Categories > Original > Romance > Dancing with Death
I’d known already that school was gonna suck the next day. It sucked every day, now that I think about it.
Everyone turned to stare when I walked in. I kept my head down all the way to my locker. I got out my books and was early to class. I read until the bell rang. Then I looked up and tried to look like I was listening to Ms. Isobel’s lecture.
The room dropped ten degrees when Gerard came in, late as usual. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept in days, and he had a bad case of bed head—something he never had. I nearly cried seeing him—he was in just as bad a shape as I was. I blinked and turned back to Ms. Isobel, pretending I’d never seen him. He walked past me without looking at me, collapsing into his seat. I felt him near. I couldn’t focus.
He didn’t say a word to me during biology.
“You okay, Sam? You’re barely eating or talking—both are out of character for you.” Tiffany asked at lunch.
“I’m fine,” I mumbled.
“Samantha, why don’t you name all twelve Olympians for us?” Mr. Smith asked in literature.
I rolled my eyes and said in a low, gravelly tone, “Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hades, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Ares and Hermes.”
“Very good.”
The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. “Thank GOD,” I mumbled, gathering my stuff. Gerard’s shoulder bumped mine on the way out of the door, sending a wave of happiness through me. But the look he gave me said everything words couldn’t—crushing the way my heart jumped in my chest.
I slammed my head against the steering wheel of my car when Tina knocked on my window. I climbed out of the car and stood tall to face her.
“Hello, Sammy,” she said, smiling. “How are you today?”
“You knew,” I said. “You knew exactly what you were doing. It was all just so you could pull us down and gain popularity while doing it. You…”
“Yes, Sammy. Did it really take you that long? And I thought I was stupid.”
I couldn’t hold myself back then. I punched her. Right in the nose. She screamed, causing everyone to turn, her nose starting to bleed, Michael rushing up, not knowing whether to pick her up or let her finish the fight.
She straightened up. “You’ve really done it now. I will ruin you.”
I smirked, spitting out my gum. “Do what you want. I won’t care.”
She looked ready to charge at me, but Michael finally made up his mind and grabbed her.
“Bye, Tina. Just know that this was the best part of my day.” I turned and opened the door of my car, glancing up and noticing Gerard standing several feet away, looking right at me. He’d seen the whole thing.
Everyone turned to stare when I walked in. I kept my head down all the way to my locker. I got out my books and was early to class. I read until the bell rang. Then I looked up and tried to look like I was listening to Ms. Isobel’s lecture.
The room dropped ten degrees when Gerard came in, late as usual. His eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept in days, and he had a bad case of bed head—something he never had. I nearly cried seeing him—he was in just as bad a shape as I was. I blinked and turned back to Ms. Isobel, pretending I’d never seen him. He walked past me without looking at me, collapsing into his seat. I felt him near. I couldn’t focus.
He didn’t say a word to me during biology.
“You okay, Sam? You’re barely eating or talking—both are out of character for you.” Tiffany asked at lunch.
“I’m fine,” I mumbled.
“Samantha, why don’t you name all twelve Olympians for us?” Mr. Smith asked in literature.
I rolled my eyes and said in a low, gravelly tone, “Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Dionysus, Hephaestus, Hades, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Ares and Hermes.”
“Very good.”
The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. “Thank GOD,” I mumbled, gathering my stuff. Gerard’s shoulder bumped mine on the way out of the door, sending a wave of happiness through me. But the look he gave me said everything words couldn’t—crushing the way my heart jumped in my chest.
I slammed my head against the steering wheel of my car when Tina knocked on my window. I climbed out of the car and stood tall to face her.
“Hello, Sammy,” she said, smiling. “How are you today?”
“You knew,” I said. “You knew exactly what you were doing. It was all just so you could pull us down and gain popularity while doing it. You…”
“Yes, Sammy. Did it really take you that long? And I thought I was stupid.”
I couldn’t hold myself back then. I punched her. Right in the nose. She screamed, causing everyone to turn, her nose starting to bleed, Michael rushing up, not knowing whether to pick her up or let her finish the fight.
She straightened up. “You’ve really done it now. I will ruin you.”
I smirked, spitting out my gum. “Do what you want. I won’t care.”
She looked ready to charge at me, but Michael finally made up his mind and grabbed her.
“Bye, Tina. Just know that this was the best part of my day.” I turned and opened the door of my car, glancing up and noticing Gerard standing several feet away, looking right at me. He’d seen the whole thing.
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