I tried to regain myself, but I knew my jaw was dropped slightly.

I heard Addie before I saw her.

"You're gonna catch bugs like that." She joked. Today, she was dressed as the female version of The Joker. She wore a green wig, white face make up green eyebrows, heavy black eyeliner, green corset with a purple blazer and black skinny jeans.