Jesse's Girl

Chapter 16

  That was harsh.

  Even coming from me, I knew it was.

  On the way to my locker the next day, I was astounded at the fact that Jesse wasn't leaning against it – smug and ready to corner me into the wall. All of last night, I pictured him returning normally, not making too big of a deal about yesterday and picking up where he left off at chivalry. But this was new.

  Where was he?

  I glanced down the hallway – my eyes squinting in suspicion as people passed.

  What time is it, Sherlock? He's probably on his way to school. No one can be as nerdy as you.

  Right...

  I turned back to the open locker, and shut it when I was done fumbling around in it. But by then, Jesse wasn't on the other side of the locker when I closed it – usually he would magically appear out of thin air.

  Smile, Carson. He's most likely leaving you alone - finally.

  I was suddenly torn between tossing my papers in the air while I strutted through the school and hiding in a locker until the school year was over. However, I remained uneasy regardless - was his absense due to me or had something happened to him?

  That thought only repeated itself when I showed up to my first class and he wasn't there either. As soon as the class went underway, I remained eying the door, flinching every time someone opened it and it wasn't Jesse.

  Did all the crazy hormonal girls he's plowed through kidnap him? Or was my mind playing tricks on me, and imagining the world without him in it?

  Either way, it was starting to creep me out.

  Out of the entire day, I only had two classes with him – and as strange as it was, I was just a little disappointed when he didn't show up to P.E. 

  Before I knew it, I was already walking into my last class. Katrina glanced at me when I walked past her desk. "Been having fun lately?" she asked.

  My expression fell more noticeably than before. I set my stuff on the floor and slumped into the seat beside her. "If anything, I've been more mad than happy the past few days."

  "Face it, you're always mad, Carson."

  I rested my head in my hands, agreeing with her entirely. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

  "If I've learned anything from my best friend, then that'll be to kill people who annoy you."

  I looked up at her – a smile playing on my lips.

  "Who needs anger management when you can draw pictures of dying stick figures, anyway?" She pondered, twirling the ends of her hair.

  I laughed, but got silent when the teacher threatened the whole class with write-ups if we didn't 'quiet down'. Out of force of habit, I was tempted to talk again – but thought better of it since she didn't look like the nicest person today.

  After class, Katrina bid me farewell and headed to the back of the school to catch her bus. I always used to tell her I could drive her home - me having a car and all - but she mentioned that there was a boy who rode on the bus also, and she took delight in sitting behind him and staring at his head.

  I didn't pester her about riding the bus after that.

  Gathering my stuff in my hands so that I wouldn't drop them, I made one last visit to my locker. Almost as if I was being my old carefree self again, I balanced a pencil in my mouth – playing with it as I juggled my bag and my math book in my hands, while trying to pry open the locker at the same time.