"This is a time of dire stress for students school-wide. The only time we will feel this level of pain is during finals. The stakes are higher than ever, so I got only ONE question for you."
Freddie's eyes bore into each of us in turn from his precarious stance on top of a rolling chair, his declaration hanging heavy in the air like thick smoke.
"Where the fuck are the markers?"
I 'accidentally' nudge his chair with the toe of my sneaker from my spot on the carpet, leaning against a wall. Freddie tumbles unceremoniously to the ground, his flailing limbs taking out Dante, and catching Naomi in the arm with a flying foot. He pops back up unharmed and unperturbed at the fall, while Dante lays on the ground a second longer, appearing to debate who he should stab with a mechanical pencil first, Freddie for taking him down, or me for causing it.
"Sorry, buddy," I say choking back laughter. "I didn't plan for extra casualties."
"I'd drag you down too if you weren't already here." He says, still making no move to get up.
"C'mon get yo ass up, we got work to do." Esme holds a hand out to help Dante to his feet, who groans but eventually grabs her hand and hauls himself up.
"Has anyone actually started the FAFSA?" Naomi asks from her perch on top of the table, swinging her legs and occasionally hitting Noah, who doesn't seem to mind the mild abuse.
A chorus of No's ring through the room.
"Really? I'm the only one? Y'all better start pretty quick, there's more money available the earlier you apply."
"That's a tomorrow problem," Freddie says, waving his hand.
"You're only saying that because you don't qualify," Dante interjects, and Freddie throws a marker at him.
"I might!"
"Hey, who's down to go get some snacks?" I interject, pushing my notebook across the floor to rest against my already abandoned backpack.
"Sounds to me like a stall tactic, we got our midterm in Hayes' class coming up on Thursday, we don't have a lot of time," Esme mentions.
Ana pushes the door open and everyone calls out greetings.
"Where have you been?" Freddie asks as he uncaps a marker, finally settling into work at one of the whiteboards.
"I got called to the front office, something about my tutoring hours."
I glance at Ana to catch her already looking at me. We both look away, but her lie doesn't escape my attention. She's a bad liar anyway, I don't know why no one has caught it yet. She had been texting me before coming that she had gone to check on Strella to find her throwing up in the bathroom and had stayed to comfort and help her. I pull out my phone and text her,
Still haven't told them?
Her phone chimes and when she doesn't look at it, I clear my throat. She looks at me and I nod to her phone pointedly. She rolls her eyes and mouths Really? I shrug and grin.
She picks up her phone and responds
Not my news to give, you weren't even supposed to find out, consider yourself lucky.
I respond
Luck got nothing to do with my wit and charm
She snorts and Naomi glances at her with a raised eyebrow. I cough lightly to keep from laughing.
Part of me can't help but feel good about the fact that I'm the only one who knows about the baby. But I can't help but think about the fact that I wasn't supposed to find out, it had been a slip-on Ana's part. An accident. And she still sees it that way, rarely confiding in me when I'm more than willing to listen.
"Before we get started, are we still doing the sleepover Saturday at my house?" Naomi asks.
"Sleepover?" I ask.
"No boys allowed." Ana singsongs, smirking at me.
"Sexist!" Freddie exclaims. "We don't need you girls, we can have our own sleepover."
Noah nods in agreement. "I don't have plans Saturday. Who's house?"
"Mine," Freddie says. "You guys down?" He asks, looking to Dante and me.
I shrug. "Sure, sounds good to me."
"Zam, if you want you can bring your friend Marcus, I see you guys together a lot," Freddie says.
"And you could ask Jade if she wants to come with the girls." Ana offers.
I hesitate before responding. "Yeah, I'll ask her." Knowing her response will be a resounding no.
"Alright y'all, it's time to get something done," Ana says, putting her phone down on the table and giving me a pointed look. I grin back, stretching across the floor to grab my notebook, not bothering to sit back up again. Ana purposefully lets her foot catch on my leg and I grab her ankle in retaliation.
"Okay, okay!" She laughs, stumbling past me.
"We gotta get something done."
YOU ARE READING
Salted Wound
Teen FictionAnastacia Flores doesn't live a perfect life, but she pushes herself into her education to have a bright future and become a teacher. She is loved and supported by her family, her boyfriend, Luis, and her best friends. Zamari Sabian is a deviant wh...
