Life As I Know It (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-eight - The L Word

           “What the hell? Where did you go?” Kelley bombarded me as soon as I walked into our English classroom. She’d been talking with Esme, a girl we’d partnered up with on occasions to do projects, but she hurried towards me with a scowl on her face as soon as she saw me. Esme glowered at Kelley’s back, snapping her mouth shut mid-sentence. I was relieved to finally get there to be honest. Maddy and I had made our way here in a very awkward silence, only broken by the whispers and stares of our fellow classmates as they ogled at us on their way to class. Kelley also did a double-take when she saw who I was with. “What the hell?” she choked, eyes wide.

            “Let’s sit. I guess I have a lot to fill you in on.” I linked my arm with hers and gave Maddy a cordial nod, silent gratitude shining in my eyes. She didn’t have to get involved back in the car park, but she had and she’d told me what she’d learned too about Kevin and that night.

           I didn’t get the chance to tell Kelley what had transpired in the car park after all, as Mr McKenzie chose that very moment to walk into the classroom.

            “Everyone, to your seats and take your copies of the play out,” he ordered, sounding slightly out of breath. He must have hurried here. What had he been saying to Kevin? I'd forgotten to ask Maddy about that night I'd seen her in a restaurant with Mr McKenzie, Kevin and Jason.

            “Damn, we’ll talk after lesson. I thought you were going home though?” Kelley muttered to me, digging in her backpack. She pulled out various sheets and books and put them on her desk as she tried to find the play. The inside of her backpack was always a completely unorganised mess. I raised an eyebrow as she pulled a folder out of her bag and I noticed a sock peeking out through the edge of it. “I wondered where that had gone.” Kelley quickly balled the sock up in her hand, after a conspicuous glance around to see if anyone had noticed it and shoved it back in her bag. I wasn't going to ask.

            “I was, but... I’ll tell you about it later, okay? Wanna skip the rest of the day with me? Hopefully we’ll have more luck than I did just now,” I asked, looking around the classroom. Mr McKenzie was by Maddy’s desk, and he was bent over so that his face was level to hers. I wouldn’t have thought anything of it, if it weren’t for the way Maddy’s hands were balled tightly into fists under her table.

            “Ellie. Did you hear me?” Kelley elbowed me.

            “Yeah?” I looked at her.

            “We have a day off tomorrow,” Kelley said. From her tone of voice, I concluded that she’d said this before.

            “Off of what?” I asked, confusedly.

            “College. It’s teacher training.” Kelley rolled her eyes. “Do you ever listen to me?”

            “Sorry.” I grinned impishly at her.  A whole day off college? Awesome. For a split second, I imagined what I'd do with Drew, before remembering everything that had happened in the parking lot, and my mood plummeted drastically.

            “As I was saying, I’m going to be hanging out with Loki tomorrow,” she spoke casually, but her cheeks were reddening in excitement.

            “Loki?” I blinked at her.

            “Ellie,” she complained.

            “Sorry,” I apologised quickly. “You’re just jumping from one topic to another, and I’m finding it a little hard to keep up, plus my mind is elsewhere today.”

            “Yeah, well, we’ve texted here and there since last weekend. I mean, there’s some chemistry there, you know?" she said, but continued before I could speak. "I seriously need your advice on what to wear.”