Song: Bang Bang cover by Holly Henry
***
"I can't believe it! I got Eponine!" Nadia squeals as she reads the cast list.
I take my time reading the cast list. Oh of course Evan Hall got Marius, I think to myself. The cast is huge, almost as though a quarter of the high school auditioned. I begin to feel a little left out, and my stomach hurts just thinking about it.
"That's awesome, Nadia! Congratulations!" I say in a tone that I hope matches her enthusiasm. She continues to take her time reading over the list, and with every passing second the weight of my backpack becomes more unbearable.
"Dominic got Valjean. . . Oh, he'll be perfect!" she mutters as I begin to grow impatient.
I lightly tap her shoulder. "Um Nadia? We really should be getting to Chemistry," I mumble, and she finally turns to look at me.
She pushes a few stray curls away from her cheeks and her face flushes, as if she just noticed I'm standing beside her. "Shit, you're right. Sorry, got a little carried away," she says with a flustered smile as she scoops up her backpack and slightly pulls up her Athleta leggings.
We begin down to hallway to the classroom. "Sooo," I prompt, "are you excited to have a lead with Evan and Dominic this year?"
"You have no idea!" she exclaims. "Especially Evan though, let's be honest," she snickers, elbowing me in the ribs.
I roll my eyes sarcastically. "Okay, true. Not to mention he-"
"Excuse me," a boy from my Honors ALA interjects, stopping Nadia and I in our tracks.
I take a small step back, closer to Nadia. "Yes?"
The boy shuffles awkwardly. "Did you, er, did either of you see the headline on the news last night?"
Nadia shoots me a confused glance, but I brush it off. "No, we didn't. How come?"
The boy's face immediately turns bright red. "Oh, well, there was just a girl that looked like you on it. Some story about 'academic achievement'. But uh, nevermind. Sorry to bug you," he quickly stammers, brushing by us and hurrying away.
"That was interesting," I giggle as we continue to walk.
Nadia nods. "For sure, but it doesn't surprise me coming from him. He's in my trig class; earned himself the name 'Awkward Andy' after the first day," she says.
"Well, it fits," I agree.
***
"The specific heat of the equation and the formula for calculating the measure of the calorimeter are given in all problems."
I find myself nearly asleep just five minutes into class. The oxygen masks we're required to wear during class aren't even enough to keep me awake anymore. I rest my cheek in my hand and will my eyes to stay open at least until we begin attempting sample problems.
But the sleeve of my flannel jacket is just so soft and comfortable. And perhaps if I look down far enough she won't be able to tell my eyes are closed. And if I let my hair drop over my eyes. . .
Then I feel it. The tell-tale nose tickle of an oncoming sneeze.
Thankfully, I am one of "those" people who have mastered the silent sneeze. So, I bend my elbow and sneeze, which goes fairly unnoticed aside from the few "bless yous" I receive from surrounding desks. I mouth my thank-yous, hoping to remain inconspicuous.
