Lie to Me: A Mermaid Tail

Chapter 16- A Single Spotlight Shone on Me

"And it was everything I thought it would be!" 

"Behind a McDonalds?" Paisley asked. I twirled my hair around my finger. There was a pencil under my stomach, (I was lying on my stomach) but I was too comfortable to move. My feet were criss-crossed in the air above my head. 

"That made it special," I pouted, defending the date. Okay, so maybe the smell of plastic chicken nuggets and grease didn't give our kiss the perfect setting, but I knew I'd remember it for a long time. 

"Whatever," Paisley answered. "I'll pick you up in ten, so get ready byotch." She hung up and I stood up, groaning. My red sock slipped across the hardwood floor, and that resulted in me falling flat on my face. Great. I stood and smoothed my hair down. The curls were all tangled and twisted together. I spent my ten minutes de-tangling my hair and slipping on some Vans over my red socks. 

Honk honk, came the horn of Paisley's car. I threw my bag out my open window and ran down the stairs, forgetting breakfast entirely. Grabbing my bag out of the garden and brushing off the dirt, I threw my bag (and myself) in the car. 

"Speed, woman, we're gonna be late!" I shouted. Paisley slammed her foot on the gas and we sped forwards at fifty. One, two, three, four, I counted in my head. We're half way there, all because my friend is psycho. Eleven, twelve, thriteen, oh parking lot! She turned sharply into the parking lot, choosing an open spot at the back. 

"I've got lunch wave two, meet me in the old cafeteria. I'll be in the corner," she chirped, then sped off, whipping out her phone and dialing some number. I shrugged my bag over my shoulder and walked calmly towards the entrance. 

As I was walking past the boys bathroom, something caught my ear. It was Aidan's voice, leaking through the cracked open door.

"No, I can't go through with it." I leaned my head against the wall next to the door. "I like her far too much. You're on your own, Tam." There was a long pause.

"Well, I'm un-agreeing. I quit." Pause. "Research or no research, I have a crush on her and- no, I'm not  associating my love life with work- Tamara, I refuse." Long pause. "Piss off, Tam. I've got to go see my girl, because she is far better than you." Beep. Aidan hung up the phone. Quickly, I pulled my head away from the wall and speed walked away, pushing through the crowded lobby. I pushed past a super-nerd with a backpack, shoved my way past Diana and one of her followers, and butted my way through a crowd of four funny but weird short girls. Speed walking made me look like an idiot, but it was better than admitting I heard everything he said. I could hear the bathroom door slam as I passed the auditorium. I felt like I was in a high speed chase scene in my favorite action movie. I ducked into the music hallway and rested my back against a painted wall. The mural on it was a large, swaying music staff where all the notes were fish. 

"Hey," I felt a whisper in my ear. I looked up in the direction of the voice. 

"Hey Nate," I smiled. He was bending down beside me, offering me a hand. I took it as he pulled me up off the dirty, gum wrapper-littered ground. He swiftly kissed me on the cheek and gestured in the direction of B-Wing. We started walking, and I found myself once again struggling to find my way through the mess. As Nate towed me towards the B-1 stairwell, I felt my shoulder catch some muscle. Aidan's forearm. Being dragged further away from him, my face read an expression of helplessness and slight terror. I sot of knew something I shouldn't. 

We reahed the stairs and I did my best to hurry up them and not stumble over my own two feet. As we reached the top, I was greeted by a mural of a yellow parachute lost in the sky. Just like me. We walked down the nearly empty hallway, only filled by three english teachers, and a couple that looked like they were eating each others' faces.