June In May

Chapter 8 - Grounded

Chapter 8 - Grounded

June Wolez

I couldn't believe what Michael had just written to me. If he didn't even answer the question, how could it just magically appear on his script? What in the hell was going on?

"Dude, what the hell happened? Where were you until now?" Ella caught me at lunchtime. I was hiding in the Janitor's closet in the last period. "You and Michael cheated on the test?"

"No way! Don't you know me?" I burst out, and Ella flinched. I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself down. "Look, I'm not in the mood to talk right now. I need to..." I looked around at the cafeteria full of people staring at me and whispering. "I need to go home. I can't take this today."

I started to walk away when she grabbed my wrist. "How are you going to go?"

"I will manage." I pulled my hand back to myself and went to the locker area to grab my backpack.

I found Methane there, shuffling in his locker. I avoided him and stormed straight to my locker. Once I had my bag over my shoulder, Methane called out, "You mind a bunking partner?"

I didn't respond and continued to walk, but he followed me.

"You don't have to come. You don't want to get in trouble with your guardian as well," I spat out.

"It's fine. Despite how Mrs. Jeff is at school, she's a pretty cool mom at home," he shrugged and followed me out of the campus. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"How?"

I stepped on the sidewalk and continued to take big strides. "By walking."

"It's going to take more than an hour to get there on foot," he pointed out, trailing behind me.

"I'm well aware," I responded curtly.

"Well, I hope you are also aware that buses exist in our universe." He motioned at the public bus stop across the street.

"My aunt will get mad if I ride the public bus unsupervised," I replied.

"I don't think your aunt can't get any madder than she already is after finding out about the test and you skipping all the afternoon classes."

Well, he had a point.

I exhaled a frustrated breath and stomped over to the bus stop to wait for a bus to my neighborhood. While waiting, I calmed down a lot, and I felt absolutely horrible for the way I had been behaving with Methane who was just trying to help me.

"Hey," I started meekly, and he looked at me. "I'm sorry for the way I have been behaving. I have just been mad—"

He raised his hand to pat me on the head, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "It's alright. I'm here for you."

My chest warmed up, all my earlier anger melting away. I was watching his smile for the first smile, and I found myself briefly wondering if all of what happened today was for this moment to happen. Maybe the universe was pulling us together? Could he be the one?

What the hell are you thinking, June? Now isn't the time to think about that.

"Thanks."

"Anytime."

He lowered his hand and suggested, "How about taking a walk in the park near your neighborhood to cool you down?"

I twitched my lips to consider it, and I only came to the conclusion, "It sounds heavenly."