CHAPTER FIVE
EXES
‘Good morning class, today we are getting a new seating arrangement,’ Senor Pasito announced. I groaned. I liked where I sat next to Leah down the back. Spanish was the only class we could sit together in and now he was tearing us apart. Leah gave me a hopeful look.
‘Lincoln Bell,’ Senor Pasito said pointing to the seat in front of his desk. The whole class shuffled backwards slowly. No one wanted to sit next to Lincoln; he sweated so much even in winter and he stunk so bad we called him Lincoln Smell. Now it was summer and the weather was really hot, sitting next to him would be like sitting next to a fat compost heap. The thing is he was really smart so Senor Pasito always made the kids who were really bad at Spanish sit next to him.
‘Next to Lincoln,’ Senor Pasito paused to check his seating chart “Layne Samuels,’ A few kids giggled and I stumbled forward and sat as far away as possible from Lincoln Smell. Could the start of my day get any worse? Spanish (ugh shudder) Lincoln Smell (remind me to get a nose peg and a can of air freshener) well yes my morning just got a whole lot worse. The last two seats at the back were given to Leah and Jack. They grinned and started a conversation immediately. Great I was stuck up front with smell boy while my best friend cruised through the period at the back with from this moment on, my arch enemy.
At lunch Leah and I were joined by Jack.
‘Hey Leah could I talk to you for minute, it’s kind of private,’ she said.
‘Sure be right back Layne,’ Leah said walking off with her. Five minutes passed, ten minutes, finally when fifteen minutes had passed and she hadn’t come back yet I went to look for her. I went into the canteen and saw Jack sitting with Leah and Caius. Jake was leaning over her shoulder laughing. Right, this was war. She had stolen my best friend and now she wanted my boyfriend too. I stormed over to her table.
‘Hi Jake,’ I smiled.
‘Oh hey, I didn’t know you would be here,’ he said looking surprised but not happy.
‘Well I do go to school here you know,’ I said gritting my teeth.
‘Oh yeah I know but Jack said you don’t usually sit at this table,’ he shrugged.
‘Oh well neither does Leah or Caius so I guess we are all new,’
‘Umm well actually Layne we are kind of having a private conversation here,’ Jack said
‘Well sorry I interrupted you, are you coming Leah?’
‘Uh, no I uh, um well I’m part of this conversation,’ she said guiltily
‘FINE, I will just spend the rest of my lunch time alone,’ they ignored me and resumed their conversation. I spent the last fifteen minutes of lunch in the library finishing maths homework.
For the rest of the day Leah ignored me. When school ended I caught up with Caius.
‘Are you ready to go?’ I asked
‘Uh no, I’m actually going to Jakes house with Leah and Jack,’ he shrugged and moved over to the bus stop that went to Jacana Heights where Jake lived. I watched him go up to Leah and give her a kiss. He said something to Jack and they all laughed before hopping onto the bus that had just pulled up. My own boyfriend hadn’t even invited me to his house but my brother, my best friend and worst enemy. Something was going on and I didn’t like it one bit.
I walked home by myself angrily pretty much stomping the whole way. I stomped into the kitchen and threw my bag on the floor.
‘Where’s Caius?’ mum asked
