Lexi
[Chapter 10: Better Be Absent Than Tardy]
A week has passed, the rumors died down and my old life is nearly back to normal. Why I say nearly? Well, Zach is a friend again though Shelby is a different story.
I like this better than the normal life I lived in. Who would not like the idea of having the popular Zach and team captain Jake be at your side.
“Lex” my sister cried from the kitchen. I am in the middle of fixing my jet black hair to a messy updo.
“Yeah” I shouted back.
I heard some footsteps and the bedroom door swung widely, “We’re going to be late, hurry up, will you?”
I glanced at Emery spraying a good amount of burberry brit perfume. My sister was ready to go in her girly navy blue sundress - nice pick - while I’m rocking the black skinnies and peach crop top.
“Yeah yeah” standing up the vanity table and swinging my school bag on my right shoulder.
We descend from the set of stairs, and Ems went straight to our white Volvo where Liam was waiting - spread in the backseat.
While I shuffled to the kitchen for some quick breakfast, “Hey mom”
Anna is seated in the dining chair near the hallway, “Good morning honey, here have some of these” she handed me a fresh homemade chocolate cupcake.
Gobbling the small piece of treat I finish it in my new best record of twenty seconds, “Thanks mom, we better get going, Ems is wound up today” I mumbled.
Turning to the front door Anna countered, “Sure is, take care the three of you”
“Alright”
I closed the huge main door, jogging and nearly tripping for the driver seat, “Let’s go”
Emery clicked the radio and glared at me, “It’s 8.”
I shrugged, swerving out our driveway, “You should’ve woke me up earlier then”
I’m a heavy sleeper I admit that, but she could’ve nagged me more than once just to assure that I woke up right.
“Your alarm is banging four in the morning and you didn’t even twitched one bit” She countered certainly pissed.
“Ems, why so fumed today?” I asked not minding her argument.
“Then some pranks are sure to wake you up” She nodded to herself.
“Hey cut the pranks, I’ll choke you to death if that happens again.” I sent her a glance and focus on the road opposite us.
This is not a normal day - as they didn’t have any evil plans but at least I get to be absolved of the brutal ways.
She just shrugged and glared at the passing trees and houses, in her own bubble. There’s gotta be something; a little late isn’t that bad as I’m concerned.
Just as we pass Cruffle Trinkles, my sister’s phone rang,
So it’s gonna be forever
Or it’s gonna go down in flames
But she managed to listen in Taylor’s new tune over answering the caller..
You can tell me when it’s over
If the high was worth the pain
Got a long list of ex lovers
They’ll tell you I’m in-
She hushed something I didn’t get to hear but answered anyways, “Hello? Yeah we’re on our way, why? I know about that. Where? After class? Alright alright, I’ll ask them” without any goodbyes Ems disconnected the call and turned to face me, slapping Liam’s arm, “Aww watch it lady”
You don’t mess with someone who is asleep and those who just woke up Ems. I hated it when Liam and Ems do their special waking up technique which required some water guns and sometimes as unbelievable as it seems, ice cubes.
“Wake up, Redfield’s in the distance” she sneered.
“Who called? Mom?” I asked my sister not shifting my eyes from the street. We would not want any collision now, won’t we?
“It was Jake” she shrugged and continued eyeing my cousin and I, “Want to hang out after class?”
Liam jeered beating me, “Where did he said we’ll go? The carnival?” Right. The annual carnival is here in town for the week. We didn’t have the chance to enjoy the rides last year, having mom been confined in the hospital for food poisoning.
“Who will be going?” I interjected sending a glimpse then back to the roadway.
“My team will be going together, can’t tag with you guys” Liam excused.
“But Jake is in your team” Emery enlightened.
I chuckled at the slowness of my cousin; he’s not like that rather he’s the smart mouth funny jock - the dull morning makes him like this.
The boy rested his both arms on the either side of our seat, “Jake would be with Zach and the girls not the team, what I meant with ‘team’ is the freshmen people, I guess”
I shrugged, “You say so, so Ems who are the guys?” Please not Shelby.
“I don’t really know, Jake just said to invite my friends”
“Shelby is off limits Ems, you know that” I reminded. Catfight in the kid’s carnival isn’t a nice encounter.
“Don’t worry, I’m going and I’ll try to ask Julia” With that an idea popped to head.
