𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤

Chapter Five

"Oh yeah! Remember when you totally freaked out at my party, and then just ran out of the room, like this?"

Ava acts out silent screaming and hands thrown up in the air.

"Ha ha, very funny." I smile halfheartedly.

That was not my best time. No, it was actually my WORST time. I freaked out over absolutely nothing and humiliated myself in the process. What in the world made me want to look so ridiculous?    

"Can we just get over that?" I moan. "Seriously, it was a whole month ago!"

"Well, it sounds pretty funny to me." Tiegan pipes up.

That's right, still hanging out with her. Trust me, it was not by choice.

At first, she was really bitter about not being invited to the party. But when she learned of my embarrassing moment, that little devil mind of hers found out ways to bring it up every single possible chance she got. Like today.

She somehow turned a conversation about some random song Nicole heard to that. She's an evil mastermind.

"It WAS funny." Lillian remarks.

Now you join the conversation? Typical Lillian.

"Uh huh. Is your class going on that field trip tomorrow too, Talia?"

I raise my eyebrows questioningly at Nicole. This is her first time even trying to save me. Why couldn't she do that before?

Well, I AM grateful to her for changing the topic. I know it was to help me, since I already told Nicole two weeks ago about that field trip.

"Yeah!" I exclaim. "It sounds fun enough. I've never been to a planetarium before." 

"I have." Tiegan boasts.

"Of course you have." I mutter.

Unfortunately (and fortunately), nobody hears me.

"We'll be on a different bus from you, though." Ava informs me.

"Oh." I say, my heart sinking. "I didn't know that."

I imagine how the seating will be for them. Will the three of them sit together, leaving Tiegan to find her own seat? That's my hope.

    "I heard there's a gift shop!" Lillian adds excitedly.

"Seriously? That's the part you're excited about?" I ask incredulously, then laugh. 

But for some reason, nobody joins in on my laughter.

***

There's something about the few moments before a field trip that makes me EXTREMELY excited.

Even if it's a really lame one, like that time where they just made us walk to the park and clean up all the garbage, forbidding us to touch the playground. We were only in the third grade! It was terrible.

I have no idea what it is that makes me so excited like this, but it's always been that way.

Maybe it's the thrum of anticipation that does it. All those kids talking and laughing, all happily waiting for the field trip to commence.

Or maybe it's the looks that all those jealous kids from other classes give us, when they wish they were you. That's always nice.

Or maybe it's just the idea of a field trip that excites me.

"In LINE, everyone!" Mr. Ester calls out exasperatedly, seeming like he doesn't really expect anyone to listen.

Mrs. Perashi, at the moment, looks much more in charge than Mr. Ester. Her hair is in a tight bun and her clothes look clean and stylish. Mr. Ester on the other hand, has a huge thermos of coffee in his hand, and his hair is sticking up in every direction.