Husbands But Not

27: Bastum 1

Kent

"Bastum." Mr. Whitman said.

We all thought he was going to lose it at some point in life, but speaking incoherent words? That was something else.

"Does anyone know what it means?" Mr Whitman asked.

Only one hand shot up. "It's a well seasoned air cured type of meat." André said.

"No Mr. Herrera, that's basturma," the teacher said. "Not everything is about food." the class laughed. That was the third time André Herrera suggests food as an answer.

"Bastum came into use in the mid thirteenth century. Medieval Latin used Bastum, then consequently Bastardus, to indicate a person born to unmarried parents," I felt so uncomfortable as he explained. "Or a child born through adultery. A bastard."

Someone in the back snickered at the word, and I didn't need to turn around to know it was Casper. I had thought his ongoing use of that word would've stopped, but nope.

"I didn't realise word etymology and evolution was amusing, Dean." Mr. Whitman scolded. He didn't like Casper any more than I did.

The bell struck, announcing the end of this class and at last, lunch.

"This chapter, along with the previous one are both in your upcoming exams. Dismissed."

Casper shoved me as he passed by. "Bastardus." He laughed. I didn't know what was so funny about it.

The cafetería smelled like stale dish soap and heated pizza. The soap smelled better than the pizza.

I grabbed my lunch and sat on my usual table. Gavin Ross was sitting there with two of his friends. They made room for me, which I appreciated.

"Is Casper Dean giving you trouble?" Gavin asked. Since Val, my friend, left school, he had been keeping an eye on me. He wasn't acting like a bodyguard, or a friend, or a parent. He was just living his own life while I lived mine with the occasional I-got-your-back gesture.

"Nothing I can't handle, it's alright." the pizza lay in front of me untouched. I needed to force myself to eat something because Dr. Grayson said I shouldn't take the flu and fever medications on an empty stomach.

"Val says hi, by the way." His friends were too busy eating to include themselves in our conversation. "She will be back for senior year."

Valerie had left with her mom back and forth between our town and the state they moved from, but since her mom had some unfinished business to deal with, she was going to finish eleventh grade there.

We haven't talked much since she moved and eventually we drifted away from each other. She still sends her salutations every now and then.

The way my eyes caught sight of Noah Grayson entering the cafeteria was magnetic. I could always see him through a crowd of a hundred people.

We've been closer than ever, but also distant as always. Noah had a social life. Noah had friends. Noah had things to do and people to see and conversations to speak.

I had a cold dry piece of pizza.

He tried making time for me. In fact, most of his after-school time was split between me and his friends. I tried distancing myself as much as I could. I didn't want to cause problems among them.

His life was a whole song, but I was just the bridge.

Nothing more than a path to the other side.

Noah and I didn't talk until the very end of the school day. I left my last class and found him waiting by the door.

He simply walked by my side without saying anything.