Against The Wall

Chapter Ten

I’m back to eating in the staff lounge. Mel is tired of being cooped up in our classrooms.

“We need to be around people. Making fun of everyone will make me feel better,” she had said, pleading with me. Talking crap in private just isn’t fun enough for her. She likes to do it right in front of her assailant’s face. Everyone knows her, so it’s not like it’s a surprise to anyone. Most of the people she clowns on deserve it anyway.

Take Mr. Viagra—not his real name but really no man his age should be using it—for instance, he makes his rounds at all the tables with ladies at them. One day, he’s sitting with the fresh crop of just out of college teachers. The next day, he’s hitting on the secretaries. And the next, he’s paying some attention to the more “seasoned” teachers. Well, I guess he doesn’t discriminate. He thinks he’s some kind of Hugh Hefner though. How can you watch an old PE teacher like him, who’s been wearing the same polyester shorts since I was a student here, and not poke fun? Poke fun! Ha! Poke fun at Mr. Viagra. I crack myself up. And guess what? Mel does feel better. A lot better. She is so much better at being dumped than I am. Her strength amazes me over and over again.

“I can’t wait for today to be over,” I tell Mel and Matty. “Two weeks without grading. Two weeks of just pure non-interrupted love of … ”

“Me.” I look over. Really? Chase sits next to me and says, “Sorry, I just couldn’t help it.” I steal a glance at Matty, who doesn’t seem rattled in the slightest.

“I was gonna say non-interrupted love of sleep. This morning, I wanted to throw my alarm against the wall. I’m so tired.”

“Well, if you weren’t having sleepovers during the week, maybe you could get some rest,” Mel says, winking at me. Matty grins. Okay, so we haven't kept to our hands-off during the work week agreement.

“How cute. You and Mel have been going old school staying up all night talking about boys and washing each other’s hair,” Chase replies, with his boyish little fake smile. Mel shakes her head.

“Oh no. Not me. I’m not the one sleeping over."

"Who then?” Chase looks at me confused.

“I don’t think it’s any of your business.” I take a sip of my Diet Coke and sneak another peek at Matty. The left side of his mouth turns upward in a smile. I smile back at him, and take a bite of my Classic Chicken burrito from El Pollo Loco. Yummy. Chase pounds his hand down on the table.

“Well, I think it is.” People stop and stare at us. He glares at me. I catch a glimpse of Summer in the corner of my eye. She's yanking out my hair with her eyes, and I raise my hands, as if to say, I don't know what his problem is.

“Chase, stop acting like an ass,” Mel tells him. “Summer’s giving you the evil eye, so run along.” She's giving me the stink eye, not him. He slides his chair out and leaves.

“Dude, he is so stupid,” I say. I can’t believe I was in love with such an idiot. Wait. I can’t believe I am in love with that idiot. Am I still in love with him? No, I don’t think so. Or maybe. I don’t know. Or do I? Oh crap, I’m so confused. My unsorted feelings for Chase are diminishing. I can see it, feel it. But something still hits me when I see him or hear his voice. I need it to go away. Quickly. So I can move on with my non-relationship with Matty.

“Thanks for not saying anything, Matty.” How he keeps his composure around Chase is beyond me.

“I told you, he doesn’t bother me. But, if he raises his voice to you again, I don’t care if we’re at work. I will say something. I won’t allow him to treat you badly.” Matty reaches over and puts his hand on mine. Without thinking, I yank my hand away. The look on his face kills me. Why did I do that? I’m so stupid. Jacob, another history teacher, joins us, turning a chair backward and sits down with his hands resting on the back of the seat.