Bad Decisions Make Good Stories

- 6 -

Six

The rest of the week was hard. Really hard. Noah was both infuriating and oddly amusing so I didn’t know whether to laugh or groan at his jokes. He was annoying and I still hadn’t gotten over his conversation with Kyle but I couldn’t ignore the fact he had a good sense of humour. It didn’t help that it played well with Mr Parker. Every lesson, they threw easy banter across the room.  It was distracting but it was always interesting to listen in on.

I wasn’t as impressed as I should have been with my new seating arrangements, but Ava saw it as an opportunity to be totally popular and get invited to the coolest parties and meet the hottest boys. Every time she brought it up, I just rolled my eyes and told her to drop it.

Sitting in English on Friday afternoon, I was counting down the minutes ‘til I could leave and go home. I was looking forward to staying holed up in my room watching movies. And maybe doing some homework. Maybe.

Mr Parker had given us a worksheet to do seeing as it was last period and naturally, Noah’s remained empty. He sat their texting away while I scoured the poem on my sheet for a metaphor or simile – the easiest of language techniques.

“So what are you up to this week end?” He broke my train of thought and I sighed.

Looking at him, I shrugged. “Nothing probably just watch movies. What about you?”

“Surf a bit, party a bit and work a bit.”

“Cool,” I replied, my tone completely uninterested. I stole a glance at the clock – only twenty more minutes left.

“You’re quite unenthusiastic, aren’t ya?”

“Just tired. Do I have to be happy 24/7?”

He shrugged. “I’m just used to being around Becky and all those cheerleaders and man, I have never seen a bunch of girls act so happy.”

“It’s all that cheer spirit,” I said monotonously. “Plus, I doubt they’re happy all the time. Becky Hamilton is a bitch.”

“Hey she’s my friend.”

“I’m just stating facts. Plus, I do recall you saying Fuck Becky that one time.”

He paused thinking that through and I thought our conversation had ended so I went back to my work. It hadn’t and he spoke up mere seconds after I picked up my pen. “You know, you should come to a party with me soon. I think you could have fun. Show me that girl from last weekend. All I’ve seen this week is boring, boring, boring.”

I glared at him. “Such a warm invitation. But no thanks, I’m good.”

Ava would be shooting herself if she what I was doing right now. We were invited to parties occasionally and every other weekend we did some boring like go the cinemas. She’d always moan about those cool girls who went to parties with hot boys every weekend. I wasn’t like Ava though and I didn’t care. Having a weekend to me was one of the best things ever.

From beside me, Noah shrugged his shoulders. “Suit yourself. What about that chick you’re mates with? The blonde one? She’s kinda hot given she doesn’t talk. You should introduce me. We could have together.”

I could’ve stabbed him with my pen right then and there. Through gritted teeth, I said, “Her name is Ava and I would never introduce you to her, you jerk.”

I knew Ava would be kicking herself over my conversation right now, and then she would be kicking me over denying her an opportunity into the popular crowd. But I was sensible enough – my vision not clouded by hormones – to know that boys like Noah only wanted one thing, and that one thing wasn’t talking about their feelings late at night while watching The Notebook.