I Don't Really Know...

Chapter 29: The Method Of Contemplation

“Thanks, dad!” She beams, radiating fake innocence.  He smiled proudly, probably because of his polite and poetic daughter, walking her into the school and pushing others out of the way.  Preston came up to me from behind, crossing his arms and chuckling.  

 

“The perfect duo,” He says, startling me.  I laugh, watching Malex follow her father into the school with a smug expression.  

 

“I wonder how she broke her arm…” I trail off, walking into the school once more. Preston ponders about it, tapping his chin.

 

“I’ve heard rumors...that her own weight pulled her to the ground, which made her fall onto her arm.  I doubt it, though.”

 

My stomach feels a bit sick.  Of course, I don’t like Malex, but… that rumor is just not needed.  You just don’t say that about people.  

 

“Who said that? That’s just rude,” I shake my head disapprovingly.  Preston raises his eyebrows.

 

“You care?”

 

“Not really, it’s just...not that nice,” I finish lamely.  I didn’t want to tell him that I maybe cared...once in a lifetime.  This was that one time.  He shrugs, and sneezes violently.  I grimace.

 

“You sick?”

 

“Yeah.”  I can’t believe I couldn’t tell earlier.  His throat and nose sounds too congested to not notice as he speaks.

 

“Stay away from me.”

 

“You know, some people say, ‘bless you,’ but you know.”

 

“I know.  I’m just not like, ‘some people.’”  Mila rushes up to us, her eyes wild.

 

“Hey, guys!  Did you see-”

 

“Malex?”  The three of us say simultaneously.  Mila giggles.  

 

“I guess you both did.”  I nod eagerly.  

 

“Have you heard what the story behind it was?”  Preston asks her.  “I heard that her weight pulled her to the ground, making her fall on her arm.”  Mila snorts.  

 

“Wow.  What a great reason.  No, I’m sure that’s not true…I haven’t heard anything about it though.”  She dismissed it quickly and beckoned us to follow her up the stairs, to our classrooms.  

 

“Don’t worry,” Preston advises, as we near the top of the staircase.  “We’ll find out sooner or later.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~

“Ok, we’re going to start Chapter 19, so get out some paper-we’re going to be taking some notes,” Ms. Jenkins spoke, making everyone groan.  “Some” always meant “4-5 pages” of notes.  She took a piece of chalk and started putting graceful cursive on the board, but graceful cursive never meant that it was easy to read.  Most kids squinted, but one daring student raised his hand, as everyone cringed.