Burnouts

And Sometimes She Loved Me Too

Scene 1: British Literature

Heather Blakely

"Ms. Blakely," Mr. Lanson says in surprise when I walk into class...late.

I force a smile as I hand him my late slip. He doesn't complain even though I've missed half his class and interrupted by showing up tardy. Usually, I'll miss the entire class just to avoid being scolded.

Once he returns to reading aloud from the textbook on his desk, I head toward mine.

"Good morning, Emily Dickinson," Audrey whispers to me from one desk over.

"What?" I say back in confusion.

She looks toward the front of the room so the teacher doesn't get suspicious but smiles slyly when she pulls something out of her bag and slides it over to me.

"Page 3," Audrey smirks.

"The Addington Print?" I furrow my eyebrows at her. No one actually reads the school newspaper. She doesn't respond so I flip through the pages for an explanation. "Oh, my god...no," I shake my head. "Why would she get this put here— why didn't she ask me?"

"So...who is it about?" Audrey says in amusement.

"Please tell me you're the only one who has seen this..."

She scoffs through laughter, "far from it, there was an announcement about it this morning. Miss Carter...that English teacher? Yeah, she's really proud or something. It's an okay poem...I suppose."

I almost scowl before I decide it's not worth the effort, "thanks."

"What's the issue? People seem to like it," Audrey shrugs, "a bit early to be campaigning for prom queen though, isn't it?"

"What are you talking about?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"Come on, it's obvious," she laughs in disbelief, "the love letters for Jace are so that you and he get nominated."

"Jace?"

"Yes, hon, he's seen it too...and quite frankly, we're all a little surprised you went back to him. Old habits die hard, I guess."

I groan and put my head down. Oversleeping was a blessing in disguise...and a sign that I should've stayed home.

"Heather Blakely," Mister Lanson calls me, "Our poet of the day..." may this torment never end? "Alfred Lord Tennyson did not define what melancholy is, rather he described it by using this jilted woman and her surroundings. The last line of Heather's poem really hinted on what Mariana felt when her lover did not return..."

"...yes?" I said, slightly offended by being compared to a miserable character.

"Mariana's origin in William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure confirms that her husband has abandoned her. What Tennyson did was give her a voice, and like most Victorian Age poems...it was a dreary voice indeed," he closed the textbook, "maybe Miss Blakely was inspired by the romanticism period instead," he joked, "unless she plans to also be deserted in a lonely moat by the one she loves."

Scene 2: Addington High Cafeteria

Jace Kendal

"Can I talk to you, Heather?" I say reluctantly.

"...of course," she smiles, but I can tell she doesn't mean it.

"Alone...preferably."

"Jace," she sighs, "just sit down."

I sit across from her next to Alison and look around the table to see who else will have to witness this conversation.

"I read your poem..." I say quietly, despite the fact that no one seems to be listening in.