here is a pic of Drew ---->
[ c h a p t e r 7 ]
"Nothing's a better cure for writer's block than to eat ice cream right out of the carton." - Don Roff
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It was during our pop quiz in last period Biology class that my phone dinged in my bag. The sound of Spongebob's laugh echoing throughout the walls of the classroom. Some students stopped their writing and soft chuckles started from my classmates. Great. I could hear Ms. Callahan's heels clacking on the floor their way towards me. I internally groaned. Please not another lecture from Ms. Grumpy-Pants-Suit.
From my peripheral vision I could see her horrible thick Mary Jane's beside my desk. A throat cleared. I closed my eyes momentarily and let out a sigh then looked up towards my teacher.
"You know the rules, Idona" she said sternly.
"Yes, sorry Ma'am. I forgot to turn off my phone before class." I apologized.
"That is no excuse. For all I know you were cheating!" she countered.
I rolled my eyes at her. Seriously.
"With all due respect Ma'am. How could I be cheating if my phone is in my bag and I'm up here concentrating on my paper?" I didn't add the "which I know I passed with flying colors". I don't think she'd appreciate some sass right now.
I heard a cough from one from a few chairs away. I glanced in that direction and saw Rory gesturing a finger across his neck.
Ms. Callahan's eyes darkened with annoyance. "Enough!" she hissed, her gaze wondering to the other students who had stopped their test to listen to us. "Detention after class, Ms. Burns!" She then walked off to the other side of the classroom leaving me sulking in my chair waiting for the bell to ring for dismissal.
The bell rang and I quickly got up. I slapped my paper on to Ms. Callahan's desk, startling her and grabbed my detention slip. At my locker Louie, Elly and Donny were waiting for me. I still hadn't brought up the bazaar but I was sure Caleb had mentioned it to Rory and the guys who I'm sure mentioned it to Donny.
"Why so chipper chipmunk?" Louie said in a happy tone.
I raised my eyebrows at him and his enthusiasm. His eyes briefly moved over to Elly and Donny who were discussing something among themselves. My bad mood was gone momentarily and I smiled slowly towards my best friend and her crush. I shook my head at Louie silently telling him not to jinx the moment.
"I got detention" I announced abruptly.
"Are you serious? You never get detention." Louie replied in disbelief.
I nodded and showed him the slip. He laughed when he saw the teacher's signature at the bottom of the slip.
"The bitch really does have it out for you huh?"
"I have no fucking clue what her problem is with me! I mean, I'm one of her top- no scratch that- I am her top student in class!" I exclaimed jamming my books into my locker and slamming it shut.
"Dude, chill. You don't want another detention for breaking your locker do you?" Rory interjected, he had walked over to our little group followed by Drew, Gavin and Anton.
The boys all did their bro hugs and handshakes in greetings and then added a quick hello to Elly. Remembering my phone had rung during class I opened my backpack and reached in looking for it. When I finally got it out amongst the various pieces of paper and other crap I had no idea in my bag. I saw there were two text messages from my mom.
Mom: Please pick Red up after his soccer practice from school.
Mom: Don't be late. The twins are carpooling too. See you guys at home. Love you!
Great.
I groaned knowing that I would be in fact late thanks to this stupid detention.
"What's up?" Elly asked she was now standing beside me leaving Donny with the guys.
I glanced up at her. "Noticed me here did you?" I said jokingly.
"What are you talking about?" she asked oblivious that she had totally ignored my arrival and my conversation with Louie earlier.
I jerked my chin in the direction of where Donny was now talking with the boys. Elly blushed and I chuckled. Yeah, she totally didn't notice my arrival. She swatted my arm and I let out a fake "ow!" I told her about detention and showed her the text from my mother.
"So do you think you can go over to the grade school and wait with them until I get out of detention?" I asked hopefully.
Elly shook her head no. "Sorry, Iddie. I have a shift at the Creameria today. Oh, and congratulations! Donny told me Mr. O and Ms. Val are including you in this year search for the best flavor of the year award!" she said happily.
Crap. I had forgotten about the whole taste and test ordeal with everything that was going on today. I'd have to stop by Staples for a new notebook to replace my ruined one.
"Yeah, thanks but you guys still have to help me out so isn't all about me." I said smiling at her. "Wait, but you'll be able to come to meeting after right?"
She nodded her head. "Yeah, sure. I'll probably be done at the ice cream shop by 6:45"
I gave her a brief thanks and walked over the guys. I grabbed Louie's elbow and pulled him aside.
"I need someone to head over to the grade school and wait with my brother until after my detention" I said quickly.
"Okay..." Louie said dragging it out.
"Lou! C'mon, please please!" I whined "You're heading over to my place for the meeting anyway you could just car pool with us." Okay, I was seriously getting desperate here.
Folding his arms over his chest Louie gave me a blank stare. "Why would I car pool with you, Iddie? I have a car of my own thank you very much." He stated. I gave him my best puppy dog eyes. He ignored me and continued on.
"But being the best friend that I am. Sure. I'll do it."
"Oh my sprinkles! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I jumped and hugged him profusely. He laughed and started to peel my arms off around his body.
"But you'll owe me." he added holding my arms to my side.
I narrowed my eyes at my best friend. "I thought you said because you were my best friend, ass." I countered.
