Recovery

Chapter 18

I walk out of the math classroom and sigh. None of my classes so far have been with either Cassy or Becca. Tough luck for me, because I know that they both had music together. Darn me for playing guitar. No, not really. I wouldn't trade my guitar for anything, and Cassy would say the same thing about her piano, and Becca about her flute.

I lock my locker, and clutch my lunch in my hand, looking around for Becca and Cassy. I just spot them when someone interrupts my path. The one and only... Jane Smith. Such a generic name, but definitely not a generic person. Our world may be in danger if it was over run by these type of Jane Smiths.

"Alexis," she sneers. "My friends are taking biology, and want to see the growth on your forehead." I decide to be mature, and brush my bangs off my forehead. Jane and her minions gasp, and pretend to gag.

"I don't know..." One of the minions muses, "maybe it's just an oversized wart?" I notice a small crowd gathering around us, and my friends are trying to push their way through, to defend me. I just decide to handle this on my own and tell them what it is.

"No, actually, if you are in biology, I'd assume you'd know what a goose egg is..." I tap my chin thoughtfully, just as Becca and Cassy break through the crowd.

"Not that I'd expect you to know that, you've probably never had one, what with your daddy there to protect you." Becca's voice is sharp, unexpected from the sweet little Rebecca I know.

"Let's go, Lexi," Cassy whispers in my ear. She leads me through the crowd of people, and outside to the picnic tables. Becca follows close behind.

"So, Lexi, how do you know Jane Smith?" Cassy inquires, leaning foreword and her head on her hands, elbows resting on the wooden table.

"Umm..." I roll my eyes, "she interrogated me before chem this morning." I give a bitter laugh.

"Do you have any idea who her dad is?" Becca asks me like I should know. I think for a second.

"No..." I cock my head. "Should I?" The girls both look at me like I've grown another head.

"Does," Cassy pauses for suspense, "Stephen Smith mean anything to you?"

"Sorry, no bells ringing in my head right now." I shake my head in amusement. He could be the president for all I know. The girls both look disappointed in me

"Okay then...." Becca pauses for a moment. "How about the principal of this school sound?" Ooh... So thaaat's what...

"Oh." I say, disappointed. I was kind of hoping that he was the president, that would be cool. But if he's the principle then that means that he could make my life miserable. Especially if Jane's a daddy's girl. She seems like the type.

My stomach churns at the thought of what he could do to me... Suspend me, expel me, change my classes, bump me down to my own grade's music, the list is almost endless. I feel the onset of another panic attack coming on, my heart is beating fast, and I can't breathe properly.

"I'm going to music early," I spit out and start speed walking down the hallway towards music. I really hope that no one's there, at this point only music can regulate my breathing, and I try to suck in another breath from my stomach, knowing that breathing is important. Fairly important anyway.

I'm kinda surprised that my friends didn't follow me, but I understand. They did once, but walked in on me while I was singing. I flipped and all goes to say, they don't follow me to music anymore.

I twist the doorknob, and thankfully, it opens. Also, it's empty. This must be my day. I feel my breathing start to ease as I walk towards my guitar. I pick it up, and strum a few chords of a song I have memorized. My fingers start strumming the familiar chords of my favourite country song.