FRIDA' S LIST

Chapter 10 ONLY FRIENDSHIP MATTERS

On Monday morning, I ditched class. I couldn't take a chance to face him after what happened. I also made a decision. I wasn't going to apply to Louis X high school. It was my last chance to send my application and I decided to drop the idea. I kept wandering through the apartment, listening to Hoodie Allen and Jenna Baker.

The following day, I went to high school. I didn't run into him.  At the poetry club, Madeleine had good news for me. I was officially the poetess that was going to go to the contest. I was so happy that I jumped in her arms and hugged her tightly. It was something kind of inappropriate with her. She didn't push me away though. I promised her she wouldn't regret it. I left the club, and caught the subway train. I went to the hospital to visit Celestin after his surgery. I hoped he would be happy to see me around.

When I walked into his room, Maeva was already there, sat on his bed next to him. He was bare torso. He looked fine even though he had a bandage on his neck and chest. At least, he was still alive.

"Hey, guys," I said, waving at them.

"Hey, you. How about your casting?" Celestin asked.

"I'm officially the poet who's gonna represent our school."

"Awesome! Congrats!" Maeva exclaimed.

"Happy to hear it," Celestin nodded.

"Thanks, guys," I whispered.

Then, we paused. Maeva rose from the bed and walked toward her bag. We looked at each other. I bit on my bottom lip to repress a nervous laugh.

"Thanks for the email about our English homework," Maeva began.

"Yeah," Celestin nodded.

Seriously? Are we fishing for something to say now? I thought to myself.

"You're welcome," I said.

"She's fucked up. C'mon, the year's over and she gave us assignments," Maeva went on.

"Sure," I nodded.

"And I have no idea what I can write down," Maeva said.

"I've got one. How about: what if I shaved my armpits. That might help her out," Celestin said, grinning at us.

We chuckled like idiots, thinking of our teacher.'s hair armpits. Then, we paused again.

"Have you seen Anthony?" Maeva asked.

"Nope. Anyway, I don't care. It's over now. Enough of him or Celestin's gonna go nuts."

"Right," he nodded.

A silence.

"Okay, guys. I have to...hmm...I have to... get out of here to...whatever," Maeva concluded, leaving us alone.

She closed the door behind her. I looked at Celestin's bandage and walked toward him.

"So, how you doin'?" I asked.

"Good! Look at me! And that's not thanks to Ms. Prims, my nurse. She's nuts! You'll see her."

"You look great," I lied.

"Really? I look like one of Dexter's victims."

"Wrong. You're still alive."

"Right, I'm alive," he smiled at me. "I'm gonna be really alive for now on. I'm gonna join the football team," he said.

"What football team? The year's over,"

"I'm talking about the football team, next year."

I nodded because I didn't know what to say. I guess we all had impossible challenges. We paused again. I looked around. His room was a little bit tiny. The floor was grey, just like the walls. There was a plant on the left, in front of the dirty window without curtains. Maybe, the view isn't important when you're stuck in a hospital. There was an empty aquarium on the right, which didn't seem to fit in here, just like me.