Misery Loves Company

Chapter 3

It's Monday, and the school still feels like it's waking up from the weekend. It's also about two months till the end of the school year. Great. Before the inevitable 3rd year slog of studying for college entrance exams, 2nd year is supposed to be filled with excitement. But so far, mine's been passing by without much happening.

I enter my classroom and collapse in my seat. It doesn't take long before more students begin streaming in and start the inevitable "how was your weekend?" catchup conversations. I too am destined to join this ritual when my friends Betty and Lace arrive together and head toward my desk.

Betty is the first to speak. "Heya, Yumi! Do anything fun over the weekend?"

Lace scowls, "What are you talking about, we literally were on the phone every day. What's there to talk about that we don't already know?"

Betty starts poking Lace on the shoulder. "Come on Lacey, don't be so glum. It's not about knowing what Yumi did, it's about showing her that I care about her. That's what friendship is all about!"

Lace scoffs. "Good friends don't waste each other's time. Yumiko, how come you're so late? Did you oversleep again?"

"No!" I defend myself. "I actually got up at six."

"Yeah, and went to bed at four. Come on, it's obvious. Your eyes are red and it looks like you rubbed them to death." Lace snatches Betty's finger, which had apparently been prodding Lace's shoulder a bit too long for her liking. "What did you do this morning anyway?"

I think of my encounter with Takashi at the bookstore and immediately feel a little bit of me die inside. "Just some yoga."

*RING*

With the sound of the bell, we promptly get back to our seats to begin the school day.

...

The morning goes by far too slowly. Mr. Stuart drones on about genetic drift, and I drift into thoughts of this morning's fiasco. What if I run into Takashi later today? No, forget just later today, I don't want him to see me ever again.

But a strange thought creeps into my head. What if the incident this morning is not actually the cringe moment that it seems to be at first glance? What if Takashi was endeared by my awkwardness and thinks I'm funny? What if this is the start to a quirky slapstick romance?

...haha. As if. I shut the thought down quickly. Such fantasies are dangerous. They are simply self-delusions. I won't fall for it.

I check the time. 30 seconds to lunch! Out of the corner of my eye, I spot my short-haired neighbor who, like me, also has her pupils glued to the clock instead of the whiteboard. She locks eyes with me. Of course it's Betty.

"Psst!" She whispers. "Hey pssst..."

"What?!" I whisper back.

Betty looks back at the clock. "...45!"

"Oh please..."

"Aren't you excited too? Don't lie I saw you staring."

"Well...kinda yeah."

"50!"

I hear Lace mutter from behind me, "Here we go again..."

"51!"

Lace groans. "We can see. Just keep it to yourself."

"I can't keep anything to myself! 54!"

Lace speaks again, this time with a subtle twinge of panic. "I swear to god if you're planning on doing that again..."

"Gehehe!"

Memories of incidents past flash through my brain. "Nonono don't do it seriously! Lace stop her!"

"58...59..."

Bell: *RIIIIINNG*

Like bread out of a toaster, Betty shoots up out of her seat, which scrapes loudly against the tile floor. "Grub a rub dub, time for lunch!"

The classroom erupts in hoots and howls and I bury my face into my hands.

Straining over the laughter, Mr. Stuart shouts, "Where do you think you're going, Betty? Have you forgotten that class is over when I say it is?"

I look up and Betty is somehow already halfway to the door. She turns to face Mr. Stuart and points her thumb into her chest. "With all due respect, Mr. Stuart, it's Monday! I humbly request that the class leave for lunch on time today."

"O-On time, you say? Very well, class is dismissed."

Betty smiles. "Really?"

"Except for you, Betty. I'd like to have a word with you. Now, please."

With that, our class's lunch started on time for once. On our way out the door, Lace and I walk past Betty. Lace mutters, "Can't save an idiot from herself."

I admonish, "You've done it now, Betty!"

Betty looks sheepish. "Haha sorry girls... You'll both wait for me, right?"

Lace turns to me. "So what'll be, Yumiko? Classroom, or outside, or maybe the roof?"

Betty looks stunned. "Ignored!"

We end up deciding to wait for Betty outside the classroom while Mr. Stuart gives her an earful. Eventually, Betty leaves the room and stomps toward us.

"Damn Mr. Stuart, why does he have to be such a hardass? Always keeping us overtime. 'I dismiss the class, not the bell.' Dude's on a power trip for sure."

I shrug my shoulders. "It can't be helped, we just have to follow the rules."

"Or we can raise shit! I don't think there's a single teacher in Onaji High who keeps their class past the bell like Mr. Stuart does. We ought to file a complaint."

Lace rolls her eyes. "I'm sure Mr. Stuart would be absolutely thrilled with you for that. Here's an idea: how about you don't shout like a lunatic when the bell rings?"

Betty smiles proudly. "Sorry Lacey, you know that's just not me. I just can't help it. When I feel excited, I can't keep it to myself. I've got to share it with the rest of the world—you feel me?"

"How generous," Lace replies. "So where are we going to eat? It's pretty warm today. We can just eat outside."

"No!" My sharp tone seems to catch Lace by surprise. It even surprises me. "Let's just eat in the classroom."

"Why? That's boring."

"I think it's nice! Please?" I can't tell them that I don't want to risk running into Takashi.

Lace sighs. "Fine."

We head back into our classroom and put our three desks together into a makeshift table.

As we pull out our lunches, Betty's mood brightens. "My mom packed me extra chicken today. Here you two go!" Betty places a piece of fried chicken on top of the rice in my lunchbox, and does the same for Lace.

"Thanks Betty!" I take a bite of the fried chicken, which tastes amazing.

Lace says to me under her breath, "If I were you I wouldn't be so thankful. I think our Betty here weighed herself this morning—and didn't like what she saw."

Betty pouts. "Don't want it? I'll take it back."

Lace quickly picks up the fried chicken with her chopsticks and bites into it.

Betty herself starts chowing down on her lunch. "I've got to look after you two, you know what I mean? Especially you Lacey, you've been looking a little thin. You've got to keep your strength up! After all, it's almost coming up."

I ask, "Mr. Stuart's final exam?"

Lace grumbles, "Why would you mention that blasphemy, during our sacred lunch no less?"

Betty shakes her head. "No, my sillies. I'm talking about Valentine's day! Come on, I know you didn't forget. Who y'all want to give chocolates to? Tell me, tell me!"

Valentine's Day?