There's So Many Things That I Want You to Know
"Sorry, Honey. I'm Gay."
Once Mariella had her timetable, she exited the main office and headed down the hall. Students stared at her as she passed. She bit her lip, glancing down to see which class she had first. Maths. Great.
The teacher barely looked up from his planner in front of him. "Miss Lyons. Welcome. Find a seat."
The only unoccupied desk was in the back, beside a guy who was reading. She set her bag down on the floor and slid into the chair. The boy didn't even drag his eyes off his book as he began writing on the back of his worksheet.
teacher's name is Monsieur DuPont. He's a dick.
Uh...thanks?
"Monsieur Comeau, passing notes?"
"No, sir."
I'm Chuck.
Ella.
Niiiiice.
What?
My friend's name is Ellie.
"Miss Lyons, bring that note up."
"My name's Ella, not Miss Lyons. Get it right."
"I don't have time to play childish games with you."
"Oh, but I do."
The whole class was now watching the exchange - Chuck included. Monsieur DuPont gave the new girl a sour look before returning to lecturing.
Lunch came slowly. In French, she tripped on her way back from the pencil sharpener. She broke a beaker in Chemistry and got hit in the face by a dodgeball in Physical Education. By the time she got to the courtyard, she couldn't wait to be left alone. Someone else had other plans.
"Ella! Come here!"
She pretended she didn't hear the girl, put her headphones on, and turned up the volume on her Discman. She had just closed her eyes at a table when the sound of Kurt Cobain's voice was very suddenly ripped away.
"Oh. Ellie."
"Come on. You're not eating alone."
"I don't want to."
"Girl, I did not give you a ride to school this morning just for you to sit by yourself at Lunch. So come on, eh?"
"Fine!" Ella laughed, grabbing her bag. "Even though, technically, I'm not eating."
"Don't be a smart-ass. Jeff, you drop that pizza this instant. Not on Chuck's head! Ella, this is Chuck, Jeff, Pierre, Seb, Janelle, Diane, Emilie, and our little tag-along, Pat. Guys - and girls, including you, Pat - this is Mariella. Call her Ella."
"Can I call you for a date?" Pat asked eagerly.
"Sorry, honey, but I'm gay."
The table fell silent, and the others all stared at Ella. Then Pierre looked to the girl named Janelle.
"She's gonna fit in perfectly."
The teacher barely looked up from his planner in front of him. "Miss Lyons. Welcome. Find a seat."
The only unoccupied desk was in the back, beside a guy who was reading. She set her bag down on the floor and slid into the chair. The boy didn't even drag his eyes off his book as he began writing on the back of his worksheet.
teacher's name is Monsieur DuPont. He's a dick.
Uh...thanks?
"Monsieur Comeau, passing notes?"
"No, sir."
I'm Chuck.
Ella.
Niiiiice.
What?
My friend's name is Ellie.
"Miss Lyons, bring that note up."
"My name's Ella, not Miss Lyons. Get it right."
"I don't have time to play childish games with you."
"Oh, but I do."
The whole class was now watching the exchange - Chuck included. Monsieur DuPont gave the new girl a sour look before returning to lecturing.
Lunch came slowly. In French, she tripped on her way back from the pencil sharpener. She broke a beaker in Chemistry and got hit in the face by a dodgeball in Physical Education. By the time she got to the courtyard, she couldn't wait to be left alone. Someone else had other plans.
"Ella! Come here!"
She pretended she didn't hear the girl, put her headphones on, and turned up the volume on her Discman. She had just closed her eyes at a table when the sound of Kurt Cobain's voice was very suddenly ripped away.
"Oh. Ellie."
"Come on. You're not eating alone."
"I don't want to."
"Girl, I did not give you a ride to school this morning just for you to sit by yourself at Lunch. So come on, eh?"
"Fine!" Ella laughed, grabbing her bag. "Even though, technically, I'm not eating."
"Don't be a smart-ass. Jeff, you drop that pizza this instant. Not on Chuck's head! Ella, this is Chuck, Jeff, Pierre, Seb, Janelle, Diane, Emilie, and our little tag-along, Pat. Guys - and girls, including you, Pat - this is Mariella. Call her Ella."
"Can I call you for a date?" Pat asked eagerly.
"Sorry, honey, but I'm gay."
The table fell silent, and the others all stared at Ella. Then Pierre looked to the girl named Janelle.
"She's gonna fit in perfectly."