Letters to Juliet

The Great Gatsby

“So where were you last weekend?” Pause. “Clara?” Another pause. “Earth to Clara?”

I felt a flick on my forehead, causing me to come crashing back from my daydream.  “Uhhh yeah?” I asked, dazed.

Jarred laughed but rolled his eyes.  “Glad to know I’m enough to keep you interested--at all.”

“Ha-ha,” I mocked. “But, what were you saying?”

“I was just wondering what you did last week--”

“Shhhh!” Miss Gables shushed us, pointing to the board where she had written ‘Silence, Read.’ 

Jarred and I both mouthed our apologies, while waiting for Miss Gables to go back to her guilty romance novel in front of her.  After only a few short minutes, she did so, allowing Jared and I to continue our conversation--but with lower voices.

“What were you doing last weekend?” Jarred finally asked, quickly, in fear of being cut off once again.

Last weekend...What did I do?  Images came to mind.  Brian’s text, his calls...Crying. Drinking. Party....Oh.  And kissing Adam Shaw, no big deal, right?  I shouldn’t feel guilty, so why do I?

I bit my lip. “Last weekend?” 

Jarred nodded, prodding.

“I told you about me and Brian.  Oh and, well I went to a party, with Ashley and Taylor...” I trailed off, wondering if I should tell him about the kiss.

“And?” Jarred asked, holding his book up in front of his face to appear as if he was actually reading The Great Gatsby. 

Looking at him, I felt a burst of tingles that started in my heart before going down to my legs.  Talk about being weak in the knees. 

It was at this moment that I realized I couldn’t tell Jarred, at least not right now.  I had to discover what was going on with me first.  

“And I was really hungover the next day!” I said.  Which was true...I had been.  “It sucked,” I asked, for emphasis.

Jarred’s eyes tightened a little, as if he didn’t believe what I said.  Panic started to bubble up inside me, causing me squirm.  

His posture relaxed and I thought he was going to drop the book in front of him.  “Oh, okay.”

Okay? Okay?

It wasn’t what I had expected to hear, but it satisfied me for the moment.

“Miss King, would you like to inform us about what you and Jarred are discussing back there?” 

Apparently Miss Gables was done with her romance novel for the moment.  There must have been a lull in the book causing her to glance up and around the room.

“Uh--” I stammered, glancing at my book.

Luckily, I was saved by Jarred.

“We were just discussing the interesting life Nick Carraway lives in the Great Gatsby, Miss Gables.  And how we can compare it to our daily life today.”

Holy...boy.  Oh boy.

I let out the breath of air I didn’t know I’d been holding, and slumped back a little in my seat.

Miss Gables glanced dully at Jarred, seeming to accept Jarred’s answer with a simple wave of her hand and a ‘Back to reading!’ to the rest of the class.

I turned to Jarred, where he was trying to keep the book in front of his face, but I could see him smiling.  Good try, mister.  “Thank you,” I whispered.