Pocket Full of Posies

Chapter Thirty-Five

Given my past relationship with Facebook, I typically didn't post very often and even then nothing too personal. But the power went out at school and I thought that was worthy of a humorful post basically hating on Columbia State. It got a lot of likes.

Seriously, though, it was a biology class and we were in lab. Girls legitimately screamed. My awkward teacher, Mr. Robertson, calmly rationalized there was some construction down the road and to not be alarmed.

"There's no, uh...uh criminals...or nothing," he got out. "Just, uh, a natural...phenomenon."

The dude was in the thirties, wore purple corduroys the reached his belly button, button down shirts two sizes too large for his lanky frame, and the clunkiest boots ever. I loved him. He was single handedly one of the most awkward people I had ever met (the sexual reproduction section of the class was hilarious). For a person who'd always struggled with science, though, he was the most perfect teacher. It would be an easy B.

After about 15 minutes in the dark, Mr. Robertson finally got it in his head to ask the faculty what was going on. Technically we could all go home. It's kind of an unofficial rule students could leave after 15 minutes of no power. Look it up in the unofficial student guide. It's there.

Sure enough, when he came back he gave his blessing for us to pack up and leave. I was pretty excited because it was my last class of the day and I could go home and chill and not have to go to work. God bless Columbia for deciding to mysteriously cut the power out.

I had gotten to the school early that morning so my Jeep was parked at the front of the Warf building. There was only one more day of school left for me and I was off the whole weekend. Things were looking really great. I had a phone date with Landon in about an hour and I felt like I hadn't talked to him in forever. His work load was already piling on. Lawyers had so much freaking homework and studying. If it were me, I wouldn't have time for anything, much less talking to some needy girl miles away.

There I was, though, on a bright winter's day walking to my Jeep like that Leonardo DiCaprio meme. For the first time in a long time I was happy. After the news of Liss's engagement and my determination to let any resentment and bitterness out of my heart and life, I was feeling light as a damn feather.

That was until I saw someone leaning against my car.

Immediately my mood began to dampen. Who the hell just leans against someone else's car like that? And I clearly didn't recognize them. Maybe they were mistaken and were leaning on the wrong Jeep? Regardless, I walked my hands clenched and an immediate bitchitude coming on.

"Uh, excuse me?" I questioned as I got closer. "That's not your car, ma'am."

Her head was turned away with her raggedy brown hair was in her face. She was wearing the tightest pans on her skinny legs and the biggest marshmallow jacket I'd probably ever seen. When I spoke, her head immediately jerked towards me in attention. Her face was prettier than I'd expected to see, revealing bright blue eyes. It was one of those faces that was kind of familiar but you couldn't tell why. Maybe I had a class with her? But, no, she looked kind of older. There were some wrinkles upon closer inspection, but not much. Just enough to indicate and older age.

"Marley," she breathed in a surprisingly melodic voice.

I just blinked, ceasing my walk towards my vehicle. "Uh...yeah? Can I help you?" Okay, there went my theory about someone waiting by the wrong car.

She stood up straight and started folding her fingers in on eachother. The woman wasn't much taller than me, and that was saying something. "Your pictures...they don't do you justice."