Beyond the Ordinary

Chapter 86

KATE 

My dad dropped me off at school five minutes before the bell would ring so I sprinted into school, eager to not be late to my first period class.

Out of breath and exhausted from all the running I'd done, I settled down into an empty seat in the front row, thankfully, right on time.

The teacher nodded at my presence and I nodded back, smiling gratefully, but still panting like I'd just run a marathon. Or 14 of one.

It was English and the teacher was discussing the reading we'd been assigned the night before in 'Huckleberry Finn' a book that consisted of severely racist characters. I'd found the concept of the book actually quite interesting, but I'd hated the characters with a passion.

I jotted down notes from the board, silently wishing that Axel were there. I knew what he'd say if he were. First, he'd whisper that Jim was stupid since he hadn't had an education, and I'd agree. Then, he'd argue how Tom and Huck should've run away with the money they'd acclaimed to escape from Huck's alcoholic father who would only waste the money on booze. Once again, I'd agree with him.

I'd found it strange how for the two-and-a-half months that I'd known Axel he seemed to view and think of things in much of a similar way that I had. In many ways, he almost felt like the male version of me.

As if he knew I was thinking about him, my phone lit up on my desk from a text he'd sent.

AXEL - I can't wait to see u ;)

A smile formed on my face, but I knew it wasn't smart to type my reply since there was a 'no phone' rule in this class. I quickly flipped my phone over on my desk to make sure it wouldn't distract me and scribbled down the rest of the notes, occasionally glancing up at the clock, counting all of the remaining minutes until there were none left.

✡ ✡ ✡

It was finally lunch and I'd managed to not obtain a headache from all of the knowledge I'd had to feed it for the past four hours.

"Hey, Kate, you look awfully tired today," Corey said, nodding toward the seat across from her.

I quickly sat down, eager to quiet the rumbling of my stomach. "Yeah, this day's just going so slow," I responded, zipping my lunchbox open and quickly twisting the cap loose on my mini plastic water bottle.

"I know, and we still have two hours left," Amy replied softly, biting into her apple in disappointment.

I only sighed and willed the clock on the wall to tick a bit faster.

"Blondie, why are you in such a hurry to get out of here? You got a date with Axel?" Kyle asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

I shrugged my shoulders, trying not to show the flushing of my cheeks. "Yeah, I do."

"Ooh, where are you guys going tonight?" Corey asked.

I sighed. "Just the mall."

I couldn't tell them that I'd actually been planning to give him my virginity. How could I? I'd only been with him about three months, and it was clear, we loved each other, but Amy had done it with Kyle and they'd been together for years. I don't think I could ever live it down if I told them, so I kept my mouth shut.

Finally, the bell began to ring and I slowly got up and left the table before getting up and heading to my next class.