third time's a charm

"get to the point"

chapter eight: get to the point

Monday, December 11. 10:36 am.

"I seriously fucking hate this place," As I waited outside of Rowan's first period, like I did every single day, she walked out with her hands raised in the air. "I'm so done with all of these people."

"What happened this time?" I asked, entirely accustomed to her morning attitude.

"Who the fuck gives a pop quiz in math class? That shit is hard enough to begin with! Mrs. Calico is the actual devil and I hope she perishes. All those kids in there act like they give a shit and know what they're doing, but they're all talk. It's impossible to learn when a former kindergarten teacher is teaching Pre-Calculus. There is no teaching happening, Elle!" As we continued walking down the hallway, to our second period, we bumped into Will and Vales at the door of the classroom. "Aaron."

"Rowan." Will and I looked back and forth between Vales and Rowan as they spoke to one another, and then at each other.

"Eloise," Will mocked.

"William," I said, playing along. Rowan and Vales didn't seem nearly as amused as we were, but we didn't mind.

"You look stressed," Vales observed as he continued to look at Rowan.

"Math was bullshit," she said, huffing under her breath before scurrying to her seat in the front of the room. Vales sighed as she made her way passed him and I exchanged knowing glances with Will.

"Hey guys," I looked to my right as Andy walked up and I slowly crossed my arms as I greeted him. I hadn't talked to him over the weekend, but Rowan assured me that my moment with Jamison Burnside would not be mentioned by Andy to anyone. "Alumni scrimmage tonight?" Andy looked over at Vales as he spoke, and received a simple nod. A defeated sigh left Andy's lips as he realized Vales was never going to warm up to him now that he was talking to Rowan, but I also knew Andy probably didn't actually care.

"Rowan's having a tough morning," Vales said, nodding his head in her direction. "Something about math? Maybe treat her good today, yeah?"

"I think I've got that covered, bud... but thanks for the heads up." Andy rolled his eyes before walking away from us and up to Rowan, who had laid her head down on her desk after getting settled.

"What does she even see in him?" Vales asked, staring at Andy as he walked off. "He's not even good looking... he's a sleaze ball."

"Vales, you think everyone who isn't you is a sleaze ball." My eyes rolled as I spoke, and I couldn't help but think about Vales calling Jamie a sleaze. "He's really sweet with her, and that makes her happy. Happiness is what matters, after all. As long as you're happy, others should support you."

"I'm happy if she's happy," Vales replied softly, still looking at the back of Andy's head; Rowan had become aware of Andy's presence, and had visibly cheered up.

"Find your seats, please." The three of us looked over at Mr. Collins as he walked into the classroom and nodded at him before finding our seats. This was the only class I had ever been able to sit by Will in since elementary school, and we had both been ecstatic about sitting together in the beginning of the year, but had started to become sick of each other as the year dragged on.

"Vales talked about her all of first period," Will told me once we had sat down. "She called him at like three in the morning."

"What?" I asked, surprised by his words. "Did Vales answer?"

"No, he was sleeping," Will said, as if it was absurd of me to think he would have answered. "But that's what has him so tense. He thinks he missed some kind of sign, or something. He's scared that it was his last chance, and that he literally missed the call."