Love-Sick Fool

Chapter 9: Let it Snow

It's been a bit since I went to Joshua's place. School is going to a slow point with Christmas break coming. I do have a Humanities and Math test today but they'll be a piece of cake. Atticus has been the usual torment, taking my things, yelling, fighting, he even got his first school suspension.

I walk to my locker and find a note from Joshua telling me to meet him at the burger bar at lunch. I took it off, put my things away, and went off to my first class. Art was well in my past and woods was okay. I was now in Metals for the Elective Wheel and after Woods, it was boring. I had made a balancing man, an axe in a log paperweight, now we were designing candle holders. Mine was nothing eccentric though it did look like a Faris wheel.

I walked into Math and sat in my normal spot. Genevieve and I did some cool experiments like elephant toothpaste, DNA extraction, and blowing up elemental potassium. I still wouldn't call her a friend but she was a good lab partner. The teacher walked in and set up the desk dividers so we couldn't cheat. We got our tests and started though I was already questions ahead of everyone. I finished, put my hand up, and was told to go on lunch.

I walked through the usual trail to find the shack and something to eat. I looked through the menu and found that they had a winter smores special running. I walked up, ordered, and sat under the sheltered seating. I was super early and didn't want to eat everything before Joshua showed up. I searched through socials and it was the typical "I got a boyfriend" and "Look what my parents got me for Christmas". I put my phone away and gazed at the trees, swaying in the wind. It was the only peace I could get sometimes.

"Maison, wake up!"

I heard someone call and I lifted myself off the table, my food is eaten. I look to see Joshua sitting across the picnic bench from me. "Hey," I said, still groggy.

"Do you have any plans for next week? Like on Christmas?" Joshua asked.

"The only thing we do together is eat breakfast. Our presents are placed in our rooms because Atticus has a habit of stealing mine as I sleep in."

"My Dad was wondering if you wanted to come over for Christmas. If you don't want to or can't, he is also happy with you coming over some other time during the break."

"Could I get back to you on that? I would need to get you and your Dad a present as well get all mine delivered there so I don't peek." I spoke.

"Sure, I'll let Dad know you're interested and just need to work some magic."

I got back to the school and Atticus was waiting for me at the front. "What do you want?" I asked.

"To know if you are dating him."

"Dating who?"

"I think you know who I'm talking about," He said.

I tried to push past so I could get to my locker and get my thing but he just pushed me back. "I asked you a question and you haven't answered," Atticus said.

"What's going on?" A voice all too familiar asked from behind me.

"Ooo, he's here! Why don't you confess now so I can properly make fun of you," Atticus said, cracking his knuckles.

"Confess what?" Joshua asked.

"Nothing! I'm confessing nothing and getting to class," I said, storming past Atticus.

French was next and that was just a silly presentation. I watched some of the other students do theirs beforehand and they were saying the bare minimum in French like "This is Name" and "They were born". I had prepared a proper presentation in French that sounded like someone was speaking and not just reading a fact sheet.