by A. Yber
To hell with the job.
Chapter Six
Melanie
Algebra was so interesting! How had I ever found it boring? Although I’m not sure I was concentrating on numbers, much, with Zach sitting so close to me. I needed a break, though.
My stomach grumbled, making me think about lunch. It was still a bit early, but I had skipped breakfast.
I heard Mom moving around upstairs.
Zach jumped up from the table, and immediately started pulling food out of the refrigerator.
I suppose it was a good thing study time was done. It would look suspicious, the two of us sitting together. And I wasn’t ready for anyone to take this “thing with Zach”, away from me, just yet.
Mom made her way downstairs, dressed for work - waiting tables, like Nora and me. I was her spitting image, only a younger version. She had a delicate face, and smooth skin, now showing signs of aging, around her eyes. When she was unhappy, which was often, the lines around her mouth deepened. But usually, she faked a good mood, for us.
“Hi, Honey! Have a good day at school,” she called out, glancing in my direction.
“Mom, it’s Sunday.”
“Oh, right. Well, have a good day! I’ll be home late.”
“Where are you going?” I knew it was pointless to ask.
She avoided looking at me, “Just out. I’ll see you girls, later.”
And shut the door behind her.
My heart sank. It was so rare for me to see her, that I felt depressed, at our current situation. It had become the norm, to hold fake convos, that told you nothing. Mom’s schedule was random, and we never knew when she would be back.
Glancing at my S-Pod, I realized Nora was about to be late for her shift at Rise and Shine. I could hear her relaxation music, playing upstairs, and I laughed to myself. As if Nora ever relaxed.
Zach had made us sandwiches, for lunch.
I bit into the soft homemade bread, just as Nora came tearing down the stairs.
“God, I feel like crap!”
She eyed the sandwiches, looking a little green.
“Were you drinking, last night?” I teased.
“Maybe. I don’t know if I can eat anything yet…not that those don’t look amazing, Zach. And hey, thanks for not putting raisins in the bread!”
I laughed. Nora hated raisins.
“Have a good day, Nora!” Zach handed her a sandwich in a baggie, and smiled.
She glanced at me, with a sudden look of concern – probably thinking about last night, and why I was home so early today – but realized there was no time to talk. Instead she grabbed the sandwich, running for the door.
“Thanks again. See you later!”
I waved back, my mouth full of food.
Zach and I were alone, now. I was already getting goosebumps, just thinking about a day of watching him do house and yard work.
I need to get a life.
Or, better yet, come up with some more homework assignments, that required his tutoring.
“Melanie.”
Yikes. Was he reading my thoughts?
Zach walked over pointing to my wrist.
“Do you mind if I borrow your S-Pod, for a sec?”
“Uh…sure. I mean no. Yes, take it,” Flustered, I handed it over.
“And your computer?”
“I’m just giving them an upgrade.”
I gave him a questioning look.
“Trust me, Melanie.”
Umm, okay?
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
He ran upstairs, then returned to the kitchen.
He fiddled with the S-Pod, a minute more, then handed it back.
“If Cami confronts you tomorrow at school, press the side button, and continue to hold it down.”
“Zach, what did you do?”
“Something that I think will help.”
Exactly what did that mean?
Chapter Seven
Since home-schooling was tried 10 years ago, and had failed miserably - in developing social skills that is - kids had to go to an actual school, again. That was unfortunate for me, as I would give anything to stay home, today. But I knew I needed to graduate.
At least the schools were cleaned up, now. No more druggies lining the hallways, pushing pills. I had heard that was a bad problem for decades, and on up until they decided to close the school buildings.
It was 7am, and I rushed to finish my hair.
Mom was still asleep. Wouldn’t probably be awake until noon. Hopefully, Nora was up.
I smelled breakfast, and made a mental note that we needed groceries.
Zach was clanking around in the kitchen, and I practically skipped down the stairs, to get to him.
He had on his usual perfect smile, on his perfect face. Holding a plate piled high with pancakes.
My favorite!
He is gorgeous! There were no other words for it. He had lips, that alone would make a girl swoon. But mostly, I adored his fantastic green eyes. No longer glowing…making him appear to be just a hot boy serving me breakfast. My belly felt light and tingly. I wasn’t hungry for food. Oh, no…I’m doing it again! Unreasonable fantasizing.
My good mood quickly vanished, when I realized Zach’s perfect smile was frozen in place. Blank. Impersonal. Robotic. He said, in a similar robotic tone, “Good morning, Melanie. I made your favorite. Pancakes, with butter and real maple syrup. I hope you have a great day at school.”
