Messages in a M&M's Bottle

Part Three

“Please, Olivia?”

            I slam my fist down on the table. If Tyler doesn't get his humongous head out of my personal space bubble in three seconds, I am not going to be held responsible for my actions.

            For the past ten minutes since class has started, all Tyler's done is all but beg me to give him another chance. Yeah right, like that'll ever happen. Only twenty-four hours ago he was standing in the front of this very class telling everyone about my lack of talent. To be honest, I was pretty surprised he didn't post it on Facebook along with the recording. 

            “I'll give you M&M's,” he offers in a quiet voice.

            “I can buy my own,” I hiss. I really hope Mr. Owens doesn't hear us because if I lose any marks or get a detention because of him, there will be no longer be a Tyler Perry to annoy me anymore. 

            “I'll give you M&M's every day until the end of the year.”

            His offer is tempting, very tempting, but I already have someone who gives me M&M's every day and has been doing so for the past three and a half years. 

            “Come on, Olive, just give me a second chance. I'm begging you here.”

            “And I'm telling you to stop and leave me the hell alone!” I snap as quietly as I possibly can. “And calling me Olive isn't really helping your case,” I add at the end. 

            Mr. Owens asks for a volunteer to help distribute the rats and I raise my hand, anything to get away from this guy – even if it means having to carry out a tub of dead, stinky rats. But of course, luck doesn't seem to be on my side and he chooses a boy named Alex to help him instead. 

            Everyone starts chatting loudly and I put my head on the table so that maybe Tyler will get the hint that I don't want to talk, but being the stubborn ass that he unfortunately is, he keeps on saying my name until I look up and shoot him a look that is designed to kill. 

            “What do you want, Tyler? For real, and don't give me the crap about wanting to be friends again.”

            “It's not crap,” he says softly, “I really, really want to make it up to you. Come on, Olive— sorry, Olivia,” he looks at me sheepishly then continues, “for old time’s sake.”

            He gives me his puppy dog eyes look that I couldn't resist four years ago, but now I've seemed to build up immunity against him. To be honest, I don't want to give him that chance because I'm afraid he'll disappoint me again. 

            It sucked the first time, the feeling of being betrayed by a friend and it'll probably suck even more if I'm the one giving him a chance to do it again. 

            “Well pardon me if I don't believe that.”

            A bad smell enters the room making everyone groan out loud and cover their noses. Must mean the arrival of our dead, furry friends. 

            Mr. Owens takes a huge sniff and everyone stares at him like he's crazy. “I love the smell of science in the morning,” he says seriously. Everyone groans again. He grins then tells a girl named Hannah to go get the dissecting tools from the supply room. 

            Alex, the poor boy carrying the tub looks like he'd rather be anywhere else and it makes me sort of glad that I wasn't chosen. But then again, I'd take dead rats over having to sit next to Tyler Perry any day.