More than just a pretty face

7. I Know You

Christina's POV

I drag Amy out to the courtyard of the school just as the doors to the classrooms begin closing. She struggled uncomfortably against my grasp a bit but eventually followed without trouble. I drop my things on the grass and take a seat. Again she hesitates and looks around before following. Sometimes I have the tendency to be too social, and I think I may be making her a bit uncomfortable.

An awkward silence sets in as she fiddles a bit with her fingers. "So did you take any notes or do I need to study or pick up a book? What do we have to do this next year?" I finally say trying to break the ice.

"What did Mrs. Jameson tell you so far?"

"Not much really, she just said that they decided to change the curriculum a bit and that you would be my partner for the entire year." I look down at the ground before I continued a bit nervously for the next part. "She then apologized because you were my partner and wished me luck because I was 'going to need it'." 

A playful grin is plastered on her face when I meet her gaze. "She said that?" "Yeah, should I be worried?" She chuckles a bit and shakes her head. "Basically we will have a new topic every week that we need to argue, defend, and report on. The change in the curriculum this year involves us having one partner so that we learn how to study our opponents. Find out what makes them 'tick' so to speak." I shrug. "Well, it shouldn't be too hard to figure you out." 

Apparently I trigger something that returns her grin. "Really? Do you think you have me figured out? You don't know anything about me except for my favorite band." It's obvious she is bating me, but I can't help but bite back. "Oh I know much more about you than you think. Remember I've lived next to you for years. I know your sleeping schedule your shower and eating schedule. I know you never do any school work during the day and always wait till it's dark to start, I know you spend every Sunday night watching cheesy chick-flicks on Netflix. I know you eat in your bed and I know your parents are almost never home." My excitement got the best of me and I couldn't stop myself.

Quickly I shut my mouth realizing how creepy I must sound. I'm half expecting her to freak out and get a restraining order but what she does next surprises me. "Bull shit!!" She chuckled out making me almost jump at the loud curse. "Those are meaningless facts that don't give any insight into who I really am. In fact, all you did is emphasize how little you know about me who I am as a person. Her cockiness is getting to me a bit, and it's starting to get annoying.

"Like you can do any better." I spit out to which she suddenly goes silent. She stares out into the field for a moment as if she is trying to find the right words to say. "The reason Mrs. Jameson warned you about me was because I'm really good at figuring people out. This entire class is something I can do in my sleep. Sometimes I can get a bit excited, cocky even as you may have guessed. I like debating and arguing but most importantly I like winning. I can sometimes get carried away and find myself in a situation where I say whatever is needed to prove a point, even crossing a line." "What are you trying to tell me?"

"Maybe what I'm trying to do is apologize in advance." She seemed sincere. But that still doesn't mean she knows me. "Why are you telling me this? Are you giving up before we even started. It's not fun this way." I nudge her side in an attempt to lighten the mood but again she silently stairs out into the field. "Amy?" "What happened eight weeks ago?"

My throat dries and my stomach knots up. She doesn't look up, probably trying to give me some privacy with my thought. A bit more time passes in deafening silence before she lets out a sigh. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.... You just seem like you need someone to talk to. It doesn't have to be me but...... Yeah." "How did you know something happened eight weeks ago?" She shakes her head a bit. "I just do okay...."

"I'll tell you what happens if you tell me how you figured it out,..... Deal?"

"Your music changed." I look up at her as she continued. "You had much more upbeat music playing before the summer, I actually enjoyed your playlist back then, but now it's all gloomy and dark. Whatever happens to you must have been something major because your mom was also affected. She started sitting in the yard really late at night alone. When she knows everyone is asleep she sneaks out the back door and sits there alone crying. I'm sometimes up late and see her step outside. After the first time I realized what was happening I always close the curtains when I see her to give her the privacy she is seeking. I don't know what it is, but you seem to bottle something up inside. You dress different. Darker colors and you smile less. Almost like you're forced to put on this show." 

Her face pales as she meets my gaze again. "Christina I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overstep." I hadn't noticed I was crying until I feel a tear slide my face and hit the floor. "No it's fine, I just didn't know about my mother crying late at night when I was asleep." I clear my throat "I didn't know it was obvious I've been going through something, I thought I was good at hiding it. I mean so far you're the only one who's noticed, and you're practically a stranger." I let out a bitter laugh.