Bubble

Chapter 2: "Impossible Hope"

Emma

I rested my head on the top of the cold lab table, hoping it would suffice as a pillow. I had stayed up way too late reading through the rest of my journal, and was suffering the consequences that morning. I think I may have even fallen asleep in the last part of math class, my pencil still poised in writing position; the bell had startled me awake.

Mrs. Johnson cleared her throat, attempting to get the class to refocus on the boring endocytosis video playing at the front of the classroom. I continued to half-sleep on my notebook and absorb the lecture subconsciously, which proved more difficult than I originally planned due to the monotone voice of the narrator that was acting as a lullaby.

As the clock ticked closer to class dismissal, the rest of the students became restless and began to put their stuff away, much to Mrs. Johnson's dismay.

"Excuse me, class. We have two more minutes left. Do not pack up yet!"

Everyone ignored her, and I rolled my eyes. Were teachers ever going to figure out that doesn't work? I slid my own tablet quietly into my bag and zipped it up. When the bell finally rang, signalling lunch, everyone rushed out of the class as quickly as they could, but I took my time. I didn't prefer to get caught in the mad rush for the door.

I headed to grab my lunch, only to be stopped by the hideous sight of Joshua Aker sticking his tongue down some girl’s throat-- right in front of my locker. Normally, I would just shove my way past the regular occurrence and they wouldn't even blink. But judging from the purpling bruise around his left eye, he most likely remembered my brother from their little encounter the previous day. I decided to play it safe, and was about to leave when Katie, the girl who had the locker next to mine, walked up and gagged in disgust at the couple.

“Are you two done playing tonsil hockey, or will I have to wait another half-hour to get my stuff?” She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at them.

The girl pried her lips away from Joshua’s and shot Katie a cold glare, but the two left anyway and walked down the hallway to continue their activities elsewhere.

“Thanks,” I told Katie as I moved to open my locker.

She smiled. “Welcome.” Katie had always been nice to me. We weren’t really friends, more of acquaintances, but she actually talked to me sometimes which counted for something in my book.

I grabbed my lunch and waved goodbye to her before making my way to one of the lounges that was usually empty at that time. I liked it because it was on the highest floor of the school and had a view of the of the tops of a few surrounding buildings. As usual the area was silent, and I plopped down in a chair by the window.

I put my headphones in and rested my tablet in my lap with a book on the screen; it was the same lunchtime routine I had been going through since before I could remember. I sighed. Only 157 school days to go.

***

"Okay, good. Now what's this word right here?" I pointed to the middle of the page, and Chloe scrunched up her nose.

"I don't know," she said and frowned, sticking out her bottom lip.

I chuckled a bit at her expression. "Yes you do. Just sound it out. Remember what I told you about the ph sound."

She squished her lips into a thin line as she concentrated. "E-LE-F-AW-NT."

"That's right! Elephant. Good job, Chlo," I praised her, and she beamed a toothy grin. I was teaching her to read, just like mum had taught me when I was here age. She was only in kindergarten, but had taken quickly to it just like I had, so she was a few grade levels higher than she should have been. Her teacher had even sent a note home the previous week recommending that she move up to first grade.