Walking Away

Tempting Fate

Jonathan

Switching Ali's class had proven to be difficult. The administrators were set on an adult coming up to the office, and I thought I was screwed until I talked to the principal. She was different - she listened, and actually managed to put Ali with a new teacher. Which was great, but it had almost made me late for school, which I couldn't afford.

It was worth it, though. Ali came home with a smile on her face, and that's what matters.

"Jonah!" I jerked as someone shouted next to my head, turning to see an excited Mark.

"What?" And ow. Thanks for the headache.

"Sorry. Did you do the math homework?" I nodded. He nodded back. "Uh, and the science homework?"

I started walking - it was almost time for the buses to get here, and we usually met Raven in the mornings. Mark followed. "Seriously? What did you do last night?"

"Not homework?" He looked hopeful.

I shook my head, but it was futile. "You can take pictures in homeroom."

"Yes!" he cheered. "You're the best. You deserve a trophy. It'll say 'Jonah Lynd, the Greatest Friend'. Hey, that rhymes. Isn't that cool?"

He paused for affirmation there, so I nodded. "Sure." I scanned the bus line, but Ravens' wasn't here yet.

"Yeah. Although I don't know who would even see it besides you and me. Maybe Raven, I guess. She seems curious about you, maybe you'll become really good friends."

"Curious?" I asked, not really paying attention.

"A little. She was asking where you were, why you were so quiet and miserable."

I turned towards him. "She thinks I'm miserable?"

"Well, no, that's not exactly what she said."

I waited. Nothing. "Okay, what exactly did she say?"

He coughed into his hand. "She just wondered why you didn't have any other friends."

Oh. I kept my voice nonchalant as I questioned him. "And what'd you tell her?"

"Nothing." I gave him a look. "Okay, not nothing, but I didn't tell her anything important. I told her about Ali." At what I'm sure was another interesting look, he held his hands up. "I swear I didn't say a thing about your mom. I just told her how you got your nickname."

I nodded, spotting Raven as she got off of the bus. I winced as she tripped on the curb and almost smacked a pole, saving herself just in time. It's a miracle that girl is still alive.

"You should tell her." Mark didn't sound so casual anymore, but I didn't care. This conversation wasn't happening.

"You know it won't happen." I told him, silently wishing Raven would walk a little faster. Though with her balance it might result in injury.

"She wouldn't tell anyone." He argued. I was shaking my head before he got the words out.

"You haven't known her long enough to say that. Drop it."

He looked like he wanted to argue some more, but Raven walked up.

"Hi, Mark. Hi, Jonathan." She looked happy today.

"Hey." I offered. Mark started up a conversation, happy to have someone else around. I tuned them out on the way to homeroom.

The elementary school hadn't called about switching Ali's classes. I'd been checking the messages in the mornings and after school, but so far we were in the clear. Ali had been scared, certain that somehow Mom would 'just know.' I'd spent all day and a tension filled dinner convincing her otherwise.

Not that I was eager to tempt fate, but I was pretty sure I had every angle covered on this one. The principal was happy, the teachers were happy, and Ali was thrilled. Something good had been accomplished, and I'm not going to spend any more time on worrying about it.

"You look happy." Raven's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Happy?" I asked. I opened Mrs. Rellans door, holding it so she and Mark could step through.

"Yeah." She nodded, her braid falling over her shoulder. "Well, sort of. You look happier than usual. Usually you just seem calm, but today it's a little different."

I shrugged. "It's been a good couple of days."

She nodded, sliding into her desk. "With your sister?"

I was surprised. "Ali?" Mark did mention telling Raven about her.

"Unless you've got another one?" It was meant to be teasing, but there was a real question underneath.

"No, just the one. And yeah, with Ali." I answered, still a little off-guard. I stopped there, not volunteering anything. You don't know her, I reminded myself.

"Oh yeah, did you fix that thing with her teacher?" Mark asked. I shot him a look. He already knew how that ended up - he'd talked to Ali last night. He narrowed his eyes, and looked pointedly at Raven.

I'm going to kill him. I'll force him onto the track team if he keeps this up.

"I did, actually." I answered him. "Didn't I mention that earlier?"

"Did you? I must have forgot." He grinned, and there was a challenge there. We both knew where this could go. He just wouldn't leave well enough alone.

"What happened with Ali's teacher?" Darn it. Predictably, Raven was curious.

After shooting a glare towards Mark, I turned towards her. If I was going to tell her, I was going to see her reaction to it.

"Ali was having trouble in her class, with the kids. She needed a chance to make some friends. So we got her class switched, with new kids and a better teacher." I explained. As I talked, Raven looked concerned, which was expected. But for a moment, oddly, I thought she looked almost hurt. Like I had offended her.

"A fresh start." She commented, almost absentmindedly. I nodded, waiting for the rest of the questions.

She surprised me by dropping it, nodding before pulling a folder out of her backpack. "Hey, did you do the English homework last night?"

I nodded, and Mark laughed. "Yeah, Jonah did all the homework." He would know.

I started to pull it out. The essay wasn't due until Monday, but I had finished it early for extra credit. "Do you need to see it?"

"Uh, no." She shook her head. "Actually, I was sort of hoping you would proof-read mine? If that's okay?"

She had already written it? That was a nice change of pace from Mark's frantic phone calls the night before. "Yeah, no problem."

She pulled it out, but stopped before handing it to me, a confused expression taking over as her eyes caught on something on the paper. "Uh. Never mind."

Her voice sounded off. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, no, it's just...uh, I printed the wrong copy. That's all. Yeah." She nodded, like she was reassuring herself. I didn't buy it, and I could tell that Mark didn't either.

I didn't comment on it as the bell rang, and she and Mark began another conversation. But something seemed kind of off. Like somehow her essay had insulted her.

Which was ridiculous. I was overthinking this.

Maybe.