1000 Paper Cranes

Chapter 3 - 956

I sat in English, acutely aware of the eyes staring at me from across the room. I had forgotten. Not only was Robin Second Period Advanced Chemistry, but she was also Sixth Period Advanced Literature.

Every once in a while, I'd catch her looking at me out of my peripheral. Once, I actually turned to look at her. She didn't look disgusted at me. Her look was softer. I wished Joanna were there; she had great interpersonal communication skills. She could have deciphered that look for me.

"Jordan" Mrs. Harvell called me away from my thoughts. How long had I stared at Robin?

"What can you tell us about Hemingway?" She asked.

I was sure she wanted biographical information, but, naturally, his birth date wasn't what tumbled out of my mouth.

"He and Gertrude Stein were fair-weather friends. Once, she reviewed him negatively, so he sent her a copy of his book. He altered her most famous quote, you know, 'a rose is a rose is a rose.' He signed her book 'To my friend, Gertrude. A bitch is a bitch is a bitch.'"

Needless to say, I immediately regretted saying that. My classmates giggled. Mrs. Harvell rolled her eyes.

"I was hoping for something with a little more substance and a little less profanity. But it's a true and interesting story, nonetheless." She smiled, motioning with her hands for the class to hush.

"Sorry..." I felt my cheeks warm and grow red.

Quickly, I pulled out another pastel sheet of paper and began meticulously folding it. 956. I was so close to being done. Folding forty-four more cranes seemed like nothing in comparison to the hundreds cluttering my bedroom. I could lose myself in the monotony of folding my origami birds for hours. I liked monotony. I liked routine. I wanted to work in an office building and wear a tie and do the same things ad nauseum. I loved it.

I scrawled a sentence on my crane and finished folding it. Learn to laugh with them when they laugh at me.

I shoved my newest crane into my book bag and silently prayed to disappear. I just had to stick it out for another hour and a half and then this day would be over. Then I'd be that much closer to graduation and leaving this torture chamber called Thomas Jefferson High School and onto college.

When class ended, I ducked out of the English classroom as quickly as possible. My locker was nearby, so I detoured on my way to my last class. My shoulder thanked me as I removed my textbooks from my book bag.

Shutting my locker, I jumped to see Robin waiting on the other side of the locker door.

"Good Lord, you scared me!" I laughed a little awkwardly. I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose and slung my book bag over my shoulder.

She laughed a little nervous laugh.

"Sorry, I didn't realize that I was that sneaky."

A moment passed between us in silence and I wished I knew how to fill it. I had discovered that my penchant for random facts was not the way to fill silence. So I said nothing.

"Listen. I, um. This is so weird." She started.

Suddenly, I knew what was happening. This happened to me often. I was valedictorian. A lot of pretty girls had found themselves asking me this same question.

"Yeah, that'd be fine." I smiled, trying to ease her obvious discomfort.

"Really?" Her eyes sparkled brightly for a moment.

"Yeah. It's not a big deal. I lead a calculus study group every Thursday at my house. I can give you directions if you need them." I felt better. Calculus was something I knew, something I could talk about.

"Study group?" She asked me, her face falling in disappointment.

"Well, yeah. I don't have time to tutor everybody that asks me for help one-on-one. But don't worry. Jonathan and Joanna will be there, so you won't be alone with people you don't know."

Robin sighed, maybe even huffed, as she turned on a heel to walk away.

"We meet at 6:15!" I called after her. "My parents will order pizza!"

That would make our study group a comfortable nine people.