His Safety Net

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

       During lunch, I wasn't paying attention to the conversation my siblings and their friends were having. I rarely did anyway. Most of the time, it was either them complaining about Jerome and his friends, or school events that were coming up soon, or Ryder and Mae, or Orchid and Atticus, talking about a date they were going to go on. Not really conversations I wanted to be part of.

       So I was just spending lunch drawing something in my new sketchbook. Getting a new sketchbook was all I needed to get back into my art.

       I should have done this a while ago. It felt great to be drawing again, and without having to worry about coming across the sketches I really don't want to come across right now. 

       Even though I was trying not to pay attention to the conversation happening at the cafeteria table, my ears did perk up when Jerome's name did come up. Ever since I've had a few conversations with Jerome, I've been a bit more... intrigued about him. People were complaining about how much of a jerk he was but... He wasn't one to me.

       Yeah, sure, I've only spoken with him twice so he could always change the way he acts towards me, but if he wanted to be a jerk, wouldn't he already have done that by now?

       "I still can't believe my teacher stuck me with Jerome for the project," Ryder said. "Seriously, we argue all the time and my teacher has seen it. Did he seriously think that Jerome and I would get anything done if we're paired together on a project."

       Alan tried to reply to Ryder, but he had a bunch of food in his mouth so no one could understand what he was saying.

       "Alan," Orchid said, resting her hand on his shoulder. "We've told you say many times and we'll tell you again. Stop talking with food in your mouth."

       Alan swallowed what he was chewing before saying what he said before. "It's probably one of those 'you've got to learn to work together' thing. You know, when teachers pair up two people that hate each other, thinking that you'll realize you have more in common than you think."

       Ryder snorted. "That's bullshit. Why can't people realize that they shouldn't try to force people who hate each other to get along? Forcing us to get along will just make things worse."

       "You're overreacting," I muttered, not meaning to let Ryder hear it, let alone say it out loud. But I did say it out loud, and my oldest brother did hear it.

       "What?" Ryder asked. "I'm overreacting? I'm overreacting? I've told you everything that Jerome has done. My teacher isn't going to give us much time to work on the project in class, meaning I'm going to have to meet up with Jerome after school. And knowing him, he's either going to bail or take the opportunity to come over to our house and mess it up. Or to find some sort of secret about me and spread it to the school."

       I rolled my eyes and got back to drawing. Maybe I should have just stayed out of this conversation. And maybe I was just being too trusting. Ryder had been going to school with Jerome for a while now. I was only in my second week. He knew Jerome a lot more than I did.

       But... I also shouldn't be judging Jerome with what everyone was saying. I mean, people were saying that I got expelled from my last school, even though I took online courses for the past year and a half.

       Why did things have to be so complicated?

       Even tough I was now trying to tune out everyone so I could focus on my drawing, I did hear something from two people who were walking by this table, even though they were trying their best to whisper.