Paper Wings

Chapter 4

My hair was damp from my morning shower, now it's frozen solid from the cold, plus it gives me one more reason to hate winter. I'm walking towards the bus stop when I hear a slightly too familiar voice.
     "Elle! Hey Elle, it's me! Eleanor slow down!"
This girl does the same thing every damn day. I pretend not to hear her, but it's pretty hard to ignore the earthquake she creates with each and every step.
    The girl is huge maybe twice my size or more. Long brown hair, brown eyes, and has a puffy red face. She's wearing jeans that are too tight with a plain black T-shirt. She has a clear as day muffin top. I guess she didn't know that black isn't sliming on everyone...
     "Hey, where have you been? I haven't seen you since school break!" The girl says breathlessly.
I turn and give my most convincing fake half-smile. If I just ignore it maybe it will go away. I close my eyes tightly. When I open them again I'm disappointed. it didn't work.
     "Oh," I say evenly. "I've been busy."
"Busy with what?"
"Well you know, homework and such."
"Homework? You did homework over winter break?" The girl asked.
     This proceeded to enrage me, yes homework, of course, I did my homework I have  AP classes and I'm a junior! Gosh and I thought blondes were supposed to be dumb.
     "Yes that's how you graduate," I say it loud and slow to ensure she understands what I am saying. We reach the stop and the buss is waiting for us. I can't wait to sit in my own seat away from her. The bus is full of loud annoying school children, I pass them quickly to take the very last empty seat available. I'm staring out the window when suddenly someone taps me. I jump immediately startled. I turn it's her again.
    "Can I sit with you?" The girl asks
She doesn't wait for me to respond she just plops herself next to me in the seat happily. I just can't seem to shake her off me. I roll my eyes it isn't even 8:00 am yet. Today is off to a great start.
    As the bus approaches the cement prison that is our school I prepare myself for impact. The second I step through those doors I will be all fake rainbows and butterflies.
    Before the bus can even stop kids are halfway out already, except for one. The one that just happens to be sitting beside me.
     "Excuse me, please," I say sounding irritated and rightfully so.
"Oh wow, here already!" She said excitedly and proceeds to leave at a moderately slow pace.
"Please, I really need to get to class."
"Oh sorry, sorry, I'll move."
     Finally, she gets up and lets me through, I walk as fast as I can to make sure that I'll lose her.
     My first two-period class are for the most part are pretty uneventful. That's my AP English, and American History class. I'm on my way to my third-period class pre-calculus, and for the record, I'd like to say that taking this class is ultimately the worst decision of my life.
     I take my seat at the very back of the class, fortunately for me, Mr. Branson happens to be quite the talker and is usually late. He is by far the most unorganized teacher I have ever had. Suddenly the door bursts open and in stumbles Mr. Branson with a huge stack of staggered graded papers.
     "I'm sorry class for being late today, it's been a rough morning at home..." He starts babbling on about how his toddler was sick this morning and said that he was having trouble finding someone to watch her. Or something along the lines of that. I stopped listening because I'm too busy tensing all the muscles in my body in a last stitch effort to burn more calories. I start in my legs by squeezing them tight, I do fifteen repetitions on each leg before moving on to my core. Realistically I know that doing this won't burn hardly anything, but to me, every calorie is worth it. I'm getting in the zone I can start to feel a burning sensation in my muscles.
     "Elenor, could you please give me the answer to questions 37- 40 please?"
     Shit. He obviously knew that I wasn't paying any attention. He also knows that I hate being put on the spot.
     "Oh um sure, let's see the answer to question 37 would be..." I start. It's a multiple-choice question which means that even if I am guessing I'll still have a 25% chance of guessing the right answer. Maybe I really do know the answer or I'll just get lucky, who knows?
"D. The answer is D," I say
"Is that a final answer?" He asks. I don't say anything I can only nod.
"D is the correct," but Mr. Branson is cut short, and I am yet again saved by the bell. Quickly I gather my things and leave before he can say anything else. The last thing I need right now is a lecture on the importance of actively participating in my own education. And as far as I'm concerned my grades are doing just fine, besides I have much more important things to tend to at the moment.