Post by silent.lullaby on Apr 8, 2010 14:21:00 GMT -5
//We Run This Town//Chapter 020// Normalcy
I went outside and the sun nearly blinded me. I walked around the corner of the school and looked at the bleachers. Gemma, Lucia, Blaire, October, and Kaper were all sitting there talking amongst themselves. Gemma seemed a little standoffish looking only at the football players who were practising. As I walked up Gemma looked at me and gave a small smile which I returned, “hey guys.”
“Oh my god!” October jumped up and hugged me, “you spoke! Finally, I mean zombie trance, I thought there was going to be some Resident Evil shit coming to town!”
“Um... okay?” I responded mildly confused.
Kaper offered a shy wave and I gave her a quick hug. I felt tense around her, I wondered if she was still with Gavin. Maybe they’d had another date... a kiss? I shook my head to clear it and sat between Lucia and Blaire. “Glad to see you’re back,” Lucia whispered in my ear before offering me half of her sandwich. I didn’t even look to see what kind it was, I was absolutely famished. I took a big bite, cucumber and mayo, not exactly my favourite, but tasted delicious under the circumstances.
“So what breaks you of the silence vow?” Blaire asked and Gemma punched her hard in the arm, “ow, fuck Gem, what the hell?”
“Blaire! You shouldn’t curse like that!” Lucia scolded, “and Gemma, don’t punch her, you have like five rings on!”
Gemma looked at her ring, “don’t exaggerate Lucia, there’s only four.” Lucia sighed and went back to eating her sandwich.
I took another bite out of my own before speaking, “so what’s new?”
“Linden says he has a surprise this weekend,” Blaire announced, “I have no idea what it is, but I’m so excited.”
“Tomorrow is the first football game of the season,” October announced. “It’s a home game, you going to come and watch it?”
I shrugged, “perhaps.”
“Come on, you have to, it will be so much fun!” Lucia insisted, “we could all go to Jesters together first.”
“Oh that sounds like fun,” October nodded happily. “Mind if Riley comes along?”
“Not at all,” Lucia responds.
“Could Gavin come too?” Kaper asks and Gemma slams her plastic lunch container shut angrily. I see Kaper look nervous and start wringing her fingers.
“No FUCKING way,” Gemma emphasised. “We hate him.”
I don’t, I thought as my stomach did a sick twist.
“Gemma!” Lucia scolded, “don’t be rude.” She looked at Kaper, “look KayCee, our families don’t really get along with the Burke, McCauley, or Wetherill families.” Gemma snorted and Lucia glared at her. “I think it would be best if he didn’t come along, it would be most awkward.”
“Come on!” October shouted, “if he doesn’t come, Kape won’t come along either!”
“It’s okay Rocky, Gavin and I will just hang out by ourselves,” she said quietly. “It’s not a big deal, I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”
The bell signified the end of the lunch hour and we all headed toward the school again. I walked down the halls with Blaire and Linden caught up with us as we turned down the Arts hall. “Hey there,” he caught his hand in his and she smiled up at him.
“Hey yourself,” she responded stopping and getting up on her tiptoes to kiss him passionately.
I waited a moment, but they only entangled themselves further. “Um.. I’m gunna...yeah,” I turned and left the two love birds and entered art class. I sat in my usual spot dropping my sketch bok and Mr Harrison looked at me and I looked right back at him for a minute before looking behind me. Gavin and Darren were talking and Ohiko took his seat. I looked back and Mr Harrison was still staring at me. “What?”
“You’re talking again.”
“Um... yeah? I guess.”
He nodded twice, “excellent, you’re a bit behind.”
“So I hear.”
He smiled sadly, “don’t worry, I’ll give you some supplement assignments and you’ll be right back where you were.” I nodded and the last class bell went Blaire and Linden just stepping in a second before. She sat beside me and looked over her shoulder as he sat behind her.
Mr Harrison went over some surrealist artists and everyone jotted notes. “And now you’ll do a piece of surrealism! Have fun with it. Start sketching, you’ll be starting painting next week so get all your rough sketches done, get what you want the final image composition to look like, pick your colours and be ready by Monday. You’ll have the week to paint, so work hard!”
I picked up my sketching pencils and I heard Blaire’s chair turn and she started talking to Linden. My creative mind was blocked, I drew circles, cubes, shaded them professionally, but there was nothing surreal about the shapes. I sighed, I had gotten back the thinking mode of my brain, but certainly not the creative part. “Miss Lombardi,” I looked up and Mr Harrison waved me up, he gave me some supplement assignments and gave me to the end of the month to complete them on top of the rest of my work. I had a feeling I’d be regretting neglecting my homework soon.
When I left class, Blaire went the opposite direction toward her Science class while I headed towards my locker to retrieve my gym bag. Lucia met up with me just before we went in the change rooms and I quickly stripped down and put on my gym clothing.
I couldn’t even remember participating in gym. I wondered how I got away with it, I asked Lucia and she said she’d covered me explaining to Miss Gilbert what had happened to Sergio. She’d been sympathetic and allowed me to simply sit on the sidelines unquestioned. We were still on the soccer unit and I played defensive, I had managed to kick the ball away from someone coming down the field, but ended up kicking it to another member of their team and they scored anyways.
For the last half hour, we played guys versus girls. Miss Gilbert and Mr Doors were hardly even watching the game, they were so into each other. Lexie nearly knocked me over as she went past me with the ball even though we were on the same team. Brian got it away from her and started heading down the field I ran in front of him and tried to kick away the ball but he ended up plowing into me and knocking me to the ground and I heard Lucia screaming at him as I sat up my head aching and I felt dizzy. Lucia came into my vision kneeling in front of me, a whistle blew pausing the game. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I muttered, “I’ll never get out the grass stains though.”
She chuckled and grabbed my hand and my elbow pulling me up. I wobbled for a second but Miss Gilbert steadied me, “you alright Lombardi?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay.” I glared at Brian and he smirked with a light shrug of the shoulders. What can I say I couldn’t resist myself I let my knees buckle and there was the sound of shock going through the class. I nearly took Lucia down with me but she and Miss Gilbert got me sitting down carefully. October came forward with my water bottle and I took it gratefully.
“Wetherill!” Mr Doors sounded pretty angry, “this is not football! This is soccer, and when you’re playing with the girls you should be a little more careful! Five laps, if you don’t want be missing the busses you best get started now!” It was Brian’s turn to glare at me, but I just smirked and gave a small shrug. He turned and started his laps, and only a few seconds later the bell went.
Lucia and October helped me up, but I told them the water really helped and I was fine to walk on my own, I let them in on my little payback once in the locker room. October howled with laughter and Lucia smiled shaking her head lightly.
“See you guys tomorrow,” October said turning to leave.
“Bye Rocky,” I responded and Lucia waved. “Lucy, I got to stay for some tutoring tonight, I have got to try and catch up with this school work.” Lucia nodded. “Could you let whoever’s driving tonight know? I’ll call someone when I’m done.”
“Yeah sure,” she responded, “leave it to me.” She picked up her duffel bag and her backpack. She went to leave but turned back to me, “it’s good that you’re back Lili.” I nodded and she left. Sighing got dressed having finally gotten a turn for a shower and headed toward the library.