Louie shrugged and adjusted his messenger bag around his shoulder. "Meh, changed my mind. I'm cool like that you know."
I waved him off, leaving the others behind and started for the detention room also known as one hour of torture chamber.
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By time detention was over it was five thirty and I briskly walked to the school parking lot and got into my car and headed towards the grade school which was only a couple of minutes away from Hennessey High.
When I got to the soccer field I saw from a distance that some of the kids hadn't left yet and were playing ball with a few older boys. I neared the bleachers, my eyes roaming for my brother and the Lyons twins. I saw Emmylou sitting at the end of one of the front bleachers. Gavin and September, a girl he'd been dating for a few months were there. September was braiding Emmylou's blonde hair while Emmy was writing something on a piece of paper she had in front of her. Gavin was absentmindedly strumming his fingers across the ukulele he had in his hands while smiling up at September.
I walked over to them and sat down beside Gavin.
"Hey, guys!" I greeted.
Emmy looked up from her piece of paper. I now noticed loads of Expo Neon markers were littered around her and she was drawing and not writing.
"Iddie! You're here!" she said excitedly as she waved the orange neon marker she had in her hand almost hitting September in the face. Gavin chuckled as September narrowed her eyes on him.
"Hey Iddie." September said as she steadied Emmy's arm.
"Have you guys seen Red and Levi?"
"Yup, they're over there with the rest of them" Gavin said tipping his chin towards the far center of the field.
Turning my head towards the field I stood and squinted my eyes to get a better look at where they were. I guessed they were playing as skins and shirts since Caleb and Anton were shirtless and were heading one of their makeshift teams with Levi shirtless too running behind them with the ball. Rory and Drew were on the other end with Redmond trying to steal away the ball. I watched as Levi turned and passed the ball to Anton who dribbled the ball with his legs and ran towards the other end of the field avoiding one of the younger kids' efforts to take the ball. Their team cheered as the ball hit the net signaling a goal. After a while their game ended and the kids dispersed. The boys headed towards us laughing and continuing with their usual banter.
"Emmylou, I give you back Sir Flopsie" Louie announced from my side where he suddenly appeared. I had forgotten that I had specifically asked him to wait with the kids. I turned my attention to him he was holding something bundled in a pouch in his hands.
Gavin and September chuckled eyeing Louie. Emmy scrambled out where she was sitting between September's legs the markers around her scattered on the floor. She rushed towards Louie and took the pouch in her small hands hugging it to her chest while cooing at it.
"What is that?" I asked Emmy eyeing the bundle.
"It's my new pet!" she exclaimed happily.
"That thing isn't a pet Emmy-poo. It's a gliding peeing disaster!" Louie screeched at her which made Gavin and September burst into hysterics.
"You don't know how to hold him!" Emmy countered sticking out her tongue at Louie.
"That thing flew at me then peed on me!" he hissed at her.
Emmy just rolled her grey eyes and flopped back down on the bleachers on the other side of Gavin.
"That is why I am never having kids, Iddie" Louie quickly whispered to me. "That thing ruined my favorite shirt!"
I chuckled at him he had a million favorite shirts which he'd obviously changed into to replace the ruined one.
Rory and the boys finally joined us from the field. Levi and Red went over to Emmy trying to get her to let them play with their new pet while Anton, Drew and Caleb went searching for bottles of water.
Caleb bent down looking into the cooler that they had and I sucked in a breath. He had a new tattoo. A huge one at that. It was covering most of his back, a cross between a dragon and a phoenix piece Its wings started around the top of his shoulders and extended towards his left ribcage. The scales on the phoenix-dragon were in bright colors. It was obviously one of his designs like his other many tattoos which were often hidden because he usually wore a hoodie. My attention was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.
I looked up and Caleb was eyeing me now. His lips curled up to one side a slow smirk forming. He winked at me.
"You okay, Iddie?" he asked arrogantly walking in my direction.
"Fine, Lyons." I said, my voice shaky.
He walked towards me and I moved back a step. "You don't look fine, Idona." He whispered.
"I said I'm fine Caleb!" I hissed and held my hand up to keep him from coming any nearer.
He still moved closer despite my held up hand. He clutched it and pulled me slightly towards him. We were so close now, chest to chest with only our hands, well, my hand gripped in Caleb's between us. Weirdly enough, I felt my pulse started to quicken and I knew I was blushing.
"You're blushing." he said softly his breath fanning my face.
What the hell was he doing?
"I-I'm not..."
"EEEEOOOOWWWW! Not again! Emmylou get that thing back in the pouch!" Louie suddenly screeched.
Caleb and I abruptly jolted away from each other. He turned and quickly shrugged into his shirt which I noticed he was holding. I took in a breath trying relax my pulse and trying to comprehend what had just happened. I turned back towards our group Rory was eyeing Caleb who was now sitting beside the kids trying to get their new pet which from what I could see was a Sugar glider back into its pouch. Louie who was thrashing his arms around like crazy telling them again to return the flying rat into it's pouch before it ruined his favorite shirt again.
I sat beside Drew, Gavin and September who had moved to the second bench of the bleachers. Drew nudged me slightly and whispered. "You okay?"
I looked towards him he had an uneasy look on him, Gavin was frowning down at Caleb and September gave me a small smile.
I just nodded not knowing if I was okay this time.