The usual monologue he said, every morning. What he made for me every morning. Thank goodness I had an overly high metabolism to burn it off.
Zach handed me my plate, making little to no eye contact. Then turned his back, walking over to the stove. He seemed to be acting like a “normal Cy-Bot” again.
Doubts started to torture me, as I shoveled in the pancakes. “I’m such an idiot! Zach doesn’t really care about me. He’s a robot! He was just doing his job. Being helpful.”
Get a grip, girl!
The day was going to be hard enough, as it was, without adding Zach’s feelings, or lack thereof, to the list.
I heard Nora coming down the steps behind me.
Zach greeted her the same, and she sat next to me, mumbling about not getting much sleep.
I didn’t want to talk, so I got up, and dumped my dishes in the sink, trying to pull myself together. Suddenly ready to go, I waited for her by the door.
Nora ate quickly, and ran to grab her book bag.
At that moment, Zach grabbed my elbow, taking me by complete surprise.
“Remember to press the button, like I told you,” he whispered, bending close to my ear.
Nora burst back into the room, her eyes lasering in on my elbow.
Zach immediately dropped his hand.
Her face scrunched up, like she didn’t understand what was happening. But all she said was, “Let’s go Mel.” And bolted out the front door.
“I’m coming, right behind you,” I called after her.
I was glad Nora and I had decided to get our own vehicle, even if it was a bit rundown. We rode together, and it was so much easier, now that cheerleading practices were over. I couldn’t count the number of times Mom was supposed to pick me up, and had left me standing for hours, outside the gym.
We zipped along in our AV, and my thoughts drifted to school. I was going to have to face all of them. X, the other cheerleaders, Cami…the thought made my pancakes want to make a second appearance, as pangs clenched my stomach.
“So, what was up, between you and Zach?”
I knew it was coming.
I cleared my throat. “Um…nothing. He thought I had some lint on my sleeve.”
“Oh,” she seemed satisfied with my answer, “just seemed odd, that he was touching you, is all.”
“He’s fine. It’s fine.”
I tried to act normal. Focus on the day ahead.
“So, why did you leave work yesterday? Carl was talking about firing you. If it hadn’t been for Ayla covering.
Saying you were throwing up, sick. Were you hungover?”
So many questions.
“Can we discuss this later?” I begged, feeling worse than a hangover.
She continued to study me.
I was driving below the speed limit, and air vehicles with angry drivers, were zipping past me.
I saw her eyes go to the speedometer.
“Mel, we’re going to be late,” she griped.
But I was in no hurry to get there. In fact, it was all I could do, not to turn the AV around, and head home.
Eventually we pulled in, barely making it on time. Having to park at the very back, as the lot was already packed.
Ugh.
There was good news, about all this. I was popular at school. Of course, they saw who they wanted to see. However, the bad news was that Cami determined whether I remained popular, or continued to have any friends, at all.
It was going to be a showdown, today. I could feel it coming.
Nora and I walked through the front doors, as security cameras clicked our images. Sending the pics to God knows where.
Then we parted ways, and I walked toward senior hall.
Well, here goes.
I pasted on a smile, ready to fake it through this charade. “If only I could make myself invisible,” I thought, and hurried off to first period.
My day had been easier than I anticipated. I aced my Algebra test, thanks to Zach. My girlfriends seemed to be avoiding eye contact, and me, for that matter. And I had talked to no one. It was like I lived in my own isolated world, other than hearing the occasional comment. Like whether I liked chocolate shakes. Stupid a-holes had apparently posted their video.
I ignored them all.
And although my S-Pod had dinged all day, with messages from X, I didn’t answer. It had been fairly easy to dodge him. I simply skipped the classes that we shared, and avoided going to my locker. Dragging all my books around in a back-pack, and carrying the overflow in my arms definitely sucked, but I’d rather do that, than have a confrontation. I wasn’t ready to talk to him, yet.
It was finally the last period, and I was sitting in Mr. Matthews class, listening to him drone on about World War II. There was very little information, about the antagonist responsible for the war, as his name had been erased from history books. Kind of ridiculous, really. I mean, how can you learn not to repeat history, if we don’t know what those mistakes were?
I knew who he was talking about, though.
Hitler.
My parents had talked about him, and how there was a big uproar, with people insisting he be deleted from history. His deeds had been upsetting for some, who were too sensitive I guess, to handle truth. And so, his name was no longer mentioned. A blip on the screen of history. Forgotten. Except for the damage he left behind.
