This Love ✔️

11: This Smoke

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"Ms. Richet I forgot my science text book in my locker. Can I go it?" She looks up at me from under her glasses.

"Yes you may but be quick. We're starting the lab soon." She turns away from me back towards her computer.

I rush out of the classroom. My locker is on the complete opposite side of the school down a flight of stairs.

As I pass the girls bathroom I see smoke coming out from under the doorway. I run inside ready to scream for help but stop when I see a girl sitting on the counter top with a cigarette. Her bright red hair reaches her stomach but one side is partially shaved off. She's wearing a denim vest over a white band shirt with black shorts and ripped tights.

She doesn't break eye contact as she lifts the cigarette to her mouth. She lets out a puff of smoke in the other direction. "Well go ahead, aren't you going to tell on me?" She nods towards the door behind me. Her voice comes out with a thick British accent.

Without a word I walk past her to the window. I try to budge the latch and when I finally do the window pops open. I turn back to her. "Not many people know this but almost every window in this school opens even though it looks like it doesn't. I suggest you open the window from now on because I could see the smoke from under the door." I say with a smile walking back to the door.

Before I open the door and let the smoke out I turn back towards her. "I haven't seen you around here before but students usually go smoke behind the bleachers. I know its cliché and everything but trust me it's the only cliché this school allows." I give her another smile and walk out the door.

I make sure to walk fast to get away from the smoke filled bathroom. I get to my locker and back to the class room with in five minutes. A new record I'm sure.

I plop down in my seat next to Mary Jane along with my book the same time Ms. Richet starts giving out instructions.

Mary Jane and I start on the lab right away. We're half way through when someone leans their elbows on our table.

"Hey, do you guys think you could help me and Jake out? We have no idea what we're doing." Lucas gives us an embarrassed smile.

"Do you think maybe that's because you were talking during the directions?" I point my pencil at him.

"You heard us?" He leans in closer, intrigued. "But we're in different corners of the room."

Sadly it's true. His table is the farthest away from ours, courtesy to Mary Jane who wanted to be in the front of the class and closest to the door.

Mary Jane scoffs beside me. "Please, the whole class could hear him talking about how he got lucky this weekend. Someone should tell him he needs a new hobby."

Lucas throws his head back and lets out a deep vibrating laugh. Once he's done he turns to his best friend Jake and bellows out in front of everyone, "Dude everyone heard. You gotta learn to be quieter." You can still hear his laughs in between the words.

Jake throws the pen he's holding to the ground while shaking his head. "Dammit it. Alright I'll flash everyone if you all keep quiet about this." He points around the room.

As he starts to lift his shirt up to show his abs Ms. Richet interrupts. "Put your shirt down this instant Mr. Role. I suggest you learn how to whisper so no one will have to hear about you 'finishing the job'."

"Hey what's the quotation marks for Richet? Is that supposed to mean something? I thought we were homies, you're un-invited to my birthday party now." He shouts to the front to the front of the room.

"Oh bummer." I hear her grumble under her breath as she turns back to her computer. "Mr. Favero back to your seat now." She looks at Lucas.

Lucas walks back to his seat still shaking his head and laughing. It all takes a couple minutes for the class to die down again from the laughter.

School passes by quickly after that. I go over to the towns only ice cream shop with Mary Jane and Ella. A lot of people are there from school including Lucy and her friends. This place is always packed on the weekends and after school gets out. It's close enough to all schools, no matter the age, that they can walk there.

I walk into my house instantly smelling my mom's famous hash brown casserole. She only makes it for guests which is pretty rare. I walk down the main hallway into the kitchen to find the counter top covered in food and cook books. My mom is standing behind the stove stirring something.

"Hey mom. Who's coming over?" She twirls around surprised to see me standing here.

Even though the kitchen looks like a tornado ran through it, she looks perfect as always. "Oh, I'm so glad you're here. I need your help cleaning up, they will be here in an hour," she panics.

I set my back pack down on the floor. I start putting dirty dishes in the sink rinsing them off. "You didn't answer my question mom. Who is this all for?"

"One of your fathers employee's. I forget their last name, oh gosh." She throws her hands up in frustration.

"It's okay mom, don't worry. I'll help you." I start loading the dishwasher as my mom wipes off the counters.

Twenty minutes go by when the kitchen is polished. My mom huffs and turns to me. "Go get ready sweetie they will be here soon." I nod my head in understanding and grab my bag off the floor. I make it to the bottom of the stairs when she calls after me again. "Wear a dress and put up your hair."

I roll my eyes and mentally call back to her, "So like you?" I swear that's all my mom wears, is dresses with high heels and her hair up in a ponytail curling down.

I do as she says none the less and find the dresses I save for dinners with my father's friends or colleagues. I put on a dress my mom bought me for Christmas last year. It will make her happy I'm wearing it. It's a sleeveless black and cream lace with a peter pan collar. It reaches down mid-length above my knees. I match it with black heels that I've never worn before and my grandmothers old watch.

I try for ten minutes to put my hair in a sock bun. Finally when it's perfect I put a big white bow behind it. I put on a layer of pink lip gloss as the doorbell rings.

I quickly put in some small fake diamond earrings listening to my parents greet the guests. I practically run out of my room so my mom won't have to yell for me.

"And here's my lovely daughter Sadie." I look down the stairs to the three strangers standing by the door. I almost trip down the stairs when I meet familiar eyes.