Ordinary Human Beings

13: The Modern Day Beethoven

Yasmina went another three days without texting me, and I sank back into my confused state. We were getting along just fine; what happened? Did I say something? Do something? I wouldn't know. It's like she's a shapeshifter sometimes; one minute she's fine, the next she's not.

"And she hasn't talked to you since?" Isa handed me her notebook to place on her desk.

"Strange, right? I thought she'd say something," I replied, sitting down.

Isa tied her hair into a ponytail. "Like what?"

"I don't know anything," I said. "We almost kissed, Isabella. I can count three times where if we weren't interrupted by someone or something, we would've made out with each other."

Isabella laughed. "Fate doesn't want you together."

"Not helping."

She cleared her throat immediately. "Right, sorry. Maybe you should focus on Volleyball and debate for now. We start practice next week, remember?"

"Fuck," I cussed, laying on the bare mattress. "Does this mean I have to go up against Sofia?"

She shrugged. "Probably. You two are the only ones that are really trying to be captain."

"You aren't?"

She shook her head. "I'm a swimmer, Kendall, not a spiker."

"Right, right." I got up and tried to take her blazer, much to her dismay. "What?"

"What are you doing? You have your own inventory." She ripped the packet out of my grip. "Focus on talking to Yas."

"How? I don't know what I did wrong," I explained. "Maybe if I knew, I'd talk to her—"

The door burst open with Lynn holding a packet of chips, throwing it at Isa as she crouched down, breathing heavily. "There!"

Isabella smiled at her. "Thank you. Did she fight back?"

Lynn looked up at Isa. "No, she fucking chased me around the prep room, I had to wait for her to leave the bathroom."

"What's going on?" I interrupted, earning a wave from Lynn. "What's going on here?"

"Jo stole Isa's chips before dinner, so I had to get them back because Isa is afraid of her," Lynn explained, finally standing.

"I'm not scared of her."

Lynn hollered. "Isabella, you looked like you were about to shit yourself when she asked you if you wanted to swing on her because of the chips."

"You wanted to fight for Doritos, Isa?" I looked at her holding the bag close to her chest. "Lame. I hope Joanna—"

"Joanna heard everything." Joanna appeared by the door. "At least close the door, Lynn, then talk about me."

"Why'd you take her chips?" I asked Jo as she closed the door and entered.
"That's because I didn't have the sweet chili flavor. I tried asking but she refused."

"So stealing was fine with you?" Isa mumbled.

"No, I was borrowing. I was going to give you back eventually."

"Finished, right? Give me back the fucking bag empty!"

"Enough!" The bickering between the two came to a halt as I looked at Joanna. "You're close to Yasmina, do you know where she is?"

Joanna furrowed her brows. "What makes you think I'm close to her?"

"You sit next to her in assembly all the time, in prep she's the only person you respond to, and you two are always together."