Comfort Zone

Big Fat Chicken

I didn't find out about Rhett and Noah that night. He dropped me off at my house, still fuming, so I didn't ask. I should have, though. Instead I just got out of the car and walked to the door without saying a word.

I wanted him to tell me on his own, but if he's been keeping whatever the hell it is from me since we met, he probably won't. I should have just ripped the bandaid off. If I had, I wouldn't still be stuck wondering.

Halloween was Friday night and we haven't talked all weekend. It's driving me crazy not knowing. My mind is starting to wander to all the different possibilities, each more horrible than the last.

Today's Monday, so when I walked into first period, I was prepared to tell him that I needed answers, to demand them. However, the big fat chicken's not in school today.

Now I'm sitting in class, next to the empty chair that belongs to my scaredy-cat, of a friend, trying to tell myself he can't be skipping just to avoid me. Who am I kidding, though?

I'm probably being a bit hypocritical, seeing as how I skip school when I don't want to deal with things all the time. I don't care, though. It's been several days. He should be able to tell me by now.

The bell rings and I walk to my next class. I'm itching to get to lunch so I can talk to Violet and Davin. I told them what had happened and they're worried too. Lunch isn't until after fifth period, and I don't have them in any classes until then. I'll just have to endure my own imagination running a muck for four more periods, until they can hopefully knock some sense into me.

There's absolutely no way Rhett is secretly in his late thirties and is up to some 21 Jump Street, type, undercover stuff. Right?

He can grow facial hair really fast, though.

I slump down in my seat and attempt to calm myself down and relax. This proves to be fairly hard due to the fact that Zeick Smith and Erick Christian are currently running around the classroom like untamed chimpanzees, teasingly fighting one another.

They quickly scamper down my row and before I know it, Erick is shoving Zeick into my desk. His backpack almost hits me in the face and my entire seat shifts, but I don't even acknowledge them.

Three seconds later they are halfway across the room. This time it's Erick's turn to be pushed, right into Mr. Hope's globe, knocking it to the floor and cracking it in half.

You know how people say never to judge others too harshly, that you don't know what's going on in their lives? Well, I'm trying. I really am, but every time they open their mouths or run around doing spastic crap like this, it's a little hard not to automatically think, idiot. Plus, last week Davin told me that Zeick tried to make her feel bad for not sleeping with him. Maybe idiot is a proper judgment.

As soon as the globe hits the floor I can see the panic strike them. They quickly sprint back to their seats and try their best to act casual, despite their ruby red faces and guilty expressions.

A few seconds after they sit down, Mr. Hoppe walks in.

Mr. Hoppe is a very tall man (I'd say around six foot seven) with short, greying hair, despite the fact that he's only in his early thirties. He's one of those teachers you can just tell is constantly, internally screaming at himself for becoming a teacher.

Don't get me wrong, I like him as a person, he's just not great at his job.

He used to be a professional video game player until his lucky streak ended and he had to get a real profession. He says he's always liked science so I guess he figured, why not teach? I don't think he knew about all the standardized testing, state organized lesson plans, and rules he would have to follow, though. I'm fairly certain he thought he would just be able to do whatever the hell he wanted to, which is pretty much what he does anyways. The principal hates him, but physics teachers are hard to come by, and he teaches that, as well as astronomy.