How To Be The Best Third Wheel

Original Edition - Tip 3: Just Evacuate

I slam my locker door shut, the sound so loud that students stop and stare. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him! Is it possible to hate a human being so much? I hate him more than Katniss Everdeen hates President Snow. I hate him more than Jasmine hates bad grades. I hate him more than the girls hate each other on the freaking bachelor!

Yes, that is how much I hate the infamous Jameson Bryer.

My whole second period went something like this:

James annoys Lara. Lara hits James while teacher is not looking. James says something vulgar. Lara tries to smash a hardcover textbook on his face. James flirts with every girl in class. Lara rolls her eyes. James asks for help. Lara ignores James. Teacher bribes Lara to give her extra credit if Lara tutors James and he passes with at least a C. Stupid Lara agrees...etc. And this went on for the minutes of class before James asked to leave early for some reason. Then, I ended up losing it in the hallway. Oh wait...that's right now.

Yup, I'm sure you can tell why I'm as negative as an electron. Get it? I am too tired to even make another terrible joke. After the bell rang, I ran straight out of the classroom, not even glancing at anyone. I decide to try my best to avoid any interaction with that demon.

Holding my math binder and a heavy, hardcover textbook, I speed-walk to my third period class before I get the chance to see any of the boys. I look around frantically, like a serial killer on the loose. Luckily, there is no sight of the guys.

I still can't believe them! Before today, it was just me and my gals. Now, I have to cope with trying not to hurt them at every encounter. Ugh.

I enter the class, and for the first time, the teacher is here before the students. I read my schedule last night and was immediately excited after finding out that my teacher was Ms. Kelleher. She's one of my favourite teachers since she's not strict and is pretty funny. I had her for science in ninth grade and she teaches grade eleven math now. She looks up from her salad and gives me a warm smile. I sit at one of the front desks and put my backpack onto the ground.

"Hey Ms. K, how was your summer?" I ask casually. Usually I'd be intimidated to start a conversation with a teacher, but Ms. K is very friendly and students talk to her like she's a friend.

"Oh, darling it was extravagant!" she voices. There is such a fancy ring to her voice. Her British accent just makes it sound all the better. Back in ninth grade, she'd sometimes get distracted and ended up telling us such interesting stories about her childhood back in England. "I went back to London for the summer and visited my family. It was just wonderful!"

"Wow! That does sound amazing!" I say in awe.

I wonder what it would be like to go to England. I've been to quite a few places, but I haven't been to Europe...yet. My family likes to go to the Philippines every five years. Other than that, we like to travel to other places for vacation, mostly south. I love visiting new places, seeing different cultures, and just the thrill of hopping onto a plane. If it were up to me, I'd visit every ancient ruin, natural landscape, and historical architecture. But my family isn't too big on things like that. They're mostly like, "Hey let's relax at a resort on the beach!"

I'm very thankful though, I know that most people aren't as privileged as me. My parents and the rest of my family grew up very poor, but they worked hard to give my sister and I the life we have today. I can never complain.

"How was your summer, Lara?" she asks.

"Actually, I was in the Philippines for the summer. It was reall-"

"De la Cruz!"

I am interrupted for the hundredth time today by the voice of the same, idiotic person. Holy shizballs. Whenever I turn around, bad things happen. First, I become a seventh wheel. Second of all, I see my worst enemy. Third of all, the present situation that I am in.