From A To Z

Chapter 16

Wednesday, May 19

I woke up to the sound of rain. This wasn't some fleeting spring shower or your garden-variety drizzle; no, this morning the heavens meant business. Fat drops pummelled the blacktop. Rivers of muck gurgled in the gutters. Puddles the size of the Atlantic stretched across the sidewalks ready to swallow me whole.

Umbrella or not, I got soaked on the way to school. My jeans clung to my calves like a second skin. The damp T-shirt accentuated flabs and bulges I didn't know I had. My sneakers took in water. I squeaked inside SpongeBob-style.

Squelch-squelch-squelch. Classy.

My hair got turbocharged by the humidity and shot up in all directions. The electrocuted look didn't suit me any more than the wetsuit did. I had no choice but to manhandle it into a soggy bun.

I hung my head low and walked over to my locker avoiding eye contact. Normally my appearance wouldn't have mattered one bit but with everyone gawking at me, I found myself aching to look my best. When did I become so vain and was there an antidote?

The mood at school was in sync with the weather - subdued, somber and gloomy. With no news from the hospital nor arrests made, attention shifted to the vigil. It gave us a sense of purpose. We weren't sitting around wagging our tongues and swapping second-hand gossip; no, we were pitching in. Still, I failed to grasp how a vigil would make Sienna wake up or help catch whoever did this to her.

To make matters worse, someone came up with the brilliant idea that we should all wear Sienna's favorite color this evening. Luckily for the guys, she had recently graduated from hot pink to yellow. Luckily for the girls too. I didn't think that Legally Blonde outfits featured in many Bruler closets.

The rain was relentless and so was Victor. He hovered nearby throughout the day.
"You seem down," he said as we were walking to class after lunch.
"How very perceptive of you."
"Is this about yesterday?" he pressed.
"Huh?"
"The fight, Zoe."

Of course he was hung up on the fight. Not because he cared about two guys trading punches but because he hadn't been there to protect me.
I shook my head.
"No. It's about Sienna. I'm worried she might never wake up."
Victor held the classroom door open for me.
"She will. Think positive. Don't underestimate how resilient our bodies are."

I shot him a sideways look as I squeezed past. That resilience line was likely borrowed from the basketball coach. Who knew nothing besides dribbling and dunking.
"I'm trying Victor, I really am."

Between his unwavering presence and my mom's barrage of texts, I felt like a toddler who couldn't be left unsupervised. They meant well but the attention was exhausting.

I had Health last period. The moment I plonked myself in my chair, I zoned out. Nothing Ms. Speltzer said reached me. That was new. Health was my favorite subject yet I couldn't concentrate. When she asked me to stay after class, I thought she had noticed but it turned out she wanted to talk about the mental health assignment. I had all but forgotten about the project. Strange how priorities could change overnight.

Ms. Speltzer asked if I wanted to join another team. I was confused. Only a few days ago she had told me in no uncertain terms that team swapping was out of the question. So not only priorities but rules changed as well.

"Thanks, Ms. Speltzer but Arlo and I have already started working," which we hadn't.
"I see," she said thoughtfully as if she could tell I was fibbing it.
"An extra week would be great though."
As soon as the words left my mouth I felt a pang of shame for attempting to bank on Sienna's tragedy.

Ms. Speltzer shifted in her seat. It occurred to me that she showed flexibility not because she thought I might be struggling but because she didn't expect Arlo to come back.