Did You Get What You Deserve?

I thought school the next day would be weird, but it wasn’t. Not really. I mean, I got up half an hour early and went to school with Alec to avoid James, but other than that it wasn’t weird. I still had to sit next to him in homeroom, but we just ignored each other. Or at least, I ignored him, so I have no idea whether he ignored me.

Alec didn’t treat us any differently. He’s the perfect teacher. He keeps class in class and home at home. He doesn’t talk about school at home, and even if I ask him to help with my homework he just helps me with the bits I don’t understand and doesn’t ask whether I was listening in class, because we went over it three times.

I couldn’t focus in English, and Alec asked me to stay back after class. All through the rest of the lesson I was on the verge of tears. I was sure Alec was going to tell me off or something, and I just couldn’t take it, not from him. But when everyone else had gone and I went up to his desk, he just gave me a hug and told me to cheer up.

“In your lifetime, there will be many boys. Some will be good memories and some will make you wonder what you ever saw in them. But don’t let James be the latter. He’s a nice boy at heart. Don’t hate him the rest of your life for something you may not have gotten the whole story on.”

I wondered why he had brought this up now. He grinned at the look on my face and answered my unasked question.

“It’s obvious, darling. No offence, but you’re an open book right now. Now go on, I think Matt’s looking for you.”

I laughed and ran out of the classroom. Five minutes later, Matt caught up with me at my locker.

“Can you come to my place tomorrow after school? I have something to tell you.”

“Uh, yeah, okay, but-”

“Good.”

And with that, he turned and ran away. I blinked. That was weird. Then I realised Lindsay was standing beside me.

“Asked you too, huh?”

I nodded.

“I think it’s something to do with the band,” she said.

I nodded again, but it was only when I had closed my locker and was halfway down the hall that I realised what that meant. It meant James would be there too.

Slamming the door behind me, I dropped my bag, grabbed a snack from the fridge and went straight to the study to go on the computer.

LilMissIero (AAAAAAGH!) has signed in.

Caaaariad (bah) (BIG changes) has signed in.

LilMissIero: Cari!

Caaaariad (bah): heeeey!

LilMissIero: whats up?

Caaaariad (bah): nmu

LilMissIero: same lol

Caaaariad (bah): actually, i lie. lotsa stuff is going on.

LilMissIero: ooooh what?

Caaaariad (bah): cant tell

LilMissIero: awww please?

Caaaariad (bah): nah u shall find out. all in good time.

LilMissIero: hmph.

Caaaariad (bah): so whats happening down ur end?

LilMissIero: i dumped james.

Caaaariad (bah): O_O *le gasp* aw why?

LilMissIero: coz he cheated on me.

Caaaariad (bah): sad one.

LilMissIero: *tear*

Caaaariad (bah): *hugs* poor u. i shall cheer u up. just wait.

LilMissIero: huh?

Caaaariad (bah): *winks* just wait. gtg now, bye!

LilMissIero: bye!

Caaaariad (bah) (BIG changes) has signed out.

I sat back and stared at the computer screen. First Matt, now Cari. Everybody has secrets from me!