I stopped for a red light meeting her set of dark orbs, “Wait do you mean I can ask a friend to join us?”
Emery looked puzzled but nodded, “Guess so, just to be a fun night he said”
“Good” I smiled with the thought of a person to invite.
- - -
Mrs. Devine is suspiciously late for her 9am period, she is never late nor absent, I wonder why. I sauntered the middle aisle, scanning the students who are busy for calculus homework given last meeting til I reach my respective seat, “Hi Grace”
My jovial bestie crammed her calculus assignment herself. To tell you, any math activities need to be prepared the day before. You can’t finish a ton of problems in an hour, superman.
“Where were you in first class?” She questioned, still absorbed on her paper.
The room was filled with stories and blabbers about the supposed opening of Frozenland - the frozen-themed carnival just a couple of blocks downtown - while doing their task at hand.
I lamely giggled, “Late, we spend the time in the back building” Yep. Emery, Liam and I ditched first period.
It was a surprise that Emery the always-punctual person skipped class for just being twenty minutes late with an excuse and I quote ‘It is better to be absent than be tardy’.
My bestie was interrupted by a loud booming voice that is Jake’s, “Good morning classmates!”
Jake along with James Auld, a fellow basketball player, entered the busy room of 210. Where the heck they came from? I don’t know.
“Hey what’s up with you guys?” as no one enlightened the guy, he eyed Gwen the artistic nerd seating in the front most part of the class, “What is this all about?” but she ignored the captain nursing her sketchbook.
“Goldfish?” Jake called getting her attention again.
Dior, my closest friend among the populars, started the name-calling saying Gwen is similar to a goldfish. I don’t fully agree with the bullies’ way of degrading her but she should’ve stand up for herself, I guess.
Not meeting his eyes Gwen responded, “Homework”
James was long seated on the other side of the room copying Nicole’s work as Jake whined, “James what are you doing?”
The 6 foot tall man huffed, “Jake please be quiet and do your coursework”
The ever jolly jock hopped to his seat asking for both a sheet of paper and pen on the way.
“Alessandra!” he cried and I didn’t think twice to turn my head to the loud joker.
He beamed, “Mind sharing?”
I raised my eyebrows thinking whether to help the lost boy or not, “Yeah” He helped me escape my history presentation, we’re even.
Just as he stood, the room door burst open and Dior greeted the late comer, “Zach, where’ve you been? Woke up late again?”
That caught Jake’s attention, forgetting about the task and started swirling around back to the platform to give Zach their ultimate best buddy hand shake that lasts for at least ten seconds.
“Both of you are up late, destiny calls?” Grace whispered-teased that made me slapped her slight with my homework.
“Come on let’s get our homeworks done classmate” Jake got him by the shoulders walking en route for my zone.
Zach is stunning, as always, in his dark washed jeans, white V-neck graffiti shirt paired with black Pony sneakers and smile.
“Grace. paper and pen?” Jake asked sitting on the empty chair before me as his best friend shot gunned alongside him.
My girl friend ravaged her chock-a-block back pack and handed a sheet of long paper and gel pen for Richards, “Here, your welcome”
The two irresponsible boys raced to beat Mrs. Devine’s arrival.
“Are you in tonight?” Jake questioned as soon as he completed his reproduction - the professional plagiarizer in the body that is Jake is the fastest photocopier you could ever find as Zach is halfway through.
“Tonight?” I curiously asked meeting his light eyes.
He chuckled crossing his arms, “I told your sister to-”
“The carnival?”
“Uh-huh. The team will go there along with your little fella” Jake informed.
“I thought it’ll be after class, like, this afternoon?”
Zach shook his head chortling a bit without shifting his eyes from the white sheets, “There’s basketball practice after class so obviously ‘after class’ meant later tonight, I guess”
“Right. I’ll talk with Emery then”
Mr. popular returned the original copy and uttered, “Thanks, Lexi”
I was to say something like a simple ‘you’re welcome’ as Mrs. Devine ordered, “Please take your seats everyone”
“Later” Jake uttered as both the buddies stood for their places and the class went in absolute silence.
My eyes followed the two guys but rested on Zach, he was still beside the ‘it’ girl, Shelby however they are quite distanced not like the first days that the sight of them laughing their guts out makes my heart tighten.
Those lively brown eyes unbelievably met mine; Zach raised both his eyebrows in acknowledgement and motioned to Mrs. Devine.
