Try-State Area

- Friday, June 10th - Outside, Inside, and Insides Out

"Happy almost birthday!" Jenny stood, with scotch tape in hand, beside Emily's locker. It was covered in wrapping paper, streamers, cards and bows. Her best friend had upheld the school tradition of decorating Emily's locker for her birthday.

"Alex found those glittery bows. Anna brought the streamers and Evie the paper. Their cards are taped on there." Jenny pointed.

Emily shirked off her backpack and hugged Jenny. "Thanks," she mumbled, pulling the first card down to read it.

Jenny presented a small lilac satin pouch to Emily. "Save your thanks for after you open this." As Emily pulled the drawstrings apart, Jenny explained, "I figured I'd give it to you early so you could wear it tonight."

Emily lifted a delicate silver necklace from the bottom. She fingered the miniature arrow that was at the center of the chain.

"For your love of Artemis," Jenny said.

Emily smiled at shiny charm in her palm. Jenny rested her hand on Emily's shoulder before she spoke again. "And because an arrow can only move forward after being pulled backwards. So when life drags you back, remember to use it to launch yourself forward to something better."

"I love it!" Emily's glistening green eyes met Jenny's own brimming blue ones. They hugged again. Then Jenny removed the necklace from Emily's hand to secure it around her neck instead.

"Perfect!" they uttered in harmony.

~~~

After a third massive yawn Emily pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. She massaged the sockets for a minute before releasing the pressure. She watched the phosphenes disperse.

The teacher, Mrs. Selena, stood with her back to the class. Her arm flew across the white board, the market a blur.

Emily listened to Mrs. Selena's voice, reminiscent of a mosquito's whine, as she reviewed the homework.

It's challenging to keep up with the hectic pace set in this math class on a good day... But when I barely slept the night before, it's even more difficult...

Despite their teacher paying scant attention to the room behind her, the girls remained absorbed with their work. Emily sat in the last seat of the row, against the giant bank of windows that overlooked the wooded driveway.

The room is warm and adding to my sleepiness...

The class was set to task on another set of problems. They became nearly silent, with only the sound of pencils scratching away at logic proofs.

I need to open a window... Hopefully some fresh air will revive me...

Emily turned to unlock one and it squeaked loudly as it eased ajar. Some of her classmates turned and their teacher lifted her head from correcting papers.

Emily was about to apologize for making noise, but Mrs. Selena stood up and squinted at something outside. Then she stepped forward, brought her glasses down from her hair onto her nose and her jaw dropped open. Next, she hurried toward the classroom phone on the wall by the door and said, "Don't look girls!"

But of course that warning only made everyone immediately turn in a synchronized motion to look out the windows.

A yell from the bushes came first, the leaves shook, and then four nearly naked teenage boys sprung into view. Three donned just jock straps. One was wearing a sock, and it wasn't on his foot. They all had sunglasses and fake mustaches on. The boy in the sock donned a rainbow clown wig.

Chaos erupted as the formerly serious math students whooped, hollered and jostled for a better view. Some girls cheered and stood on their seats, while others applauded, whistled and catcalled.

The boys responded to the encouragement. They danced and gyrated. It would have made an impressive audition for the next "Magic Mike" movie.

Two male teachers and two groundskeepers soon came out to give chase and the girls laughed as the boys streaked across the landscape to make their escape.

Mrs. Selena squawked over the tumult. "Ladies! Ladies please get yourselves under control! This is no way for mathematicians and scholars to behave! If you can't calm down, every single one of you will be staying after school today for detention."

By the time order was restored in the room, the class was over.

~~~

"Stay after for a moment," Father Deo said as he handed Emily her corrected Morality paper.

She internally groaned.

This is the last class of what is proving to be a very long and tedious day... Plus I still have hours to make up with Sr. Bernadette... And the dance tonight...

While her classmates hurried out of the room, Emily looked down at her paper. She saw a few small red ink corrections on the pages, but no grade. She lingered by her desk until everyone was finally gone, then walked up to Fr. Deo.

In his clipped Filipino accent he said, "Emily, this paper is not so good. Not as good as all of your others this year."

She flipped through it and looked at the negligible edits. "What was wrong with it?"

Fr. Deo sighed. "Too much about other things and not enough about Emily. What is your personal moral code? What are your convictions of right and wrong? St. Augustine analyzed his early life and it led him to his future and his afterlife. You wrote about too many other people and what they think and what they tell you. I'll give you until the end of next week to revise your paper. You can treat it like confession if you like. I will not tell anyone what you write." He began to pack his bag.

Emily bit her cheek and felt her ears go red, followed quickly by her cheeks.

The priest looked back to her again. "Please do not be embarrassed. I do not need to know about any specific details. I am not interested in how many boys you have kissed or any such thing. I am looking for more about how you deal with the temptations that all young people are presented with and what your soul tells you to do about it. Look inside yourself Emily. Do you understand?"

She looked down at the paper in her hand and nodded. "I think so."

~~~

Emily finished her work with Sr. Bernadette and walked down to the student lounge. Normally it would be deserted by five thirty on a Friday, but today it was populated by a number of girls who remained after-school to set up for the dance that night.

The administration had made an exception that students who stayed late were allowed use their phones on campus. So Emily tucked herself into a corner on the floor by an outlet and plugged her phone in. She took out her plastic container of leftover pasta and started to eat dinner. Her device come to life and revealed a message from Evan waiting. Emily dropped her fork into her dish, wiped her hands with a paper napkin, and took a shaky breath.

I didn't like how we left things last night... I was up most of last night stressed out over it...I'm not sure what he's going to say today...

She put in her earbuds, pressed her screen and "Let's Be Still" by The Head and The Heart began to play. Emily's mind turned inwards as she listened. Soon she realized that she was staring ahead but her eyes remained unfocused on anything in particular, so she closed them instead. She let her head continue to float away in the mellow beat.

When the song finished it took a solid minute to return to the present and become aware of the fact that she was in a room full of bustling activity.  Then she felt the food rise in her gorge and her eyes prickled with forming tears.

Emily ran into the bathroom by the lounge to heave up the few bites she just ate. She flushed the toilet, and sat down on the edge of the seat, dabbing at her eyes and nose.

So Evan wants to take a break... Can there be any other way to interpret that song?

She swallowed hard and her hands shook as she typed back.

Ok.

Emily turned her phone off again. Then she stood up and opened the stall door.

I need to brush my teeth and get ready for the dance...