My exams are over today.. which means I get to actually write. (y)
TRAMPOLINE
CHAPTER FOUR: An Unexpected Call
It was lucky that when the Chemistry class started Dray wasn’t there.
It wasn’t so lucky that Sophia blamed me for it.
“Did you, like, scare him off or something?” she whispers harshly as we attempt to balance the equations on the sheet in front of us. “He was here this morning, so there’s no reason why he wouldn’t still be here – except for your little fight in the canteen.”
“No,” I mumble, looking down at the sheet in concentration so I don’t meet her eyes – they probably have a harsh look to match her unforgiving words. “I didn’t scare him.”
“What other explanation is there?”
I sigh. “He told me he felt like skipping. So I guess he just grabbed lunch and went,” I tell her truthfully. “Can’t you just wait a bit longer till you talk to him?”
“But I need to start now,” she protests, pressing her pen so violently into the sheet of paper that it spurts black ink all over the page. “These projects take time.”
“You have a whole year, Sophia. Don’t worry about not having enough time. I’m sure he’ll tell you if he’s going to that party this weekend.”
Our Chemistry teacher, Mr Baton, chooses that moment to walk past our lab table and stare at us accusingly. There are only a few hairs left on his balding scalp, and it does nothing for his sharp features. His eyes have a permanently angry look and he stares down at us so forcefully that we spend the rest of the lesson in silence.
Sophia stands up, picks up her handbag and leaves the moment that the bell rings. She only stops to call a quick “Bye!” over her shoulder before she’s out of the door.
I pick up my bag more slowly than she has and walk outside of the lab along with the trickle of students left. “Hey Hayden,” says a quiet voice from behind me.
Turning round, I see a small girl wearing huge glasses and a hesitant smile. She’s in my Chemistry class, but I can’t remember who she is.
“Uh, hi…”
I’m spared the humiliation of not knowing her name when she holds out her hands and shows a bright pink touchscreen phone. “Did you leave this here?”
“No, why?”
“Well it was on your and Sophia’s table, so I guessed it was one of yours. I just saw it as you left, you’re lucky I caught up with you.”
Not lucky, I thought, since it’s not even mine. But as I looked closer I recognize it as Sophia’s. I sigh and take it from her. “Thanks. You’re right - it’s Sophia’s phone, she must’ve left it when class ended.”
“Why did she leave so suddenly?”
“None of your business,” I snap. I don’t want to get into detail about Sophia’s unnecessary, unfair quarrel with me with a girl I barely knew.
The girl flinches. “I’m sorry. I just thought you might want to talk.”
“Well I don’t,” I say, stuffing the phone into my bag and starting to walk away.
“Why are you so hostile all the time?” she calls after me. “It was only a simple question.”
Nevertheless, it was a simple question that I didn’t want to answer. I pick up my pace and head away from the science blocks, towards the school gates.
YOU ARE READING
Trampoline
Teen FictionHayden Jones has always held onto the memories of her childhood friend, Drake. She hasn't seen him since they were nine years old, and a lot changed in the years they were apart. Drake returns to the neighborhood after seven years and has changed be...
