Dance In The Rain

~31~ Smells Like A Bad Day

"I wanna paint my room this weekend, but I don't want something obnoxious. It needs to be subtle, yet classy. Is this subtle and classy?"

Before I can answer, I see Tate walk by with several friends and look away, and it still hurts my dang feelings.

"You could say hi, asshole," Kenna snaps, and Tate looks at her quickly before turning down the hall and out of sight.

"He pisses me off so much!" She seethes as she shakes her head and turns back to me. "So, does this say subtle and classy, or babyish and stupid?"

I smile as I shut my locker and start walking toward my first class. "I think it would be beautiful. Want help painting?"

"Uh....No that's okay. I don't mind doing it."

The way she says it grabs my attention and I tilt my head. "You sure? I've never even been to your house before."

"I'm sure. Thanks for offering," she grins as she kisses my cheek and walks in the opposite direction toward her class.

~*~

When we get to Holden's class during fourth period, I groan when I see the PowerPoint presentation he has up on the smart board.

PowerPoints are so boring

I sit down and talk to Kenna until the bell rings, and when Tate comes in a minute late, Holden glares at him.

"What's your excuse this time?"

"I had to take a shit," Tate says casually as he sits in his seat and gives one of his buddies a high five.

Holden glares at him another moment before silently using his pointer finger to motion him to get up.

When Tate does, he walks over with an annoyed expression as Holden puts his left hand on Tate's shoulder and sticks his pointer finger in his face. I can't hear what Holden is saying, but after a moment of stern mumbling, Tate goes back to his seat with an embarrassed expression.

"Totally serves him right for earlier," Kenna says too loudly, causing Holden to look between me and her, confused. Then he looks at Tate and blows out a frustrated breath.

"Okay, enough talking. Get out your notebooks and let's get started. And I mean...TAKE. NOTES. Everything I'm going over will be on the test on Friday."

As Holden gets into the lecture, I notice Tate sitting on his phone, most definitely not taking notes.

~*~

When we drive home that afternoon, Holden is quiet as he listens to the radio. Tate is sitting up front and starts to turn the station, when Holden bats his hand away. "Quit"

"Holden, this is boring! I wanna listen to music."

"You can wait until we get home," he says in a weird voice as he turns up the volume and stares straight ahead the whole way home.

After homework is done, I sit on the couch and start Hocus Pocus. I'm only ten minutes into it when Holden comes in and turns the station.

"Holden!" I screech. Now normally I'm pretty mellow and I'll let anyone have the TV whenever. But Hocus Pocus? Get real.

He turns his head at me in surprise and shakes his head. "Sorry Annie, but the TV is mine right now. Go watch it on your computer if you want."

"You could watch the news on your phone," I mutter as I cross my arms, and he turns his head back to me in surprise.

"Why are you mad?" He asks.

"I'm not...I just wanted to watch it."

"...And I told you that you could."