it started with a dare (COMPLETED)

8) monday problems

"Zoe, what's the answer to problems number 6," Mr. James brings me back to reality. "Um, 645?" I wince as he sighs and shakes his head. "Amina," he calls on another girl. "Aw frick," I mumble and decide to doze back. 

I kept thinking about Saturday night when Aubrey told me her past story and everything. I can't believe she wants to freaking help me. I still don't fully trust her of course but I still can't stop thinking about it. All-day yesterday I was thinking about it now here I am at school- Monday morning and 1st block still thinking about it. 

"Zoe, want to try number 8?" Mr. James calls on me again. No, I want to freaking go home and go to sleep, wishing I had a cute guy to cuddle up with. Huh? Since when did I want a boyfriend?! I guess that's what high school does to you. 

"Sure," I sigh and walk to the front of the room. I took a look at the problems and... "Yeah.... nope," I answer and go back down. Some people laugh- but not in a mean way. I'm kind of the class clown so I'm pretty much used to it. I can tell Mr. James wants to murder me at the moment but he calls on one of the guys on the football team next. 

***

"Zoe," Ember frantically waves her hand in front of my face to see if I'm still living or dead. "I'm alive," I mumble and step back into reality. "Did you not have any sleep or something?" she asks. "Eh, something like that," I reply and she nods and we go back to paying attention to our boring ELA teacher. 

"Attention Juniors. We will have an assembly we all told you about a week earlier for the rest of the day. We will pause the assembly for lunch but you will all come back to it after lunch," Our principal, Mrs. Hoskins paused the lesson with her important announcement. "Sweet," everyone cheered. 

Assemblies were in the top 5 of wasting time at school. 

"I might skip after lunch," Ember whispered to me. "Ha! Nice try but your stayin' with me," I whisper back and she frowns. "I have no one else to be with. Addalyn is gonna be with the cheerleaders and Ethan is at Colorado with family," I remind her. "Ah, fuck," she groans and I smile back at her. "Why can't you skip with me?" she pleads. "Luca's tutoring me right after school. That's why I made you pick me up because he's dropping me home," I tell her for the 50th time, and she groans. 

***

"Welcome to the beginning of the year assembly," Mrs. Hoskins says and we all quiet down. "You are all Juniors now," she addresses to us. "Ok and?" Ember murmurs and I shake my head. 

"This is the most stressful year of high school. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Don't ever do that," she smiles. 

The rest of the assembly is boring so I won't bore you with it. 

The lunch bell saves us before we all drop dead sleeping. 

"Zoe, Aubrey told me if you wanted to sit with us," Addalyn finds me as I'm going with the crowd to the cafeteria. "Tell her to text me later," I tell Addalyn and speed-walked to find Ember. Addalyn gave me a puzzled look right before I left. 

"Ugh, this assembly is stupid! Can we please skip!" Ember whines. "Fine, you can go. I have to stay," I tell her, tired of her complaining. "Sweet," she cheers and I shoot her a dirty look. "Who are you gonna sit with then?" she asks. 

"She can be with us," Aubrey says. "Yup," I agree with her. Ember looks surprised. "It's just Monday problems," she tells herself and I chuckle, feeling a little guilty I didn't tell anyone about Aubrey's surprise visit. She did text a few hours after she left my house not to tell anyone and I told her I wasn't planning on it. 

***

"So, did you tell anyone about Saturday?" Aubrey asked me in a low voice. "Nope," I tell her and she nods. "Good," she says and we turn our attention to Mrs. Hoskins. "You are all dismissed," she says as the final bell rang. 

"That was so boring," Aubrey groans and I agree. 

"Zoe, we need to go," Luca says. He was by my locker waiting for me. "Fine," I mutter & he gives me a weird look. "Are you on your period or something?" he asks weirdly. "What the fuck? You don't ask a girl that. No wonder Aubrey reject-" I stop midway realizing what I said. 

"Oh shit," I say. "What did she tell you?" he asks, coldly. "Um, nothing. We hate each other," I lie. "Then why were you two together at the assembly laughing together?" he asks suspiciously. "I'm flattered you noticed," I try to change the subject. 

"Just get in the car," he says and I do. "So what did she tell you?" Luca asks me again. "Nothing," I answer, getting impatient. "I need to know," he says, more impatiently. "Ok fine," I almost scream. I hate being interrogated. 

"You just heard me wrong. You know, it's just Monday problems," I assure him and lie. "No, I'm sure I heard you right," he tells me. "Really? Then what did I say?" I ask. "About Aubrey and yeah," he mumbles. "That's wrong. See? You do have Monday Problems. It's ok, I used to have them too just eat a ton of junk food," I reply. "What?" he asks and I shake my head. "Oh, look! Let's do our work at the library instead of Starbucks," I change the subject. 

"Um, ok," he says weirdly. "It's quicker to my house anyway," I lie and he looks at me suspiciously.  "It's farther but I get it," he says. "Huh?" I reply. "You just want to spend more time with me. I get it and I won't tell anyone," he promises. "You got the wrong idea sir," I assure him. "Ok," he says, not believing me.