That simple gesture made my heart leaped in happiness; we were getting back to the usual and with that thought, I faced the calculus teacher, looking forward to a long day ahead.
“Lex” Emery sat beside me on our lunch table. She had her tray placed alongside mine, “Hey” I responded snatching a couple of fries on her plate.
“We’ll go home after last period then Jake will pick us up at home” She explained.
“Hi Emery” Grace cheered on my other side, “Lucas and I will be in the carnival too, suppose we’ll just bump with each other there”
“Really? See you then” my sister beamed as she open her cheeseburger and led it in her mouth.
“Did you invite Julia?” I broke the silence.
“Nah, we haven’t met yet, I’ll try after class though” Emery uttered her mouth filled with food.
“Ugh, don’t talk when your mouth is full Ems” I droned seeing those unwanted meat chunks grinded inside her mouth.
She fake-glared at me widening her big eyes if that was even possible, “But you’re asking”
She suddenly stopped and her eyes grew wider yet again, “Shoot” Emery whispered.
“Huh?” I followed where her eyes landed and there was a familiar looking boy hopping his way towards our table - he was literally hopping alright. “Who is he? A classmate?” I tried questioning as my sister surely looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole at the time being.
“Nothing, don’t mind him, he’ll just annoy the hell out of you” she muttered going back to her burger.
“Emery!” the too slender boy cheered earning a huff from my sister, “Why?”
“Can I sit next to you? Can I? Can I? Can I?” the ‘annoying’ boy asked with too much excitement. He is one hell of a high dude, I see. Maybe he took a pop of an infamous Mexican pill or some ‘pretty pink pills’, if you get my drift.
“No” Ems deadpanned and evidently, she is not interested in talking to the guy. The lost boy would’ve said something but it was interrupted by Jake’s booming voice.
“There you are! I was waiting for you upstairs for god knows how long. You could’ve called or messaged” Jake bellowed to Ems, grabbing some chair and placing it beside her, taking out all the attention from the ‘annoying boy’.
I shook my head and faced the jock, “Jake you’re acting like a love-strucked puppy”
Grace and Emery giggled.
“Do I?”
“Emery, can I seat with you?”
Emery’s ‘friend’ and Jake questioned simultaneously. But knowing how blaring Wilder’s voice is, it over powered the young lad.
“You’re whipped” someone answered to the rhetorical.
Emery didn’t bother answering the junior and diverted her eyes to some intruder.
“Hi Lexi, hey guys” Zach greeted meeting my eyes and seized the chair opposite mine just beside Lucas. James followed him, giving Jake a tap on the shoulder - you know how men do the thing - and settling in front of Ems.
“All of you must be at the carnival later alright” James indicated that earned some ‘Of course’ and ‘Yeah right’
“Emery see you in class then” the lean boy interjected just for both Emery and I to hear, seeing the proximity. If this young one didn’t open his mouth then I would’ve assumed he walk away already but startling me, he made himself known with an upset goodbye.
My sister looked back to the boy and smiled, positively repressed, “Sure”
Okay. I then close that this guy is being overlooked by everyone in the table, well obviously, the seniors didn’t know him and Emery, the only one to entertain him, is evidently avoiding him. Poor one.
Jake glanced at the young boy but ignored him anyways. The jerk in him took my sister by the shoulder and informed the others that he’ll be the one to take me and Emery to Frozenland while the young fellow left without any more word. How ill-fated.
The counter was then filled with laughter just as the topic drifted to random gags.
I drowned with my own thoughts as I scan my company, why are the three jocks and popular in our table?
We weren’t any close to the garbage bin but the middle part was for these people, whatever the answer, I love the fact that we are happy and hope this to never end, again.
Out of curiosity, I look over the supposed table of fame. The three girls are seated - Dior, Nicole and Shelby - along with some pretty faces, Clio Johnsons and Cel Michaelis and some other varsity I didn’t know too well.
All of them talked seriously, not having the two life of their clique -- Jake and Zach, they’re nothing but normal. Good thing Dior is there to lighten up the mood a bit.
Is this where the hierarchy scramble down to pieces?
¨¨¨
A/N: TADA! Hope you love this as much as I do, don’t forget to VOTE AND COMMENT!
Jake was just hilarious and Zach is so cute!