Broken

chapter two

The next few weeks merged into one, each day indistinguishable from the one before; my agenda consisted of catching up on studying for each class and many caffeine-fuelled study sessions with Emily. I looked forward to my AP English and biology classes each week; thriving on the class-content.

In the third week of the semester, I sit in the usual English classroom writing a basic plan with Emily. It was at least seventy-five degrees out and not much cooler indoors, even with the air-conditioning blasting through the vents. I suddenly regret my decision to wear jeans instead of a dress today.

"Do you think people will mind if I open the window?" I ask Emily.

She shakes her head.

I realise once I'm at the window that I can't reach it, I feel the stares burning into the back of my head.

"I'll get it, Aria," a boy from the back of the class, Joshua, says.

"Thank you." I smile and sit back in my chair.

My eyes wander around the room, looking for inspiration in any of the quotes decorating the grey walls and accidentally rest at the front where they meet those of Mr Fitz; he quickly turns away. Was he watching Joshua help me the entire time?

A text alert vibrates my phone in the pocket of my backpack and I apologise before checking if it's an emergency. It's not. At first, I assume it's spam, but reading it makes my mind conjure up other less appealing ideas.

I guess it's true what they say: like father, like daughter.

Kisses, -A.

'A' for what? For Alison? For Anonymous? I look over to where she sits, chewing on her pen and staring at a blank spot on the wall. This isn't her. This could be anyone.

"Aria!"

I jump at the sound of Emily's voice. "What?"

"Put your phone away and help me do this, please. We're behind everyone else."

"Sorry, Em, I just got the strangest message-"

"Can we talk about this at break? We need to get this done."

I nod and put my phone back into my bag. But I don't talk to her at break; I don't see the point.

*

Not only do I regret overdressing this morning, I also regret walking to school because I didn't think about having to find my way back home. I walk slowly enough to spot landmarks familiar from my walk to school and eventually find our house, but it takes an unimpressive amount of time.

I hear a male voice in the kitchen and linger in the doorway trying to listen my mom's conversation with him, but their low mumbles are impossible to decipher.

"Mom?"

"Aria, you're back! How was school, honey?"

"It was fine. Are you going to introduce me?" I raise my eyebrows expectantly.

She offers me a look which seems to say "no you just caught me off-guard". Neither of them speak for a few moments, but the exchange of glances between them was enough to thicken the awkwardness between us.

"I'm Aria," I say.

"I know, your mom's told me all about you and your brother." He smiles at me. "I'm Zak."

He holds out a clammy hand and politeness forces me to shake it. But I can't help wiping mine on my jeans as soon as he turns in the other direction.