Teen Drama

15

Elisa and I stroll along the upper walkway above the school's main hall as we head for the study rooms, casually linked arms as the day is almost over, and we're both tired. We have a free period to do as we please for nearly an hour, and we decided to compile everything for the English essay to finish it. Once it's done, I can stop sitting with Dane and won't have to keep interacting anymore.

Tyler and Dane, at some point, contacted some of our interviewees and got a lot of good quotes, so all that is left is to write up the sections we took and give them to Tyler to add to theirs. Dane has actually been contributing in small ways, which is so unlike him, so my decision to extract him from the credits has died a silent death. Especially after taking care of me yesterday.

I rub my bandaged hand as I think of him, nowhere near as sore as it was, and carry on walking behind my girl. A few more days of the gel, and it won't leave a single mark, and thanks to his instant care, it hasn't given me much pain or problems. I smile to myself when I think of how he reacted to it happening, and it soothes some of the day's fatigue. An image of how sweet he looked while tending to me has been stuck in my head since then.

"Kayla?" A female voice comes at me from behind, and I stop to see Giselle from the theatrics committee waving my way. A pretty small blonde with huge eyes and the most gorgeous smile. We used to be close when we were both in the same club, but I had to give it up to help in the animal shelter more.

"Hey. What's up?" I ask with a smile, Elisa letting go to take a few steps and pausing ahead to wait for me.

"I had hoped to see you last class, but we are in different home studies now, so I left you a pile of documents backstage in the theatre for the annual dance. I left them near the old spot in a file box for you. I know you are heading the organizing committee this time. We put in the receipts for the décor and band, and you guys need to add in the food and drink and any expenses we missed. The theme plan and the swatches for the tablecloths and other soft furnishings are in there." She has always been an efficient organizer and having her share the load of things like this makes my life easier.

"Cool, thanks. I'll go pick them up and get to it." I wave her off as she turns and continues to where she is going before turning back to Elisa.

"You go to the study room and start. I'll get it and bring it up. No point in us both wasting time and energy on the walk down there." The theatre isn't that close and sits in its own outbuilding out back. It's a few minutes' walk there and back.

"Tyler texted me to say he was going to meet us but has no idea where Dane went after the last class." She blushes at the mere mention of her fantasy god, and I shake my head.

"Try not to get led astray by him in the minutes I am gone. You need to learn to put up some kind of defense for his recent flirting and attention. He's going to walk all over you." I point out, nudging her gently even if I am being serious. Tyler's new interest in her has started spreading to other classes and even the occasional meeting in the hallway or canteen. Now that she is on his radar, he feels he has found a new shiny and makes a point of saying hi to her fifty times a day. I don't trust his motives.

He and Dane have too long been the kind of boys to pick up girls and drop them like hot coals when they got bored. Neither has a good track record of anything long-term, and neither seems to have very high standards either.

"He's just being nice. I like that he now talks to me." Her face turns scarlet, and she drops her head to hide in her hair before turning on her heel and heading off. I know I sound like a broken record lately, but I don't want to see her get hurt by Tyler. It wouldn't be a regular broken heart when it's at the hands of a boy she has crushed on since she was five. That would be a soul-destroying kind of pain.