Into Another Space [Completed]

10

After Forest-Esmee leaves, I am left in relative peace, so I eat my own lunch. For some reason it feels like sand against my teeth. I decide to go and get a drink from the vending machine.

When I get there, Mrs. Humperdinck, Kyla, and Joel Wagner, the History teacher are in a little circle beside it. No doubt gossiping.

"Poor thing," Kyla was saying."I hear her cancer came back and it's worse than before."

"Yeah. And I heard something about she has a few weeks left," Joel put in his part.

"Oh, that's just awful," Mrs. H says waving his hand in a dramatic way.

"Excuse me," I say.

They move over for me. Kyla barely glances my way. I don't mind.

They go quiet as I stand there wondering what I should pick. My favorite drink, a Reeses milkshake or Pepsi?

"I don't like her much," Mrs. H says reviving the topic, disdain clearly in her voice."She thinks she's smarter than me. Even told me herself. Her teacher, ha! the nerve. Kids these days. You know?"

The other two murmur their agreement.

"But she is so young." Mrs. H's voice is softer now." and it breaks my heart what she has to go through if she really is sick."

I don't like the way she says 'if' for some reason.

"Who are we talking about?" I have a pretty good idea. I just want to make sure.

"The new girl. Forest-Esmee Michaels." Mrs. H gives me a look."I believe I sent her to your class."

"Why is that? No pity for her? Even though you just said it broke your heart."

Mrs. Humperdink rolls her eyes."We cannot make a habit of just letting every students get away with something just because they may or may not be ill."

"Why don't you think she's sick?" I ask.

Kyla shrugs speaking up."Kids are always making things up to get themselves out of trouble. This could just be another one of those things."

"You're one to judge."

She gasps."Excuse me?"

"Calm down now," Joel says stepping forward between us."No reason to fight over some silly child."

"Plus," he says."Shouldn't you be home or something? Pining away at the whore of a woman you lost to your own father and-"

Before he can finish his sentence I jump forward and punch him square in the nose.

He staggers backwards gasping out in pain.
"Don't you ever and I mean ever talk about my family in that way again."

Joel wipes his finger gently under his nose. He looks at his now blood coated finger and frown.

"You're lucky I didn't break it," I spit out before turning and walking away.