disheveled hair blowing in the wind. For a micro-second I lost myself in his hazel eyes, and then I shook my head.
“ I just wanted to be clear.”
“ Clear about what?”
“ About me and Dameon. We’re a thing.”
“ You’re a thing now.”
“ Have been since Monday. And I’m not sure where this thing is going, but I want to give it a shot.”
A grimace shot across his face. “I can’t believe you’re taking him seriously.” His hands gripped my shoulders. “You can’t be falling for him!”
“ I am...and I just want to tell you that I choose him. I need you to stay out of our business.”
“ I see that nothing I say will change your mind.”
“ Nope.”
“ Well then. I respect your decision.”
“ Thanks.”
“ I’ll stay out of your way,” he said, his tone acrid, as the bell rang. But the twinkle in his eyes told me he didn’t mean it.
The rest of my classes were uneventful, one big blur until I got to fifth. When the fifth period bell was about to ring, I darted into the Journalism classroom just in time. Noticing Nathaniel in the back row, I smiled as I slipped into my seat near the wall. I kept my focus on the teacher, Mr. Zimmerman, as he introduced us to a new student, Nathaniel Harbour, from Washington. Mr. Zimmerman was an older man with a balding head and spectacles, and I got the distinct impression he used to be cute when he was younger...like eons ago, but aging didn’t do him justice. Adjusting my NOOK to the textbook for this class, I flipped open my assignment folder with the other hand.
“ Is everyone ready to turn in their assignments?” Silence. “I realize under the recent circumstances some of you may need more time, and the deadline is extended until Friday, but I just wanted an idea of how many of you are ready.”
About half the class raised their hands. I wanted to...desperately. I had never failed to turn in an assignment in any of my classes. I didn’t want to start now. The debate waged war in my mind, whether or not I should write up what I had learned about Tommy’s death. The possible murderer, Clark. His motivations. The lack of reason for suicide on Tommy’s part. The strange silvery-black feathers found on the roof. (No, I’d have to leave that part out.) The newbies to the school and their opinion on the suicide. I could even incorporate Kian’s statement. What’d he say? ‘Not a who, but a what.’ That would turn heads. I’d get an A for sure.
But I couldn’t. Something inside nagged on me. Something did not add up. And I didn’t want to go around accusing perfectly innocent people. There was a strong possibility that Clark had nothing to do with this. I didn’t want to drag the notion of what the ‘ what’ could be in Kian’s statement. No, if I were to do this I would need more information. Besides, I couldn’t be sure at all whether I still wanted to. Nathaniel had that look while shaking his head. He knew what I knew. At least, I thought he knew. He had paid attention on the roof.
“ Ali?” Mr. Zimmerman quirked his brow and glared at me, disappointed.
“ No, Mr. Zimmerman. I don’t have it yet.”
“ Alright then, let us get back to our reading. Everyone turn to chapter twelve.” The NOOKS, Kindles and a few other eReaders flipped on and fingers began scanning the various screens.
Before class ended, Zimmerman waved me to his desk. Standing above him as he sat in the wooden chair made me feel taller, more authoritative. But the moment he spoke I went back to feeling like a little kid.
“ I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright.”
“ Yes, I’m fine.”
“ You just seem...distracted. And you don’t have your assignment ready. That is not like you.”
I stood speechless. “I’m sorry...”
“ No need to be sorry, Ali.” His tone sharpened. “There is a very good counselor at this school. She can help you through whatever it is you’re going through. Tommy’s death shocked us all.”
“
“ I just wanted to be clear.”
“ Clear about what?”
“ About me and Dameon. We’re a thing.”
“ You’re a thing now.”
“ Have been since Monday. And I’m not sure where this thing is going, but I want to give it a shot.”
A grimace shot across his face. “I can’t believe you’re taking him seriously.” His hands gripped my shoulders. “You can’t be falling for him!”
“ I am...and I just want to tell you that I choose him. I need you to stay out of our business.”
“ I see that nothing I say will change your mind.”
“ Nope.”
“ Well then. I respect your decision.”
“ Thanks.”
“ I’ll stay out of your way,” he said, his tone acrid, as the bell rang. But the twinkle in his eyes told me he didn’t mean it.
The rest of my classes were uneventful, one big blur until I got to fifth. When the fifth period bell was about to ring, I darted into the Journalism classroom just in time. Noticing Nathaniel in the back row, I smiled as I slipped into my seat near the wall. I kept my focus on the teacher, Mr. Zimmerman, as he introduced us to a new student, Nathaniel Harbour, from Washington. Mr. Zimmerman was an older man with a balding head and spectacles, and I got the distinct impression he used to be cute when he was younger...like eons ago, but aging didn’t do him justice. Adjusting my NOOK to the textbook for this class, I flipped open my assignment folder with the other hand.
“ Is everyone ready to turn in their assignments?” Silence. “I realize under the recent circumstances some of you may need more time, and the deadline is extended until Friday, but I just wanted an idea of how many of you are ready.”
About half the class raised their hands. I wanted to...desperately. I had never failed to turn in an assignment in any of my classes. I didn’t want to start now. The debate waged war in my mind, whether or not I should write up what I had learned about Tommy’s death. The possible murderer, Clark. His motivations. The lack of reason for suicide on Tommy’s part. The strange silvery-black feathers found on the roof. (No, I’d have to leave that part out.) The newbies to the school and their opinion on the suicide. I could even incorporate Kian’s statement. What’d he say? ‘Not a who, but a what.’ That would turn heads. I’d get an A for sure.
But I couldn’t. Something inside nagged on me. Something did not add up. And I didn’t want to go around accusing perfectly innocent people. There was a strong possibility that Clark had nothing to do with this. I didn’t want to drag the notion of what the ‘ what’ could be in Kian’s statement. No, if I were to do this I would need more information. Besides, I couldn’t be sure at all whether I still wanted to. Nathaniel had that look while shaking his head. He knew what I knew. At least, I thought he knew. He had paid attention on the roof.
“ Ali?” Mr. Zimmerman quirked his brow and glared at me, disappointed.
“ No, Mr. Zimmerman. I don’t have it yet.”
“ Alright then, let us get back to our reading. Everyone turn to chapter twelve.” The NOOKS, Kindles and a few other eReaders flipped on and fingers began scanning the various screens.
Before class ended, Zimmerman waved me to his desk. Standing above him as he sat in the wooden chair made me feel taller, more authoritative. But the moment he spoke I went back to feeling like a little kid.
“ I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright.”
“ Yes, I’m fine.”
“ You just seem...distracted. And you don’t have your assignment ready. That is not like you.”
I stood speechless. “I’m sorry...”
“ No need to be sorry, Ali.” His tone sharpened. “There is a very good counselor at this school. She can help you through whatever it is you’re going through. Tommy’s death shocked us all.”
“
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