Floating

Chapter 5

The rest of the week passed by with little incident, aside from Jenny's teasing every time they passed Evan. At first, Ava worried that he would hear and get some thought in his head, but eventually her fears faded as the week progressed and his behavior remained just about the same. Besides, she would have trouble getting Jenny to whisper when she was having so much fun. She was just glad Jenny wasn't in her Art 2 class, which she happened to share with Evan.

Overall, Ava didn't mind it too much. Evan was probably the nicest boy in their grade, likely in the whole school. He was known for having long and extended conversations with just about everyone he met, be it student, teacher, counselor, even the principal, with each of those individuals walking away with a grin on their face.

At the end of the school week, Jenny and Ava prepared for the protest they were planning to attend with a couple of Jenny's friends. She had convinced Caleb, a football linebacker, and Dylan, one of the members of her choir, to join them as well.

Jenny stayed over at Ava's house as they created posters and signs for the protest the next day in San Francisco.

When Saturday morning came, Ava's mom helped Ava, Jenny, Caleb, and Dylanpack the minivan up with posters and signs for the protest.

"Thank you, Mrs. Young, for driving us today. We really appreciate it," Jenny said to Ava's mom, her head hidden behind the bin of posters and lunches she was carrying. "I know you're exceptionally busy - Ava was telling me about the record number of companies you're handling this year." Jenny dropped the bin into the trunk of the car with a muffled grunt.

Ava's mom smiled as she closed the trunk. "It's no problem at all, Jenny. You four should be proud of your participation in the protest. It's so nice to see kids engaging in the national debate."

Ava shouted from the front door, "Everyone ready?" The five students and Ava's mom nodded, with Dylan shouting in response from the backseat of the minivan, "You coming?"

Ava locked the front door as the rest of their group climbed into the car. Starting the engine, Ava's mom pulled away from the driveway and began the two-hour drive to San Francisco.

Two hours of non-stop pop songs (and a lively debate between Jenny and Dylan regarding the rights of horses) later, the group arrived at the protest. Parking was scarce, so Ava's mom pulled over to the side in a 15 minute parking spot to allow the group to unload their materials. They could hear the protest from where they were, a couple blocks away.

Ava's mom stood on the sidewalk, reminding them, "All right, be careful. Remember, protests can get messy. At the first sign that the crowd is getting crazy, I want you guys to stick together and call me. I'll pick you up as soon as I can. Remember that. Stick together. And obviously, don't start fights and definitely don't join any."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Young. We got this," Jenny replied confidently. "We all have your number, and we'll be sure to stick together. You guys ready?"

"Hell yeah!" Dylan replied, pumping a fist into the air and almost hitting Caleb in the process.

Ava's mom raised her eyebrow at that, but after a quick glance over the group to make sure everyone was set, she returned to the car and drove off to find a proper parking space.

The group gathered their signs and quickly made their way down to the crowd of people gathering on Washington Street.

Seeing a stone wall, Jenny leaped up onto it and started chanting, "Love not hate!" at the top of her lungs and into her megaphone. Caleb jumped up after her, waving his heart flag wildly. Dylan and Ava joined in as loudly as they could, repeating after Jenny, "Love not hate!"

The time passed quickly, with their group of four tiring by the afternoon, following a few hours of active chanting and sign-waving. Ava called her mom, who had found a parking space a few blocks away and was waiting at a coffee shop to give their group some independence. By that time, much of the street was blocked off, so the group decided to walk the few blocks to the metered spot.

Both Jenny and Dylan's voices were exhausted, from both the shouting and their earlier debate, and spoke in low tones. Caleb still held his poster of a messily-drawn bridge and carried it proudly, still somehow having the energy to say "Love not hate" while nodding to each person they passed as they walked back. Ava focused her efforts on navigation and getting proper cell reception, which was close to impossible in the city.

They passed several groups of protestors, as well as people going about their daily business, families going to ice cream shops, couples walking along hand-in-hand, and several business-people, who wore the typical suit and tie.

As they walked past one such group of businesspeople, a group of three, each carrying a briefcase and wearing tinted sunglasses that hid their eyes from view, the largest man shouldered past Ava, almost knocking her over in the process and continuing as if nothing had happened.

"Hey! Excuse you!"

The man paused, then put a hand on her shoulder, "Sorry about that."

As he did so, Ava felt a slight sting and lurched away from him, eyebrows knotted in consternation. Caleb immediately stepped up next to her, growling, "Move along, dude," and balling his fists menacingly.

The man shrugged, then continued walking, followed by his three associates, who appeared to have no reaction at all to their encounter, other than to stop when he did and continue walking after their brief encounter.

"You okay?" Jenny asked in her hoarse voice.

"Yeah. Thanks, Caleb." Caleb shrugged as Ava rubbed her shoulder and checked under the sleeve of her shirt, expecting to find a pinprick or some sort of mark there, but there was nothing.

Jenny and Dylan glared at the backs of the people in suits as she did so.

"Guys, I'm fine. Let's keep going." Ava checked her phone again for the navigation, and after a moment, the rest of her group followed her.

When they reached the car, Ava's mom asked about the protest, and Jenny responded enthusiastically, despite her hoarse voice. The next few hours of the car ride were filled with political debate and descriptions of the people at the protest and the best signs. The members of the group followed Ava's lead and didn't mention the incident with the businessman to Ava's mother.