Picasso's Promise

Episode 38| Support Me Like My Bra

Desperately, I wanted moral support. Around when lunch time was about to roll by, I dialed up Danielle to see if she could drive down to Malibu for the afternoon.

"That sounds like a nice idea. I'd love to visit. I've never been to Malibu and I've been in California my own life," she said, elated at the thought. Her end went muffled, moving her mouth away from the phone for a second to speak to someone else. "Oh, I don't know if I can..."

"Huh? Of course you can come. I invited you, Danielle."

"I was talking to Picasso."

"Picasso?"

"Yeah, you weren't here today, and Mrs. Moore assigned us as partners for the presentation. It's worth half our final. We've been trying to figure out when to meet for the assignment since a three-part project. Cooking or baking something, presenting a history about the dish, and writing a two-page essay about the culture the dish is from."

"Shit," I hissed, banging my palm on the kitchen counter. "I pick the worst Monday to skip school." Of all the days to miss out, it had to be the day she paired off students for the final. "Ugh, who's my partner?"

"Eh, you don't want to know."

"Please don't tell me it's Yenifer."

"It's not Yenifer."

I rolled my shoulders, massaging them as a soft sigh left my lungs. "Good."

"It's Genesis."

My body went into what I presume anaphylactic shock felt like if I was ever allergic to anything. I could feel my throat closing up, making it impossible to find words to speak. My skin was burning hot, aching in at split of a second. Genesis definitely was poisonous enough for my body and wellbeing to eventually cause a collapse after working on an assignment with her. Especially a fucking three-part project where I'd have to go into her home or let her into mine so we could cook something. This could very well possibly end my life.

"Why the hell did she assign me to that—that—that—"

"Let it out," Danielle encouraged, "Just let it out."

"I can't think of what nasty thing to call her. I wish I could use them all, but even if I did, that still wouldn't be enough to describe that vindictive shrew."

"I'm sure you can think of something better."

"Mega bitch—"

"Okay, scratch that. You should've kept that in draft, Sydney, because that's an insult I expect from a seventh grader who just got her period for the first time. Go back to the drawing board and try again." 

"Why did Mrs. Moore pair us together? You should've said something!"

"What would be the point? Genesis didn't show up to class today either. I think since you guys were both absent, she set you up together." 

What did I do to deserve this ultimate punishment? I was a good person. Alright, maybe not a good person, but I treated animals nicely and recycled. Also, I wasn't as deranged and unstable like Genesis so that had to count for something, right? It just had to. The universe was having a blast fucking with my social life, ruining and shriveling it down to nothingness.

"That's just splendid." I grimaced.

"It's one project."

"Yeah, and I just so happen to have only one life. I'm going to be dead by next week and I'd put money on that if I had any."

Danielle chucked. I wasn't feeling to great being laughed at; this situation wasn't amusing, at least not for me. In the background, I heard Picasso's voice. He was still near her. At once, I heard Danielle mutter the words: "I don't think she'd be ok with that."