Yellow

Chapter 32- Introducing Moe and Larry

The day of the last OAAC meeting of the year started out okay.

I made it all the way to English Lit before the feeling that something was going to go wrong started to sink in.

"Wait," I begin, "so neither of you can make it to the Obscure Animals meeting tonight?" I glance between Alyssa and Ethan hoping at least one of them was joking.

Right then, we were supposed to be discussing an 18th century poet but Ethan mentioned something that caught my attention- meaning Lord Byron was going to have to wait a couple more minutes before we discussed his significance in the movement of Romanticism, and so would my currently annoyed-looking English partner.

Alyssa shrugs hopelessly in response. "Sorry, Mai. It's just Dec is finally getting out of the hospital toda-"

"Say no more, Lys," I quickly stop her. "I know your brother is higher up your priority list right now. It's okay."

Yes, Alyssa was still carpooling with us. Though she and Lena claimed it was nothing too serious, Declan was only finally being released from the hospital after weeks of being catered back and forth. The worry lines which were slowly becoming a part of Lys's features were enough to tell me that the stress of not knowing whether or not her brother was getting better was getting to her. I didn't want to contribute to that. 

I turn to Ethan expectantly, "Eth?"

"Sorry, Mai. I'm still grounded for punching Connor," he sighs. Ethan closes his eyes and rubs the bridge above his nose as he mutters, "This is what I get for having extreme pacifists as parents."

"Harsh," I sympathize with him. "I'm sure they'll ease off soon."

"Maybe," Ethan muses, "they did let me out for Thanksgiving. I'm just hoping all this is over before Christmas. Anyway what about you–."

"Mr Loney, Miss Greenely; there's an awful lot of chatter coming from your table. Is there anything you want to tell the class," our English teacher comments drily.

"No, Ms Lockwood," we chorus. She watches us skeptically for a few more seconds before returning to her discussion with one of the other groups sat closer to the front of the room.

I turn quickly to reply to Ethan's question before we got told off again. "I'll be okay."

And with that, we return back to work.

❊ ❊ ❊

The first thing I do when I enter the Spanish classroom is to walk straight up to the twins and ask, "Please tell me at least you guys can make it."

Jodie and Ryan turn to face me in unison, both sending me confused looks.

"Mai, we already told you we couldn't make it last week," Jodie informs me.

"You did?"

"Yep," Ryan confirmed. "And unless you can convince our parents to postpone their couple's retreat, there's really no way we can make it." My heart sinks as I watch Ryan accompany his statement with an apologetic look and a simple 'what can you do?' shrug.

"They were going to take us too, but their therapist decided against it, thank God," Jodie elaborates, adding the occasional eye roll as she spoke. "We're moving back into Uncle Jay's tonight right before our parents leave for the week. Sorry."