Are You Afraid?

Chapter Four: The Newcomer

I convinced dad to let me go to school after lots of protesting from him and even Al, but I couldn't stand staying home all day again. Plus I had to work tonight. I promised dad that I would call if I got a headache or felt like I my eyes were swelling up.

When I got to school, Jare attacked me with questions that he told me he wasn't gonna ask in front of Al. I just told him it was a 24 hour bug, and I was fine. He said fine and let it go. Knowing him, he probably thought I was pregnant and hadn't told him that I'd lost my V-card. But he didn't say anything like that to my face. But I know Jare.

The first eight periods I was fine, no headaches or even a cough. But when I realized I was going to have to ask him to help me catch up on the lab since I missed yesterday, my stomach dropped. I walk in and everyone stares at me as if I had the Black Plague since I never miss a day of school. I ignore them and take my seat. I hear the normal sigh of content and know he's in here.

"Hey Sophie." He says, standing in front of me. I look up at him with no emotion. "You okay?"

"Just a 24 hour bug." I tell him. "I'm over it."

"Ah. Well," he puts his lab packet in front of me, "there's what you missed." I nod, pulling my packet out and copying his neat handwriting. "Done?" I nod and he takes it then heads to his seat. I stay quiet and pretend to read.

"Okay everyone, let's head to the lab." Mr. Douglass says when the bell rings and the last stragglers make their way in the room. We all head over to our stations and I sit on my stool across from him. I try ignoring him as I try to figure out where we are in the experiment, but just give myself a small headache. "You may begin. Lucas, help your partner catch up."

"Yes sir."

He walks over beside me and starts telling me what happened yesterday and I just listen. It's the most I've heard him talk in four years. When he's done he sits on his stool and we start working on the lab. None of us talking, just silently working without touching each other's hands. I stop what I'm doing when I get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I watch Lucas trying to light the Burner, but can't get it. He starts to get frustrated and I reach over and turn the gas off. He glares at me and tries to turn the gas back on but I pretty much slap his hand.

"What?" He asks, apparently frustrated that I refuse to let him work.

"Don't. You'll get burnt." I tell him, then go back to working on my part of the experiment. He just stares at me for the last ten minutes of Lab time. And stares at me while we're cleaning up. I walk to my locker after the bell and smile at Jare when he leans against the locker beside mine. "Hey."

"What's up?"

"Nothing." I tell him, then grab my stuff and put it in my book bag. I go to shoulder it, but he takes it and shoulders it. "Jare-"

"I got it, I don't want you to get tired." I roll my eyes.

"So I haven't been sick since I was a little kid, doesn't mean I'm going to keel over because of a 24 hour bug." I roll my eyes as we start walking towards the front door to go outside. "Trust me, I'd have keeled already."

"Thing is, I don't think it was a bug." I nearly falter in my steps, but shrug.

"That's what dad said it was since I felt fine today."

"I think you were playing hooky." He smirks and I laugh.

"Oh really? Me? Skipping school?" I laugh again.

"True, your to goody good." I roll my eyes at him, then see Al and Missy leaning on my car. I frown and stop, staring at them while tapping my foot. Al notices and gets off the car, Missy following suite. "Hey Al, Missy."