Heavy Is The Cost

Assembly

Sarah made her way to the gymnasium with her class. There were only about two class periods left in the day, saved for the assembly, and students flooded the hall and onto the bleachers. Sarah was surrounded by unfamiliar faces, and seemed to suffocate in them, feeling drowned out by the crowd. She eyed each face, until eventually she came across one she recognized. It was Suzie. Sarah felt it'd be awkward or off-putting to act as if they were friends, but she was desperate to be around someone she knew, or to feel as if she had a place. It was a new feeling to Sarah, but she'd grown used to constantly having a clique, and whenever she was without it, she felt lost. She pushed ahead through the crowd as they filed into the gym and began to pick out seats on the bleachers.

Sarah stepped up the bleachers, following Suzie's white muscle tee, and then as Suzie sat down, she cautiously asked, "Can I sit here?" Bothered, Suzie simply nodded, glaring at Sarah under heavy eyelids and thick eyelashes. Is this what Jeremy feels like? Sarah wondered uneasily.

"Sarah?" A voice echoed. Sarah glanced up to find a thin blonde-haired girl.

"Tracy," She said, forcing a smile. Sarah didn't dislike Tracy, but she seemed just another girl, and didn't particularly like her, either.

Tracy asked, "Can I sit here next to you two? I can't seem to find my friends."

"Sure," Sarah said instinctively, feeling Suzie's heavy gaze rest on her face. Maybe I should have asked her first? She wondered again.

"I like your skirt," Tracy said, smiling.

"Yours, too," Sarah said. She peered below them at the crowds of students still filing into the large room. Attempting to pick out Jeremy or Horus or Mike, she scanned each face tediously. No luck. It took a long while for the floor to clear and every student to get settled and quiet. Then, finally, the grey-haired principal stood in the center of the floor, microphone to her lips.

"Have we all had a good year so far?" She asked with a forced cheeriness.

Her face changed slightly as the rows of students shouted back, "No!"

"That's great!" The woman said, completely ignoring the overwhelming voices. Suzie scoffed, and so did Sarah. They glanced at each other, then, but Sarah quickly looked away. Maybe sitting by her was a bad idea? I don't even know her...

"I'm sure you're all glad to get out of class," the woman continued, struggling to keep the support and attention of the students.

"Not really," Sarah remarked mindlessly, "I have missing assignments I need to work on."

Suzie scoffed again, "They pull us out of class to lecture us about how important class is."

"Curse," Sarah said, "I've always hated these pep rallies."

"Doesn't everyone?" Suzie sighed, leaning her head back slightly.

Tracy piped, "I like them. I'd rather be here than learning about World War Two."

"I actually liked that unit," Sarah said.

"Ugh, you're a history person?" Suzie said with disgust, "I'm more of a math person."

Sarah raised her eyebrows in slight surprise and amusement, "Dang, how? I can't do elementary math without a fricken calculator."

Suzie chuckled dryly, "That ain't the type of thing I'd be bragging about if I was you." Sarah suddenly felt flushed with embarrassment. Of course, now I just look stupid. Curse.

"Don't worry," Tracy said, smiling effortlessly still, "I suck at pretty much everything."

"You're good at cheer," Sarah pointed out.