104 Away

Thoughts and Wonders

 "So...," Aubrey said softly, being the first to break the silence after what seemed like hours. Everyone glanced at each other for a little while.

"Yeah," Peyton mumbled, finally pulling herself away from her book. Marcie felt as if her heart was still ramming against her ribcage, even though the feeling should be long gone. 

"What are we supposed to do now?" Ann asked weakly.

Marcie took a quick look at her alarm clock before answering. "Well, it's eleven forty-six, so we should be going to lunch soon."

"What just happened?" Aubrey spoke suddenly, he head snapping upwards to face them. "No, really, what happened?"

"I don't know," Peyton muttered. "Was she really dead? What- who- why would that happen?"

Marcie opened her mouth to speak, but only meaningless ramblings fell out. She stared up at the ceiling and gazed around the room, lost in thought. It continued like that for a while, and honestly, it didn't seem like anyone actually cared.

'Did that actually just happen?' Marcie thought, ideas crashing through her head like tidal waves. Could that have been staged? There's really no guarantee that that was real. But there for sure were signs pointing to it. A sigh let out of Marcie, embarrassingly loud, and almost like a chain effect, the door of their room swung open, leaving Mrs. Abboud open to the eye. She looked frazzled, light bags under her eyes, her hair coming out of place and her clothes dirty. But her posture remained straight and her face stern. Her eyes went back and forth from every girl.

"Well? Are you girls coming?"

 She turned swiftly on her heel and padded down the hall, not bothering to wait for them to catch up. Marcie and the other leapt up and scrambled to their feet, quickly rushing over to form a line behind her. As Marcie peeked out, she saw almost every other girl in the school padding carefully and quietly through the corridor and to the Food Hall.  The boys seemed to already be there, and almost all the seats were taken. Girls soon filled up the remaining, leaving Marcie, Peyton, Ann and Aubrey with the only spots remaining, no choice to be made. Hurriedly, the plopped down on the bench, and finally looked around to see who they were sitting with. 

Jonas and his followers. Peyton rolled her eyes and looked around more. It seemed that a couple of girls had joined that group, all of them staring mindlessly at Jonas. It seemed he was trying to act like his normal, snarky self, and not doing half bad, but it wasn't like the guy Marcie absolutely despised.  Marcie shook her head and looked up, realizing Jonas was eyeing her. She stared right back.

Thankfully, Ms. Stone ringing the dinner bell broke the tension.