Instead of Me

∆5∆

"Hey, Finn. How's your cold?" Heath asked, an eyebrow raised. "Feeling any better?" The false concern in his voice was simply astounding. He obviously knew I was faking it.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. It must have been a quick bug or something." My nostrils flared and anybody could tell I was angry, so I turned away from him and Annie, and started putting my hat and scarf into my locker. "But I'm feeling fine now," I said flatly.

"Well, I have to head to class. If I'm late, Mrs. Neal will have my head." Heath adjusted the strap to his messenger bag on his shoulder. I noticed that he had his hand resting at Annie's waist and clenched my jaw. "I'll see you guys later." He turned to leave, but shot Annie his quick, charming smile. Blood rushed to Annie's cheeks and she grinned back at him.

Annie leaned against her locker. "Are you sure you're okay, Finny?" she asked, followed by me simply nodding my head. "I meant to text you last night, but I just got to talking with Heath on the phone, and I just forgot." We started walking to her first class with Mr. Rush.

The lump in my throat became hard to swallow. It felt weird for Annie to be hanging out with someone else. Not in like a super clingy way, just weird. Ever since I can remember, it was just the two of us. Forgive me if seeing another person regularly put a damper on Annie's and mine friendship. "Seriously, Annie, you don't have to explain anything to me."

She shook her head. "I just want to apologize, Finn. I'm really sorry for blowing you off. I wasn't thinking straight. It's just that when Heath asked me on a date, I couldn't resist."

I furrowed my eyebrows together. "You guys went on a date?"

Annie laughed. "Yeah, he took me on a breakfast date at the little diner about a block away from the school. It was really fun, and he's so cute and awkward . . ." She kept telling me about their stupid date, but it sounded like a big jumble of words that didn't make any sense. He took her on a breakfast date? Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to compete with that? "I think he might ask me to the Valentine's Dance." Annie's face was full of pure bliss.

"I think I might actually still be sick," I stated. "I should go to the nurse." And I left Annie in the middle of the hallway, jogging to an exit of the school.

There was a specific exit of the school that nobody ever used, and was completely shielded from the school cops. That's where I would go to smoke. I often spent my third period study hall there. As far as I knew, Annie and I were the only ones that knew about it. However, if things keep going the way they are, Heath will probably know about it soon enough. Cigarette butts littered the sidewalk around the door. I can guarantee that the janitors don't even come out here since there were definitely some cigarette butts out here from months ago.

It was cold out, so I couldn't stay out for very long. Also, Mrs. Valentine would worry about me. She was my favorite teacher throughout my high school career. She was a fantastic teacher and knew what she was talking about, but she also was open to different interpretations of poems and narratives. She never turned down an idea, no matter how dumb it was. Not to mention she was quite the sight. All the boys tended to have a crush on her that sparks during their sophomore year of high school, but it fades once they realize she wasn't a risque teacher. Did I have fantasies about Mrs. Valentine? Absolutely. But I knew better to let that get in the way of her being the amazing teacher she was. I have even confided with her in the past over many things about my life, whether it be family, Annie, or really anything. She always had the best advice.

I came back inside, the warm air greeting the goosebumps on my skin. I rubbed my hands together to warm them up. The late bell had rung at least seven minutes ago. I prayed that Mrs. Valentine would take it easy on me today and not give me detention. I hurried to her classroom and opened the door as silently as possible. "Nice of you to finally join us, Mr. Robertson," she said as I walked in, thinking I got away with it. I should have known better. "See me after class." Great.