I looked around the classroom. This was a “safe” class, for me. Meaning, no X or Cami. The McArden twins were sitting near the front. Both brothers were good looking, and semi-popular. And jerks. They occasionally glanced back at me, and snickered to themselves. I ignored them, and pretended to listen to Mr. Matthews, as my mind drifted.
I still needed to find out if X had blabbed anything, about the “encounter” with Zach, Saturday night. Not talking to him, wasn’t helping procure that bit of info. And, so far, I’d heard nothing through the high school grapevine. But, if my “friends”- the gossip whores - knew anything, then the entire planet should have been aware by now.
So, X has kept his mouth shut?
Strange.
Maybe he was too drunk that night, or messed up on whatever drug he had taken, that had made him so aggressive…or is it possible, he doesn’t even remember?
The bell rang, and I got up, hurrying to be the first out the door. I wound my way through the horde of students cramming the hallways. Everyone was rushing to homeroom, for the final announcements of the day, and then dismissal.
I was almost ready to celebrate, that I had made it through the day…until I smelled it. That cloying perfume, that made me want to gag.
Cami.
“Heeeyy, Melanie!”
Her catty voice made my jaw clench. Far enough away, to pretend I hadn’t heard?
Unfortunately, no.
She was already in my space.
“We need to talk.”
Really? I don’t think I need to talk with you ever again, in this lifetime.
I could still feel the burning in my eyes, as the milkshake had dripped down my face. I couldn’t believe she had physically attacked one of her “besties” – me.
“Sure, Cami. What’s up?” I forced a smile.
The bell rang, meaning we were both late for our homerooms.
“As if you didn’t know. Why am I still waiting, to hear about your break-up?”
Here we go, again!
Wait…
…didn’t Zach say I was supposed to press the button on my S-Pod? I don’t know what this is going to do, but here goes. I grabbed my left wrist, pretending to support my books, and held down the button…
Cami continued harping on, “X is the starting quarter back, and everybody knows the captain of the cheer squad dates the quarter back!”
Newsflash! Football season is over.
“You better make this break-up happen by the end of today. He doesn’t belong with you. He’s Ivy League. You are nothing. You are nobody. I made you somebody.”
I could feel my blood starting to boil. Not able to hold in my anger, and against my better judgement - my self-preservation - I snapped back, “You can have him! Exetor and I are done! You two snobs, are made for each other, anyway.”
“…everybody knows the captain of the cheer squad dates the quarter back. You better make this break-up…”
Was that…? OMG, Zach must have somehow spliced my S-pod, into the school P.A. system.
Which means…yep!
The whole student body is getting a live broadcast, of our entire convo!
If looks could spill…my blood, that is…
I watched, as the truth dawned on Cami. Her expression left no doubt, that I had just signed my death sentence.
I turned, to basically run to homeroom, but I was pulled, my neck yanked backwards. Cami had grabbed my long ponytail, and I heard a slicing sound.
“Oh gosh, look at your precious hair now!”
I heard something hit the floor, as I stumbled and turned. Half of my white ponytail was lying on the ground. In a lump. With stray hairs cascading to the floor around it.
The room started to spin.
Cami’s mouth made an “o” shape, and she held her hand in front. As if to say, “Oops!”
Then, with an evil smile, she tucked a small hand knife back into her pocket. Turned on her heel, red hair flipping, and stormed off in the other direction.
Looks like I’m not going to make it to homeroom.
I needed a mirror. Like right now.
I ran to the nearest bathroom.
Empty!
I immediately checked myself. Most of my ponytail was still there, although Cami had cut off a good chunk of it. She had always been a little scary, but this was just full out psycho! And who walks around with a hand knife? Being made of a high-tech metal, they can easily slice through anything - which is why they are illegal.
Cami had planned this. Planned to cut my hair, because she knew I was obsessed with it.
I hid in one of the stalls. Waiting for what seemed like an endless five minutes, until school was over. I didn’t want anyone seeing me like this.
Come on dismissal bell. Ring! It would unlock the doors, so I could leave.
“RRRiiiinnnggg!!!”
Thank you!
I quickly exited the bathroom, aiming toward the exit to the parking lot. I could see students around me leaning in, to whisper and stare. Must have been some surprising end of the day announcements! “Whisper away, I don’t care,” I thought. At least they got to see Cami’s true colors, today.
I noticed X in my
peripheral, marching down the hall, like a man on a mission. He was coming straight for me.