Back at the Start (02)

"Jaaaaaay!" Soph yells from downstairs - the shower is still on. "I puked in your dad's shower!" She sounds miserable.

My smile at Knox's farewell turns to a grimace at Soph's words and the way she sounds. "Just let the water wash it down the drain!" I call down to her. "And rinse off with cold water! You'll feel better!" I don't know that there's much I can really do for her, so I go back to scrubbing at my face with the now-cold washcloth as I go into my bedroom and grab a new dress to wear today. A dress will be easier than needing to pick out a whole coordinating outfit.

You've just picked out your dress and started putting it on when you hear him enter the room from your closet door. "You don't have to put that on, do you? Sure you can't skip the first class? I'll write you a noooote." He puts his hands on your hips and moves closer.

I slow my rushed getting-ready for long enough to close my eyes and lean back into him. "I don't think the school takes notes from boyfriends as an acceptable excuse." I lift my head and turn to plant a quick kiss on the underside of his chin before I pull away and continue getting dressed. "Sorry, I look awful. I probably smell not great too. I'll take a shower at school. For now, it's double-deodorant and papaya-mango body splash."

He's wearing a pair of sweats and a ratty t-shirt himself. He watches you dress with interest. "What are you doing after school? I don't have to go to the club until 7. We could hang out at home and I'd cook for you."

Home. I melt a little whenever he uses the word like it still applies to us both.

"That would be great. I can…" I trail off, realizing something. "I…can’t tonight though. I have some art stuff after school and then I’m going to pick up dinner at Acapulco."

"I'm almost ready, Jay!" Soph yells as she stomps up the stairs. "You guys aren't foolin' around in there, right?"

Knox lets out a sad breath but pushes it away, "Nah, we're not. Come on, let's get you two to school before you're late." Soph enters your bedroom as you finish dressing. He opens the door to the closet, but on the other side you see the little green room in the theater at the high school.

What do you do?

I wish we were fooling around right now. I look through the door Knox opens for us and move up to put my hand on his chest as I got on my tiptoes to kiss his lips. "We'll plan a date night soon, okay? Just for us."

Then I head through the door, back to school. I hate it, and I still don't know where that frelling ferret is hiding.

Soph, like you, has thrown a simple sundress over her head and wears a pair of slides. She still looks slightly dazed. The bell rings and she winces from the noise. You both step into the hall and out into the theater. You can't help but glance at the back row where the old broken seat has been replaced. "Dren, we've got to book it to Econ!" She starts jogging with her backpack slung over her right shoulder.

I try to let all my feelings about…everything…wait to the side for now and nod at Soph’s words. "Let’s go," I say, and I start rushing down the hall with her. "Sorry you’re feeling so bad today. You had fun at the party though, right?"

"Hell to the yes!" she says with a fist pump as she jogs. She grins, "I've got some stories about that hot tub, chica." She pulls the strap on her backpack up as it slips, then asks, "Did you?"

I'm glad Soph's still excited about the party and not, like, regretting anything. Especially after the hot top.

"It...could've ended better," I admit, turning the corner down the hall. "But I'm glad I got to see my mom and..." The memory of why she was there comes back and I reach up to touch the necklace, to make sure it's still there, to make sure Galinthias didn't try to take that from me too.

The necklace is still there, diamonds teeming with lives waiting to experience your world. Soph shoves open the door to your Econ class and heads in to take a seat.


Where do you sit?

So how did you save Emmy Thome's life? Does she know you did it?

What does Oscar Reyes smell like? Do you like it?

The teacher hasn't come into class - they were late yesterday, too. What have you heard about why they're coming in late?

When we reach Econ, I just want to get into my seat and be safely present, so I slip into the spot in front of Crissy as soon as I come in the door. I turn to look at her and sort of collapse into my chair, exhaling heavily. "Thank gods Mr. Howells is late again," I tell her, shaking my head at myself and my own crazy predicaments. I heard that Mr. Howells is on some kind of disciplinary action or frell-up-to-hire program because of what happened at his last school, and he has to check in with a mentor teacher every day to make sure history isn't repeating itself. Somebody said he knocked up one of the students, but I also heard that he was dealing drugs, helping athletes cheat on finals, and that his teaching was simply "too political" so who knows what's really true.

My eyes flit momentarily over to Oscar, who always smells like he's been outside walking in the rain even when it's not raining. It's not unpleasant, necessarily, but it's a little weird and since it's so constant, it makes me feel like he must be in a perpetual state of slight-dampness, not that I'd know for sure.

Behind Crissy is Emmy Thome, who definitely knows I was the one who tackled her out of the middle of the street this summer during a party. She didn't see the car barreling toward her, and didn't see it whiz past and disappear either, so I'm not sure she actually accepts the tackle as the life-save that it was.

"Ugh." I swipe my hand through my hair again as if that's going to fix everything. "Late night last night. I only woke up like twenty minutes ago and had no time to get ready or anything." I lean a little closer to her, "Hey, if you see a little brown ferret running around the school, tell me, okay? I need to skin her."