Dissonance | ✓

30 | Pressurized Happiness

     Back at Riverdale, nerves arose in the atmosphere as spring formal and final exams approached. Last-minute study attempts were in full swing-and the realization that there was no hope of them working set in for some, followed by panic. All the while, extravagant 'promposals' were dished out left and right and gladly accepted. Concerning the formal committee, Michelle had everybody exerting maximum effort into the final preparations for the dance-including Mason; ether she was very stressed and needed all hands on deck, or things between the two of them had ended bitterly, as I always knew they would have, and Mason no longer received special treatment. The latter was later 'confirmed' by The Word, which did not spare Mason of any more negative attention. Although I should not have been, I was fiendishly satisfied seeing him get what he deserved.

     As for me, things were running smoother than I expected them to. Only weeks before, I had been frantically gathering notes to study from, and constantly breaking down when I felt as though I was the most unprepared I had ever been for any form of assessment, yet my rushed study notes seemed to be enough to at least give me a sense of confidence going into the exams. Despite that, I was still heavily reliant on what little was instilled in my brain from classes throughout that year.

     I was seated with Carter, Miranda and Joey at our picnic bench in the campus yard. Carter and I had been quizzing each other on our like subjects, before the other two joined us. It had felt like forever since I last spoke with them, though, so we put aside the notes and began sharing stories of our spring break. Joey told us of his basketball team's retreat to Ocean City, thankfully leaving out the details of his 'behind closed doors' experiences. Miranda bragged about how well she had performed in a couple of swim meets during the break. She even brought a few medals (of, apparently, many) to show us.

     "I just wish Josh was there to be the icing on the cake," said Miranda.

     "The things Josh did during the trip..." Joey chortled under his breath, though all of us heard him. Well enough for Miranda to become bitter.

     "Wanna expound?" She demanded more than asking.

     "N-no. I'm joking," Joey stuttered. He received a hard stare from Miranda before she finally let it rest. I was sure she was only going to interrogate Josh right after that, though.

     I turned on my side to face Carter, who sat beside me. "What about you're break?" I asked.

     He shrugged. "Study group. King's Dominion with them."

     "That's not all," Miranda sang with a cheeky smile. To this, Carter squirmed and both Joey and I knitted our eyebrows.

     Miranda tapped Carter's hand on the table. "Tell them!"

     "Tell us!" I insisted after realizing he was keeping something from us, nudging him.

     "Fine," he grunted, "SydneywasthereandIaskedheroutandshesaidyessoyeah," he spat so fast and all of us asked him to repeat himself slowly.

     "I said Sydney's apart of my study group and at KD I asked her out. She said yes."

     As Miranda giggled (although she already knew) and I sported a teeth smile and Joey leaned over to give him a congratulatory pat on his arm, Carter avoided all of our eyes. The boy had, at last, used the confidence he had been mustering that entire year–or maybe even longer–to ask our Sydney. I barely knew her, and from Miranda's accounts, she was without a doubt a bitch, but I was very happy for Carter, nonetheless.

     "Okay! That's enough. Colleen, care to share now?" Carter's eyes pleaded for me to change the subject.

     "Eh, not much happened," I said in a disregarding tone, though my facial expression must have hinted something else as Miranda said: "I'm not buying it."