Noted

ONE

A/n: Let's just say I'm all about the build-up. Enjoy!

***

June Ledge has an interesting mindset. She believes that the planet, along with its living creatures, will belittle to nothing but dust particles in a couple hundred—no, couple dozen—years. The cycle of planets orbiting around the sun will find a new pattern, adjusting to the dismay of Earth, like it never existed. Like the imprint of the people here never mattered.

That's a lot to think about on a Monday morning as she enters St Paul's Christian High School.

The long corridor echoes the footsteps of students and staff alike, June being no exception. Like her, many heads to the large double glass doors of the Library, bottles of sanitizer at the ready. She lathers in the alcohol-scented liquid. If humans had started their hygiene earlier, would the world's existence continue to be threatened?

She makes her way around the large room of tables, computers, and rows of book stands until she faces the back where Kim and Phoebe lean over on the books in front of them, holding hands under the table and giving each other warm looks of admiration.

"Not everyone can be like you two," June says, pulling her chair back to slouch against it. 

Phoebe puckers her lips in exaggeration, her copper hair piles up in a bun, accentuating her sharp features June recognises as a competition to some. June including.

"You know what they say about love," Kim sings, leaning into Phoebe's shoulder. She gives June a raise of her eyebrows suggestively. "'The more people lovin', the less crimes comin'."

"Yeah, sure babe," Phoebe says, patting her girlfriend's head. "I wish they would say the same about finishing algebra homework. The more you stare, the faster it finishes."

"Well, chop, chop." June claps her hands together for encouragement. "You have math first period."

Phoebe's brown eyes grow wide. June suspects this is where the begging begins. "You said you'd help me."

"I did. But you're just sitting there."

"I was waiting for you."

The corner of June's mouth creases up. "You're not showing me what you need help with. How am I supposed to know what issues you're dealing with?"

With a swift flick, the math textbook slides toward June. Circled in grey led, questions three, five, ten, fifteen, and twenty-seven.

June scrunches her face. "Bee, these are the questions you had to do for homework. You said you'd done most of it."

"I did! Question seven was hard. And question thirty took me three hours to understand."

"They all have the same formula. It's algebra!"

"Well, I don't understand math. Babe, tell her."

"She was on the phone crying last night." Kim fixes her school blazer. "But I agree, it's algebra."

Phoebe rolls her eyes. "Okay, Switzerland."

"Why didn't you ask Maeve for help? You two literally share the same class together."

"Maeve? Ha!"

Mentioning Maeve set off a train reaction of laughter through the group. Even June admits speaking their dear friend's name in the same sentence of math is a comical choice, but as least it lightens the mood.

"She's still studying "The life of R" since we last chatted," mentions Kim, playing with the ends of Phoebe's hair, whispering.

June sits closer to the table, checking to make sure no one can hear them. "I wasn't in the chat group last night. Did she say anything else?"