Little Rich Boy

5

Jason and I walk out of math, both confident that we totally just aced that test. The problems were easy, for me anyway, and they were identical to the ones I help Jason with last night.

"So?" I ask Jason as we walk down the hall heading to our table out back.

"So... I damn aced that thing man!" He says excitedly, "seriously thanks for helping me last night, those questions were identical to the ones we did." I nod my head in agreement.

We walk a little further down the hall, I spot Hadley at her locker, I assume anyway. "I'll meet you outside alight. I forgot my ruler." I lie, I'm hoping Jason doesn't notice my lie or Hadley in his excitement.

"Okay." He says still grinning like a child that was just told they are going to Disney land. I slow down in walking and wait for Jason to make it out the door, then I walk over to Hadley. I stand back to the locker beside hers on the left side so she can see me.

"Hey Hadley." I say happily.

"Dustin." She says, continuing to look for something in her locker. I don't know how she could misplace something, her locker is the neatest one I've ever seen. Her books are in order. Binders on a lower shelf, she has a picture of her dad, brother and her on her door held up by a simple black magnet. "Is there something you need?" She says finding whatever she was looking for and pulling out a textbook with a notepad and blue pen.

"Just wondering what you're up to. You now it's lunch right? You don't need your stuff for the next class for another forty five minutes." I say laughing slightly at her and pointing to her handful of books.

She rolls her eyes at me and shuts her locker. "I know that, I'm going to the library to work." She says and starts to walk that direction. I walk to slide into step with her.

"You're working through lunch?" I ask her." Are you behind or something?" I ask her honestly.

"The opposite actually. I'm trying to get ahead." She says and I stop in my tracks. What kinda girl wants to spend her lunch hour doing homework. I once again have to walk quickly to catch up.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes Dustin, I'm doing some extra credit stuff for a few classes and getting a head start on my English essay. " she tells me like it's normal.

"You've got o be kidding me. Is all you do school, like even when we talked yesterday at lunch you were reading a book for English." We stop in the middle of the hall, people see us talking and I already know what they think. Jerks, always marking assumptions. Like I could even do a thing to Hadley, she's too sweet to play with. I glare at a few kids and they immediately diverted their eyes from us.

"So what if it is? I have too keep up my grade and if working through lunch is how I'm gonna do it then that's what's going to happen." She snaps back at me. "Now if you will excuse me, I have work to do." She says her last work and heads in the direction of the library. What is she some kid of genius.

                ~                  ~                ~

I wait at my car. Searching the doors for Hadley. I'm hoping that our little outburst earlier didn't change our after school plans.

"Well." I hear from the passenger side of my car I turn to look and there stood is Hadley. "Are plans still hold right?" She asks.

I nod my head quickly and unlock the doors. Once I start driving Hadley speaks up and breaks the somewhat uncomfortable silence between us.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, during lunch" she says like she's assumed of her actions.

"It's okay." I smile "I get it, you're uptight."