Apricity [a-PRIS-i-tee]: The warmth of the sun in winter
Briar Elizabeth Maddox
Became a social outcast over the summer and now her used-to-be friends treat her no better than the dirt under their shoes. But no matter what she's been through, she'...
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Daniel barely talks.
This is a fact that I would regularly appreciate if I didn't actually need him to talk about this project.
Daniel only made any noise when he was biting his nails. It was fucking annoying. We spent the majority of our class time in silence. I worked on other assignments because it was clear that today was not the day Daniel would come out of his shell. I don't know what Mrs. Jericho was thinking pairing me with someone like this.
She wanted me to sit next to Briar so badly and then she didn't even pair me with her for a project. That logic was dumb as shit.
We were told to come back to class for the last five minutes so that she can retake attendance to make sure no one skipped.
I was one of the last ones to make it back, just like I was usually the last one to make it at the start of class. The difference now was that Briar wasn't sitting in her chair when I sat myself down at our table.
I take a look around the room and she isn't anywhere else either. Naomi was here and she was Briar's partner. So where the fuck was Briar?
Mrs. Jericho takes attendance and notices her absence as well. "Naomi? Where is Briar?"
Naomi gives a lazy shrug to her shoulder. "She left me a while ago, Mrs. Jericho. I guess she skipped."
Mrs. Jericho frowns and I know she understood that would have been out of character for Briar. "Well did she take her things with her?"
"No," Naomi says simply.
"Hm. Well when she does turn up, someone remind her she does need to come back to check in with me."
She seemed to have dismissed it, but I haven't. Something felt off about it and I couldn't explain why.
We were released from class and I found her backpack laying by a chair. She had her phone stuffed in the side pocket. If anyone would have known where Briar could be it would be Val, so I call her.
"Ew, what is this about?" She says in a greeting. I never call her for anything, I don't even text her.
"Is Briar with you?" I ask.
She doesn't answer right away and it pisses me off. "No," she says slowly. "Isn't this the class you two have together?"
"I didn't see her. We did partner work with other people and she didn't come back to class. Her stuff is still out in the hall."
"Where are you?" She demanded.
"Hall B. Come find me," I say and hang up. I look around and think about where she could have gone, and why.
"Hey," I call out to Naomi. She turns her out towards me and interest sparks in her eyes. "When did Briar leave?"
Her interest depletes at the mention of her name. "Only a few minutes into partner work. I don't know where she went so don't bug me about it."
