Surviving the McLane Boys ('On Hold Still...')

Chapter 3 - Trent = Bad News

Chapter 3

“As I was saying, my seniors are taking Geography as one of their subjects and they will benefit from it so much…” Mr Hench voice drones on. He’s already told us about his seniors that many times I expect he wants someone to quote him.

Mitch is slumped on her desk behind her large Atlas, snoring softly.

I smile fondly at her. She’s been such a good friend to me so far. She’s quirky sure. But she’s kind, has a good sense of humor… and well, seems to understands me…

I watch the clock. 2 minutes till we’re allowed out to freedom!

I snake my right leg out into the aisle and nudge Mitch with my sneaker. She jolts awake and immediately starts to read the paragraph in front of her.

Now that’s talent….

She glances up at the clock and then mouths a ‘thank you’ to me. I smile in return and then tap the page number of my open book. She quickly turns to it and acts like she was on the proper page and listening attentively the whole time.

The bell rings and there’s a huge jam at the door as all 29 students in our Geography class try to fit through the door at the same time. It’s a tight squeeze and it’s only when I’m shoved up against the door frame that I realize that Jake has cornered me.

“Let go,” I say through gritted teeth.

He looks down at me, a hint of something in his eyes…

“Um, what I said back before… that wasn’t cool of me. That was way out of line… Uh I’m sorry.”

I look up at him through my hair. “Well maybe you should have thought before you said all that in front of the whole class.”

I try to get away but he presses closer against me. “Please, Hale,” his tone is pleading now.

I look up sharply at him “How can you ask me to forgive you? I’m sick of you and your snarky comments.” I feel him ease up in surprise and shove past him and out into the hall.  My hair falls back into its usual curtain and I clutch my books to my chest. I feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes.

“Hailey! Hey! Wait Up!” A hand comes down on my shoulder, stopping me. Mitch leans down trying to see through my hair. “Hey, I lost you for a second there. You just took off! You’re pretty fast for someone so small– ” she stops in surprise when she sees my face.

I smile at her, brushing at the corners of my eyes “Don’t worry I’m fine… I’ll just stop by the bathroom or something…”

“Ok, I’ll come with, then.”

I smile at her gratefully, glad that she hasn’t pressed me for answers. 

“Oh, by the way, do you mind if we stop by my locker? I just need to grab my jeans and shoes so I can change.”

I nod my head and she starts to lead me through a labyrinth of corridors full of staring teens, curious to see who the mousey new girl is.  

We stop in front of a rainbow polka dot locker. In a sea of grey-blue lockers – this is a surprise. Mitch see’s me staring at it, “You like it? Painted it with a stencil, took long enough… You’re allowed to – the school doesn’t really mind.” She opens her locker and grabs a duffel bag. She then opens the one on its right. She grabs a couple of books and a sports bag out of it and chucks them into her own locker. “You can take this one. It’s been empty for ages so I’ve just been using it for storing some of my stuff.”