The Rumor Mill

Ch.26

Chapter 26

Yvette: R u and James back 2gether?!

Me: No...y?

Yvette: Bcuz he just walkd up 2 me and gave me a hug, completely out the blue, and he seems overly excited.

I was sitting in first period texting Yvette. James and Alicia had arrived to school before Leon and I did. Leon had asked me in the car if I knew why James was so happy all of a sudden, which I replied, "How would I know? It's not like he talks to me."

So now, I'm sitting with my group, minus James because he hasn't come to class yet. I am so sleepy! This desk is looking sooooo inviting right now...I just want to....just...put my head down....and...

"Tracey!" I shot up from my desk at the sound of someone shouting my name. Alicia. "What? I'm up," I lied. She laughed and shook her head. She began writing something down. I looked at her suspiciously. What is she writing down? I looked to Leon. He seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"What are you writing?" I asked lazily. Wow, it's only been 24 hours, I have 48 more. I don't think I'll make it that long. I'll probably pass out as soon as I get back to James' house....speaking of James. "Good morning everyone!" he greeted the class.

Okay, just because he got a GOOD night's sleep, doesn't mean he has to flaunt it around in all the Sleep Deprivation people! Where's the respect?! Where's the understanding?! Where's the-

"Hey group!" he greeted while sitting down with a gigantic smile on his face. Alicia smiled a genuine smile at him, which he didn't notice because he was looking at...me? He was looking at me, the smile now gone, but the pleasantness was still present on his face.

"Hello Tracey," he greeted me. I looked at him for a second. Was he talking to me? Is there another Tracey in this class? He raised his eyebrows at me, awaiting my answer. I didn't have one, I closed my eyes...oh no...I closed my eyes. Now it's going to be hard trying to reopen them.

"Turner!" My eyes shot back open. Leon shouted my name this time, he seemed annoyed. "Ugh! I can't do it anymore! I have to sleep! I'm tempted to kill myself JUST so I can close my freaking eyes!" a guy stood up and shouted. Everyone just stared at him for a minute, then we all busted out laughing at the same time.

"I know exactly how you feel man!" Leon agreed with the guy. I smiled a sleepy smile. All of a sudden, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I looked down, holding my down to my lap so Mr. Hart won't see. It showed that I had a new text message from...James?

James: I don't a hi or hello James?

I looked up to him. He was watching me with the same pleasant look on his face. He still had my number? I thought he would've erased it. Why the sudden change of heart? Why all of a sudden he started talking to me again? Does he have pity on me because of my breakdown yesterday? Yeah...that's probably it.

Me: Look James. I understand that you were being nice to me yesterday because of my breakdown. But you don't have to break your vow of silence towards me for my behalf. I realize that we aren't going to get back together anytime soon and I've finally come to terms with that. Just please don't show pity on me...

After I was down writing that LONG message I heard a voice yell my name again. I sighed in annoyance and held up my phone, gesturing I wasn't sleep, I was looking down at my phone. "Oh," Alicia apologized pathetically. "No phones in class Miss Turner," Mr. Hart warned me.

I silently apologized and put my phone in my pocket again. I glanced over at James, who I guess was STILL reading my LONG message. When he was done he looked up and gave me a confused look, saying WTF. I quickly looked away, towards Alicia, who seemed kind of sad.

"Are you okay?" I asked her. She gave me a fake smile and said she was. When class was over, all the sleep having losers rushed out the class, while us non-sleepers just barely made it. When I walked out of the class, James was waiting beside the door.

"What were you talking about?" he asked me, all his joy seemed to have died after I sent him my text. For the rest of class he just kept glancing towards me, but didn't say anything. I looked at him as we started walking down the hall. "What do you mean?" I asked him, turning my head to face him, my voice seeming so lazy.

"When you said that I'm showing pity on you?" he asked. I looked at him strangely. "Well, aren't you?" I answered his question with his question. He looked at me in disbelief. "Absolutely not," he answered honestly.

"Then why are you suddenly talking to me again?" I stopped dead in my tracks when I asked him that. My pause must've caught him off guard because he had to walk a few steps back to me. "Because I forgive you," he answered simply.

Now it was my turn to look at him in disbelief. He forgives me? Was he serious? I not quite sure if he's playing with me or not, because it seems to good to be true. "Are-are you joking with me?" I asked incredulously.

He looked kind of taken aback by my answer, obviously not the one he was expecting. Well, what was he expecting? Me to jump into his arms and praise him for his forgiveness? "Why would I lie about something like that?" He answered my question with a rhetorical question.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Then why the sudden change? Why now? What happened between yesterday and today that got you talking to me again?" I started pouring out different questions. His smile reappeared on his face. "I found out something last night that got me in a good mood," he grinned as he looked at me.

And what's this information? I raised my eyebrows at him, gesturing him to continue. He laughed. "Don't you remember what you and Leon were talking about last night?" he said between his chuckles. He seemed happy about whatever he's talking about. What Leon and I were talking about? We talked about a lot of things last night, just to make small talked. And I could barely concentrate due to my drowsiness.

"We talked about a lot of things...can you be more specific?" I encouraged him to explain. He sighed, but not in an annoyed way. "After you guys were arguing about the other falling asleep..." he pushed. When we were arguing? After we were arguing, Leon asked me...what did he ask me? He asked me about...oh no, he asked me about James and I...and I told him I was in love with James.

My eyes widened when I realized. James' smile widened by my reaction. "You were awake? How much did you hear?" I asked, kind of embarrassed. James shook his head and chuckled. He walked up to me making our shoulders touch as if he was about to walk pass me. "Yes, you guys woke me up with your shouting. And I heard the whole conversation," he whispered the last part and walked away.

Oh no...he heard when I said I'm in love with him...