BEXLEY - hiatus

CHAPTER ONE

JONAH HAD BEEN sitting alone for one week now. Since their teacher changed their seats for the second quarter, he was separated from his friends and placed in the back of class. His desk partner hasn't shown up, not once.

Of course, Jonah knew why. Everyone knew. Bexley Clarke was suspended for seven days. People liked to talk about it. They inquired on why she was suspended, but everyone had a different answer; vandalism, bringing drugs on school property, plagiarizing assignments, but mainly fighting. Jonah was sure it was just that. He didn't know Bexley personally, no one he knew really did. But realistically all those ugly words were just dramatized rumors from people who liked to get attention. Even at the expense of Bexley's reputation.

(Not that Bexley had a good one to begin with. Not after assaulting a senior after school within the first month of their freshman year. The senior in question's accusations of harassing her went unheeded.)

So yeah, she was suspended for fighting. But she was coming back. Just that day in fact.

Jonah wasn't intimidated by it. It's not like she any reason to fight him.

"Are you ready to be Bexley's personal punching bag?"

"Shut up, Aiden," Jonah said, "she's been in this class all year and hasn't done anything."

"Says you."

Jonah was going to reply, but he was interrupted by Pearl, who continued, "I mean, she was always paired with someone else, we don't know what she's like," she mused. "I bet she makes them do all the work."

"She is not some 90's cartoon villain, I'm sure she's fine. Stop the drama."

"The real drama was her busting some kid from the wrestling team's lip, that's why she was suspended, y'know," Aiden said.

"Literally, which is weird because wouldn't he be used to it?"

"There should be a girls wrestling team for her."

"You're blowing this out of proportion," Jonah argued, brushing stray hairs from his eyes. "It's not like this affects anything."

"Except you're gonna be all alone, that sucks," Pearl said, finally saying something Jonah could agree with.

Pearl, Aiden, and Jonah were that stereotypical school trio. Going to daycare together as toddlers, attending the same synagogue, and being dropped off by the same bus agonizingly early in the morning since elementary school. They were the first people in history class to show up, relaying gossip, bickering, chatting about random things on social media, or copying off homework. And for the first quarter, this routine extended into class time because they picked seats together.

Up until their teacher switched said seats. What a bitch.

As the morning bell rang, students finally filtered into the room. The three stayed in the back, Jonah in his assigned seat and Pearl and Aiden forcing themselves into the space of the desk beside them. Bexley's seat. Aiden was in the seat itself, while Pearl leaned over the desk, before opting to hop up and sit on it. That was, until, just about 10 seconds shy of the bell, Bexley finally made an appearance.

Pearl went to her seat wordlessly at the sight of the teacher, and Aiden scrolled through his phone as Bexley relayed a few words with the teacher. Jonah raised his hand when Dr. Simmons pointed to the back two desks Jonah and Aiden occupied. Bexley walked over to them, staring blankly at Aiden. Jonah nudged him, "dumbass, move."

"What? Oh shit, sorry," he quickly stood up and went to his seat.

Bexley was indifferent. She dropped her backpack and sat down, hiding her face in her elbows.

Jonah didn't acknowledge her.

Dr. Simmons pulled up a powerpoint as students periodically pulled out notebooks.

"Class is starting," he told Bexley. Who didn't so much as lift her head. The classroom lights were off and the blinds drawn at the windows. He guessed he would still be tired at 8 AM and sleep more too. Jonah wondered if Bexley would always sleep through class. Their teacher loved making desk mates do partner work. It would be a pain in the ass if Bexley never participated. He'd never paid her mind before today though, so maybe this was just something he'd get used to.

Or maybe she was just used to sleeping in from being suspended.

It didn't really matter. It was one class, one hour of shared space and potential interaction.

Jonah never acknowledged the severity of the butterfly effect, but looking back on this day, it would consume every waking thought he had.