The Mediator

Chapter 3

The weekend went by too fast. I was dreading English today. I still didn't understand why Rob reacted to me the way he had. I knew it couldn't have been anything I said since I had only been rude to him after he had decided to try to intimidate me. I hadn't said or done anything rude to him up to that point. Whatever his problem with me was, I didn't care. I just wasn't going to let him walk all over me.

I walked over to my usual table in the cafeteria and sat down next to Conner. Hailey leaned across the table towards me.

"So, what happened on Friday?" She sounded more excited than concerned.

"I told you I don't know."

Ashley, who was sitting next to Hailey, interrupted.

"Does it matter? So, one person doesn't like you." She said coldly.

Ashley wasn't my favorite person. She's always so negative. "No, you're right it doesn't matter. I just don't know what I did. You should have seen his face."

She shrugged, "I've seen it." She said blissfully.

I groaned as Hailey chimed in. "Maybe you should just ask him?"

I looked at her shocked. "Are you insane? Yeah, I'll just ask him if he really hates me or if I was just imagining it." I replied sarcastically.

Ashley smiled, "I'll ask him!" she sounded hopeful.

"No!" I shouted as I took a bite of my ham sandwich.

Ashley snickered.

My eyes scanned the cafeteria hoping he wasn't here today. Unfortunately I found him sitting with his sister and some of their friends on the other side of the cafeteria. "Great." I muttered.

Conner, who had not been involved in the conversation up to this point because he was talking to Dan about a hockey game, turned to look at me and followed my gaze. "What?" He asked in an indifferent tone. Before I could answer he laughed "Oh, Rob Fox huh? Personally I-"

I cut him off by smacking his shoulder.

"Ouch!" he laughed, rubbing his shoulder.

Then Dan leaned back in his seat to look around Conner at me. "I didn't know you knew he existed." He teased.

I slumped in my seat and folded my arms. "It's not like that. Stay out of it!" I demanded.

They didn't buy it. They laughed and continued to tease me. I got up from the table to throw out my garbage. As I walked I glanced at Rob's table. His sister, Audrey, was watching me.

She also had hazel eyes, like her brother's. She was girl next door pretty. Her wavy brown hair stopped just under her shoulders, tall, and thin. I quickly looked away. Her stare wasn't angry like her brother's had been. She looked at me more curiously than anything else.

When I walked into English I noticed my seat was empty. I looked around and noticed Rob sitting on the other side of the room. I sat at my desk, relieved that I wouldn't have to deal with him today. My mind wondered for a moment. What was he doing in this class anyway? The semester was almost over and he hadn't been in seventh hour English all year, at least not with Mrs. Parker. Why did his schedule change now?

The bell rang and Mrs. Parker began class. "I want you to continue working in pairs on Beowulf. So please work with the person you were paired with on Friday."

I wanted to die. I had done my half and I was sure Rob had finished his. What were we supposed to do now? Glare at each other for the next hour? I sank in my seat and put my head on my desk.

"Cassie?" I heard Mrs. Parker call. "Are you feeling all right?"

I wanted to lie, to say no so I could get out of the room and go to the nurse. I slowly lifted my head to look at her. "I'm fine." I said through my teeth.

Then I saw him sitting next to me as Mrs. Parker walked away. "Did you finish your half?" This sounded more like an accusation than a question.

"Yes." I sneered. "And your half?" I mocked his tone.

"Done." He said dryly.

At least Rob wasn't giving me the death stare today. At least not yet anyway, I was so annoyed that I spoke without thinking. "So, what did I do?" Stupid, stupid, stupid! I was mentally smacking myself in the forehead.

He turned to look at me. His face held an expression of confusion. "Excuse me?" He said this with that same accusing tone.

I rolled my eyes. "Did I do something?" I couldn't believe I was rephrasing the question.

This time all confusion was wiped clean from Rob's face. He stiffened, and his eyes were wide with fury. "Did you?" He was angry, but completely serious.

Now I was confused. "No." My response sounded more like a question. "I just don't understand why..." I paused trying to think about what I was saying before I finished "Why you act like you despise me. Or why you do, for that matter. Did I do something?" I couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth. Stop the word vomit! I told myself.

He looked shocked and puzzled at the same time. "You didn't do anything....yet." He said darkly.

"Yet?" I questioned in disbelief.

Rob looked at me like I was missing something. Like I should know just what he was talking about, like he shouldn't be explaining this to me. "Yet." He muttered.

As I drove home all I could think about were his words, that I hadn't done anything "yet." What did that even mean? I wasn't planning on doing anything period. Although the more I thought about it; I contemplated the possibilities. But of course I wouldn't really do anything. Why was I dwelling on this? Grrr. Maybe I could get my schedule changed as well. Maybe I could take his place in whatever English class he had been in before. No. Why am I freaking out? I haven't done anything to him yet nor will I ever! I was in the driveway now. I slumped over, face down on the steering wheel, I closed my eyes. I breathed in and out deeply twice, trying to calm myself. After a few minutes I got out of the car and walked into the house. My mood changed a little when I could smell the aroma that filled the entire house. Claire was making my favorite meal; meatloaf.

"Cass?" my mom called when I was through the door.

"Yeah, it's me." Who else was she expecting? I dropped my backpack at the door and walked into the kitchen. "Smells good." I said appreciatively. Claire smiled.

"So, how was school?" She asked.

I looked at the floor, "Fine." I lied.

"You sure about that?" She sounded concerned.

I looked at her. I could see the worry lines on her face now. "Really Mom." I tried to sound convincing.

She relaxed a little and brushed the hair over my right shoulder to my back. "Good. Jack..." She paused. "I mean your father is coming over for dinner tonight."

"So that explains the meatloaf." I said jokingly.

She laughed. "It's your favorite too." she reminded me.

Dinner with my parents was nice. It was just like it had been when we all lived together. Except tonight my parents mainly talked about me. They talked about when I was little and all the trouble I got into, and the silly things I did. All of the embarrassing stuff. I rolled my eyes. Wonderful.

It was probably around ten when my dad finally left. I said my goodbyes and went upstairs to get ready for bed.