Bad Luck with Love

Chapter 14: Mondays

Mondays sucked. This Monday sucked much, much more than usual, I realized as I stabbed my ice cream angrily, tears pouring down my cheeks.

Everything had been fine. I had been in a good mood since I spent the whole weekend with Jake, and then I saw him first thing on Monday morning as well, so that just made me grin goofily until I got to school. Chad wasn’t at school on Monday, so that increased my good mood.

My day was wonderful until lunch time.

I never realized how one moment can totally screw up your entire being.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, so let’s go back to lunch time so I explain the whole gravity of the situation so you won’t be confused.

LUNCH TIME

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of lunch time and the end of my second period History class. I was one of the first students out of my seat, and I was almost out the door until the teacher called me back.

“Ivy, can you stay after the bell for a few minutes please?” the teacher asked.

I froze and turned around, grinding my teeth together in frustration.

I hate that. Teachers always ask you stuff ‘Can you please turn off the lights?’ or ‘Can you stay after the bell?’ or even ‘Can you answer this question?’ and no matter how much you want to, you can’t say no. ‘Cause if you do, then you’ll get in trouble.

So I spun on my heel, forced a smile and stomped over to the teacher’s desk. She waited until everyone left the class, which took about five minutes, before she acknowledged me.

“Ivy, you know Chad quite well, right?” she asked, smiling up at me.

“Yeah, we’re best friends,” I said sarcastically.

The teacher clapped her hands together, “Perfect! So you can be his partner for the upcoming project, right? Oh, and you’ll tell him about what he’s missed in class and help him catch up?”

My mouth fell open. She thought I was being serious? How could she not catch my sarcastic tone?

And she was doing the asking thing that teachers do too! How can I say no to that when she thought I was best buddies with Chad?

I screamed in frustration in my head. I had to work on a project with Chad? Ugh!

“Ivy?” the teacher questioned, and I saw her get a stern look in her eyes.

“Of course I’ll help Chad, we’re good friends after all,” I said, forcing a smile.

“Lovely! I knew I could always count on you, Ivy!” she said, her face clearing and suddenly turning all happy like sunshine and freakin’ rainbows again. “Here’s the worksheet we were working on today, you give it to him whenever you see him. And tell him I hope he feels better!” She said cheerily, handing me the paper. “Have a nice lunch.”

“You too,” I said, still smiling. I turned around and my smile fell and I glared at the paper in my hands.

I stomped down the empty hallways to my locker, grumbling to myself until I was about to turn down the hall to my locker.

“Jake!” a whiny voice said, sniffling pathetically.

“Yes, Shannon?” he asked, and I could hear the fake nice tone in his voice.

I froze, pressing myself against the wall of lockers silently. I listened carefully, breathing slowly and quietly so they wouldn’t know I was there.