Chance Encounters

Chapter 4

Why did I have to be in this class? With these specific people? Just, why?

Two more minutes, just two more minutes. Okay, Sierra, you can do this. Two minutes and then freedom. C'mon, c'mon, come on. Why was the clock ticking slower?

I started packing my things up, slowly and discreetly so Mrs. Elliot wouldn't notice. She may be a chill teacher but she liked talking, and that meant she liked students listening to her talk until she was finished - which she was not. She was still going on about the plans she had for the semester and what a great year it was going to be and blah, blah -

"Dringggg!"

Finally. 

I grabbed my bag and shot out of my seat, bidding a quick goodbye to Mrs. Elliot and practically running out of the classroom. 

Now, it's not like I hated everyone in that class, more like they were the kids I would never talk to. It was literally all the popular kids - the ones all the rumors followed, the ones who caused all the rumors, the ones I only talked to occasionally because we just didn't have anything in common. They were outgoing and loud and so social and I just wasn't. What's worse was that they all knew each other in that class, while I, knew no one. But it was an easy mark so I was going to suck it and deal with it. 

Finally arriving at my locker, I stuffed my stuff inside and put my books for the afternoon in my bag, along with my lunch so that I wouldn't have to come back at the end of the lunch-hour. Just as I shut my locker closed, Amanda dramatically dropped her weight against the locker beside mine. "Guess who's in my calculus?"

"Dylan O'Brien."

"This isn't Teen fucking Wolf, Si. Guess again," she glared.

"Fine," I sighed loudly as we started to walk towards the cafeteria. "Garret," I smiled, wickedly.

"Yup," she muttered angrily as I cackled. "Now I have to start my day with his ugly ass face every freaking morning."

"Don't be so optimistic, Ames, we both know you're going to be skipping that class just to sleep in."

She rolled her eyes, "I made a New Semester Resolution, remember?"

"Yeah and just like your New Year's resolution to be nicer to your brother, this will only last a day. One day. As in, just today."

"I could've been nicer to him for longer if he hadn't insulted my make up. Thank God he went away for uni."

I shook my head, smiling. "Well, I think your mornings with Garret will help you work on your anger management."

She punched me in the arm, "quit enjoying my misery, you hoe."

"Ow," I laughed, "see what I mean?"

She glared at me again and I walked a little faster to avoid another punch, still laughing. 

Garret was Amanda's ex. She'd broken up with him just after New Year's, a month ago. They'd been dating for 3 months and by the end they were arguing 95% of the time they were together over the smallest of things. It wasn't anything big or emotional, they just didn't get on well. The initial lust and chemistry had faded away until nothing but clashing personalities was left. Ames wasn't bitter about it or anything, she just didn't want to be around him 'cause "his face pissed her off" as she so eloquently put it. I mean, her face pissed him off too but the last time I said that she threw a handful of chips at me. 

"I see them," Amanda said, as she took the lead and pulled me along to the table with the rest of our friends.

"Why has our table changed?" I asked as I settled into a seat beside Laila. I glanced back at our usual table and saw a group of eleventh graders were now occupying it. 

"I felt like we needed a change, you know?" Megan spoke up. "So, I took the liberty of choosing a new, nice table to have lunch at from now on."

"Uh huh," muttered Ames, who was looking at Megan like she was speaking another language, then turned to Laila.

"This table's closer to Tyler's," she stated.

"Ah," I nodded in understanding. That made more sense.

Megan glared at all Laila. "Listen sis, I am a strong, independent woman and I would never change myself, or my lunch table just for a mere boy."

Laila just raised a single brow. 

"Okay, fine," Megan sighed. "But you guys have done stupid things for cute boys too. Sans Sierra. But she doesn't count."

"Mm hm," I hummed, waving my sandwich at her in agreement. 

"Well guess what our innocent angel did yesterday," Ames started.

I squinted at her, "I didn't do anything."

"What did you do?" Laila turned to me. 

And so began the recount of my time in the closet with James - you can imagine how many jokes were made out of that - and teasing about Megan's crush, and Ames whining about Garret being in her first class of the day.