The Teenage Guide To Loneliness [Book 2 in the Teenage Guide Series]

Chapter 20: Say Something

Kiran wasn't at school following his suspension. Or for a week after.

The days went on like waiting for a subway train that was never coming. Expectations high, frustrated to the core, with no form of release. Carter wasn't sure what to do - not only with Kiran, but with her life. She thought that joining clubs would keep her busy, give her purpose, but that hadn't been the case so far. The other staff members of the school's newspaper ignored every suggestion she would make, and she had been assigned the Lunch Special section by the editor. For pottery, no one would sit near her, and whenever she was out of material, no one offered to let her borrow any of theirs. It was like she had transformed into a social disease. Like if anyone got too close, they'd get infected too.

Unfortunately she wasn't smart enough to join any of the clubs Tala was a member of - like the Debate Team, the Academic Bowl, or the Model UN. So she was doomed to walk amongst the shallow halls of Newton alone for each elective and after-school club.

The only person she saw more than once a day was Seth, who had now taken it upon himself to chat up every girl he came across. On one particular Thursday, he even managed to score a number from someone in their Calculus class. For a moment it made Carter fume, but she remembered that Tala had rudely brushed him off not long ago. Still, she figured she could do some good in the world and try to smooth things out between them. Maybe it would generate good karma.

"Have you talked to Tala lately?" Carter asked when the teacher stepped out for a moment.

"Nope. I don't know what her problem is. She's been ghosting me since I took her out that one night," Seth said. He then leaned back in his chair and tried to get the attention of another girl nearby.

"Don't give up on her. You should ask her to Homecoming."

Seth let out a short laugh, "You think I'm some desperate loser, Vance? I made a stupid fool of myself for her, and she slammed the door in my face."

"How did you make a fool yourself?"

"Here's the thing; I don't make it a habit of chasing one girl. If someone's not into me, who cares? I move on. But with Tala - I went after her for way longer than I should've, and look what happened."

"She's... got personal issues?" Damn it, Carter. Way to stick up for your friend.

"Oh, dude, that makes me want her even more," Seth said, sarcasm obvious.

"Don't be an asshole Seth. Talk to her. I promise you she'll come around."

"Yeah, whatever." He sounded more disappointed than arrogant or angry. Carter was about try one more time, but he quickly changed the subject, "Speaking of assholes, where's Jones? What's going on with him? I haven't seen the guy in weeks."

"I have no idea. We were supposed to meet up for coffee last weekend, but he hasn't been responding to my texts. I feel like there's something really wrong with him... but then again maybe he's busy with personal stuff-"