Run Away with Me (anytime you want)

Your Lip Gloss Smile

Monday, March 18th, 8:40 am, Sian
I'm sick.
Not puking sick. More like there's-a-knife-in-my-brain-sick. My head feels like it's splitting open, and even with advil I took, it's not going away. I swear, I'm so fucking close to jumping out my bedroom window.
Downstairs, Grace is trying to convince mom to let her borrow the car today. Unlikely. Last time she drove it she ran over Mrs. Whitlan's flower beds, and the old lady has been giving us dirty looks through her curtains ever since.
"Come on mom, it was one time! I passed the driver's test, you know, I can drive!" Her voice is getting louder and louder, and so is the ringing in my ears. Fuck.
I wash down another Advil and start to throw my things into my bag for school. Today we've got gym class (ugh), so I go rooting through my drawers for some clean sweatpants. Once everything is all together I force my bag shut and swing it over my shoulder. I almost topple over from the weight of it and the sudden blast of agony in my forehead, but I manage to grab my bedpost and haul myself up.
"Honey, I need advance warning! I can't just give you my car everyday," Mom sighs, slipping on her coat and swiping her bus pass off the counter. "Maybe another day." She kisses us both goodbye and is out the door, like a gust of wind on a clear day.
Grace raises her eyebrows at me. "Want a ride to school?"
I take yet another Advil, drink some water, and head out to the car.
I hate that we're disobeying mom so directly, but I really don't have the energy to walk today. Plus, it's going to rain later.
Grace throws her purse into the back seat and starts the Honda Civic with a sputtering cough. I cringe, but Grace seems relaxed. With confidence she pushes the gas pedal and gets us out of the driveway and onto the road.
We're not going fast. Probably forty kilometres an hour, but somehow Grace still manages to miss three stop signs and almost hit two squirrels. My knuckles are white, clenching the seat.
By the time we get to school my headache has gotten worse, and my hair is stuck to my forehead with sweat.
Breathing a bit difficultly, I practically dive out of the car.
"Thanks, Grace!" I call at her as she struts away, already flocked with people. I have no idea if she hears me or not.
Ari is waving at me from across the courtyard, so I shoulder my bag and head over to him, trying to ignore the pounding in my skull.
"Hey," I say feebly as I reach him, looking for somewhere to sit down. His eyes are concerned, but he's grinning. "You look like shit, Si." I snort and lean back against the school, taking some of the pressure off my legs. "I still look better than you, fucko." "You wish," he smirks.
Ari glances over my shoulder and suddenly I see his green eyes go wide. "What?"
"Don't look right now," he hisses and flicks his eyes away,"Just slowly turn around."
I pause a few seconds, then do what he said, raking my eyes across the yard for anything unusual.
At first, all I see is a crowd. Kids rushing to their classes, teachers trying to arrive in time for their meetings. And then I saw her.
She hit me like lightening, sharp and bright. Something inside of me clicked.
Pink hair, wide eyes, lip gloss, and a hurried walk, like she was trying to hide from something invisible. I knew I was totally screwed.
"Holy shit."
"Yeah," Ari nodded in agreement.
I wanted to watch her for hours, but in only a couple seconds, she had disappeared.
"Fuck," I mutter. Ari and I both have a similar 'type.' His girlfriend Lindsey,for example, also looks both cute and terrifying with her glittery nails and combat boots. I'll never tell Ari how I used to have a slight (okay, massive) crush on her.
Hanging out with Ari has been great. There's not many guys I can really talk to about girls. Hell, I haven't even really come out yet. But Ari makes it feel normal, even when I feel like a complete idiot.
"New girl," I smile, and wink at Ari. "Cross my heart and hope she's bi."
When he laughs, the corners of his green eyes crinkle up. "Oh Sian, you know that anyone would go bi for you." And now I'm laughing too, mostly because of the way he said it.
We eventually pull ourselves together and start walking towards the school. Ari and I aren't in the same class first period but the classes are right next to each other, so we stick together anyways.
Ari is talking and in trying to listen but I keep thinking of that girl. Short, soft-looking. I want to see her pink hair up close. I want to see her glossed lips smile, preferably because of me.
I'm grinning when Ari realizes I'm not listening. "Oh my god," he moans,"you're hopeless."

Monday, March 18th, 11:30

Mrs. Whittlin is yelling again. She yells a lot, but to be honest I would too if I had her job.
My second period class is hell.
Across the row from me,Younes is also yelling and my head is caving in. I slip an Advil out of my backpack and swallow it.
"You have NO FUCKING RIGHT!" He's screaming. I can hear the fury in his voice. "THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY THAT IM STAYING AFTER SCHOOL AGAIN. WHAT ARE YOU? A FUCKIN' COP?" Some of his spit lands on my face. I gag a bit.
"WE DON'T TOLERATE CHEATERS IN THE SCHOOL, YOUNES. IT'S YOUR OWN DAMN FAULT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE STUCK IN THIS HOLE FOR AN EXTRA HOUR!"
Mrs. Whittlin roars back. Part of me wants to applaud.
Younes' cheating incident happened about ten minutes ago, while we were taking our pop quiz. He sat right down beside Frank, the smartest guy I've ever met, and obviously stared at his paper the whole time. Usually Mrs. Whittlin would just print out a new test and give him a brief talk, but for some reason today was different.
Younes ground his teeth and snarled at her. "YOU BITCH! YOU FUCKING WHORE!" Mrs. Whittlin just stared coolly back at him. "Office. Now."
Younes got up, but not before launching another volley of swears at her. He turned on his heel and ripped open the class door, still swearing, only to reveal a tiny girl with pink hair with a raised first, ready to knock. Her mouth dropped open and her cheeks flamed. Younes pushed past her, yelling "GOOD FUCKING LUCK!"
I could see her knees tremble a bit as she walked in. Mrs. Whittlin, obviously still a bit shaken, glanced up at her. "Ah, you must be Stella," she smiles. "I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."
Pink hair, Stella, gives her a half smile. "Change of plans," she shrugs. God she's adorable. I know I'm staring, but so is the rest of the class so it doesn't make a huge difference. Mrs whittlin points to the seat two rows ahead of me. "Sit there for today, honey, we'll set you up somewhere better tomorrow."
And just like that , the class fall back into easy conversation. Stella gets to her new desk and starts tucking her books away shyly, avoiding all eye contact. But when she straightens up and looks around the room, her grey eyes land on mine. And the strangest thing happens. She smiles.