Choosing the Worst (On Hold Until Finals Are Over)

Chap 10

Woohoo! Double Digits! So, I have a cast almost picked out. If I post these, they are who I envisioned or closest to what I imagined my characters looking like. If you don't like casts, ignore them and imagine the way that they look. Sometimes it's more fun that way. Enjoy!

I sit down at our table and play with my keys until Anna gets here.

"Shh!" The librarian hisses at me. Im pretty sure she was alive to get the first copy edition of Hamlet. I snicker at the thought, but slip my keys away regardless. I lean my head back and try to put together everyones reactions yesterday. I push the chair up so that only the two rear legs are touching the ground.

First, two people told me to be careful. One of them my best friend. What is wrong with her that I have to be careful? But, careful of what? STD's? Psycho step-mom?

And what was with said best friend actually payng attention in church? I mean, thats great and all. To each his own. But this is the kid that used to joke that Sunday School was Snore Fest.

And how does Anna know my parents? My father, sure. He's the pastor. My mom... Then again, my mom is quite a social butterfly.

Okay, one down. Two to go.

I feel someone kick my chair and my eyes shoot open as I try not to fall over. I look up and the old hag is glaring at  me.

"All four on the ground, Mr. Hastings."

"Yesm'm." I say, letting a little snciker into my voice. She shakes he head at me and walks away.

"Geez. What'd you do to Mrs. Breyer?" Anna questions as she slids into her seat.

"Mrs. Breyer? Oh, you mean the wicked witch of the west. Im not sure actually. I stopped making noise and that got me in trouble too."

"Yea right. Like thats all you were doing."

"Do you honestly doubt this face?"

"Yes, yes I do. Today we are going over derivatives. So basically the derivative is equal to  the tangent line on a graph. It-"

"I wish I was your derivative so I could l lie tangent to your curves." I interupt, still looking at the book.

"Uh. Anyway, the derivative can increase and decrease according to the-"

"My love for you is like the derivative of a concave up function because it is always increasing. we're going to assume this concave up function resembles x^2 so that slopes is actually increasing." THis time I look at her and smirk.

 She gives me a look that parents give kids. You know, the one that says, 'You're hopeless'.

"Are you done?"

"Yea."

"Ok. The first derivative is an equation for the slope of a tangent line to a curve at an indicated point. Got it?"

"Why couldn't you say that before?" As soon as the last syllable leaves my mouth, she reaches over and smacks me accross the head. "Hey!"

"Shh." Mrs. Breyer once again hisses.

"Be nice. A few more 'shh's' and her falsies may fall out." With that Anna puts her face down on her book while her shoulders shake with silent laughter. I smile and watch her.

"You are so bad!" She finally forcs out after a few minutes. She wipes tears from her eyes and breathes in deeply.

"A girl has never told me that before." I reply, trying to stay straight faced.

Anna's mouth falls open and I reach other and close her mouth. "Careful, a bug might fly in."

"You...you... I mean, you're not..." She mumbles, turning redder by the second. I act dumb and look at her  curiously.

I smirk and open my mouth to reply, but someone else beats me to it.

"Jett, a...a.... virgin?" Laura mocks behind me. I watch Anna immediatley tense up. Bad blood must be between these two. "We all know that isn't true, right Jett?"

"What are you doing here Laura? I didn't realise you read now. You've learned so much." I turn around in my chair to look at them.

"My mom wanted me to grab some cook books for her." Hunter answered before Laura could respond. He looks at me then at Anna. When his gaze falls back on me he raises an eyebrow, in a condescending way.

"What?" I snap. I hate that look. He only shakes his head.

"So Jett, when are we gonna get back together for a fun filled night? I got some new stuff."

"Um..." I trailed, suddenly painfuly aware of Anna's presence. "I don't know, Laura."

"What do you mean? Are you to good to hang with us any more?! Now that you have the little Nun?"

"Laura, shut up!"

"No!"

"Laura, stop. Let's go." Hunter demands pulling her away. I let out a sigh and turn back around. I keep my head down, trying to not see Anna's face.

"Jett."

"Jett. Come on."

"Jedidiah Hastings. If you do not look at me right now, so help me..." I whip my head up and look into her eyes.

"What? What are you gonna do? Tell my father? My mom? Or are you gonna chew me out?" I lash out at her even when in the inside I'm begging for her to forgive me. Hurt flashes in her eyes.

"Jett. I won't lie. I don't agree with what you do. But you have your reasons. I want to help, but I won't pry. And I'm not your mom, so I can't chew you out. And I won't tell on you because this isn't a play ground. But I'm here, Jett. I can listen. You're better than this." She pleads, looking at me. I can see honesty in her eyes.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm just pissed at Laura. Anna..." She holds up her hand, stopping me.

"I don't care Jett if you are or aren't. That's not my place." I want it to be though. The thought pops in my head and I quickly dismiss it.

"Thanks. So, where were we?"

"Right. As I was saying a long time ago.." We continue to work on various problems before Anna announces we are done.

"So, tomorrow?" I ask, picking up my stuff. I hand books to her.

"Yea." She gratefully takes them and slips them in her bag.

"Okay, bye." I wave at her as she starts walking down the sidewalk and I walk the opposite way to my bike.

"Home!" I yell as I walk in the door.

"Hi, honey. How was it?"

"Good." A small white lie. I walk into the kitchen where my mom is busy pulling cupcakes out of the oven.

"What are these for?"

"Oh, nothing. The mix has been in the cupboard for a while now."

"Oh. Cool." I say and grab one. "Ah! Not cool, not cool. Dang."

"Oh, be careful sweetie, they are hot." She says with a smile.

"Thanks." I say dryly before taking another one. I grin at her and walk out of the kitchen as she laughs.My father is walking in and he reaches to grab one.

"Hey, mine." I jump out of the way and sink into the couch.

"They're hot! Ow." I hear him say a few minutes later.

"Like son, like father." I hear my mom laugh. My stomach feels cold as she says it. Like hell we're the same. I quickly finish eating the second one and move to the stairs. I brush past my father as he comes out f the kitchen.

I feel his curious gaze on me as I run up the stairs. Even after everything we are still the same.

That's the problem.

I don't want to be the same.

PS: Real quick, what is your favorite part of CTW? Jetts antics with his dad? Let me know so I can put more of that stuff in. Can you see a little more about Jett now? Or are you confused? I may have the next chapter done toinight or at least halfway. I'm on a roll!

Teaser: Isn't it about time they go on an official date?