Calm Like a Bomb

I sat in 8th hour study hall for what seemed like hours, but in reality it was more like thirty minutes. Sighing for the millionth time I checked the giant clock that hung from the wall above Mr. Montgomery's desk. There truly wasn't a point in paying him, considering he spent a good portion of the hour in the teacher's lounge hitting on the student teachers.

It was a cliche classroom moment. Spitballs flying, paper airplanes whizzing past people's heads, everyone running around the room. I was probably the only one sitting down minding my own business. That is until I saw a couple figures surrounding the desk I was currently occupying.

“Well, look at this, the reject is off by herself. No surprise there, right?” I automatically knew who it was by her high pitched voice. Her sentence was then followed by a couple annoying, practiced laughs.

“Wow, Leah, can't come up with a different insult, can ya? I don't blame you, it's not your fault you were dropped on your head that many times.” I said, folding my arms over my chest and leaning back.

“You're just jealous-” Trailing off.

“Jealous of what exactly? Jealous that I'm not blond, anorexic, stupid. If that then yes, I am sooooo jealous of you.” Lifting an eyebrow at her, I waited for a quick comeback, but all I got was a huff of angry breath.

Turning on her heels, she made her way back to the other side of the room. “Come on girls!” Rolling their eyes at her, they followed like lost puppies.

To keep on with my trail of current events, I was startled by someone jumping in front of me. “Jesus, have you gone completely mad, women!” It was none other than Andi, one of my best friends.

“Quite possibly, I'll have to check into that sometime. Anyways, I need your help.”

“I'm sorry I don't have that kind of medicinal training.” I said shaking my head at her.

“Pssht. If anyone needs that type of help, it's you. I mean, you like Zack for Pete's sake, in fact I'm going to solve your problem right meow.” My eyes widened as she strutted her way over towards the back of the room. Running over to her just as she said hi, I got a hold of myself and straightened my old Johnny Cash t-shirt.

“Um, hey guys, what's up?” He concentrated hard, trying to figure out why we were over here. I'm not going to lie, he looked freakin' adorable.

Nonchalantly Andi blurted out, “ Oh, Avery here just wanted to ask you something.”

“Uh-I was just wondering if maybe wanted to possibly walk home with me today.” I could feel my cheeks get red and my legs turn to jello.

“Yeah, sure why not.” He said shrugging his shoulders coolly.

Getting even more nervous, “It's okay if you don't want to, I me- wait did you say yes?”

“Yes, he did. Now we have to go, okseeyalaterbye. She'll meet you out front after school.” Without even a second glance we were off.

Walking right out of the room, I quickened my pace to keep up with my friend. “Andrea Marie, if you don't slow down, I'm going to slap you across the face with a fish!” I warned her.

“I will eat it, om nom nom. And, my middle name's MARIA!!!” She yelled over her shoulder.

At this point, I'm basically running after her down the lonesome hallways. “You're just trying to sound more Mexican! And the fish will be all rotten and nasty.”

“Oh, you son of a bitch!” Instantly stopping dead in her tracks. Not because of what I said but because of whom she happened to run into.

“Well well well, look who we have here. If it isn't the two trouble makers themselves.” It was Mr. Montgomery, oh shit.

Mocking the balding old man Andi just had to put her thoughts into this, “Well well well, look whooo we have here! If it isn't the per-” I cut her sentence off by putting a hand over her mouth.

“Um, Andi, I don't think that's the best idea....” I said through a clenched jaw. Throwing daggers out her eyes, she stood there defeated.

“Looks like you two ladies could use some time after class then. Now, back to the classroom.” He said pointing the way to hell.

I shot her the most dirty look I could muster up and just shook my head.

She gave me a strange smile in return. She mouthed some words to me, I'll get us out of this one.

We walked through the door just as the final bell rang. I passed Zack and gave him a small smile, “Meet me outside the school.”

Confused, he continued down the hall and up the stairs. “Alright girls, now you'll sit here until 3:45. I will know if you leave. I'll be monitoring the halls and be in Mrs. Krasinsky's room down the hall, so watch yourselves.” With that Mr. Montgomery left the pathetic excuse for a classroom and started roaming the halls.

I peeked around the corner to make sure he was out of earshot before I started flippin' a bitch at the one who got me in trouble this time. “Dude, you have got to be fucking kidding me now. If I get in trouble one more time my mom said she's shipping me off to boarding school! I can't do this kind of shit right now, school's going to be over in a few days, can't you wait that long?”

“I was just trying to put a little excitement into your day....” She said giving me a big ol' pair of puppy dog eyes.

“You did this on purpose?" She could probably see the steam coming out of my ears.

Trying to think of something to say, she started pacing up and down the aisles between the desks. “Oooo, I got an idea that will get us both out of here, without the old dude noticing.”

“And, what would that be, o great one? Just walk out the front doors like nothing happened?” I shook my head.

Chuckling, she turned to me and shook her head back at me in disbelief, “ Do you truly doubt my abilities? Actually, we don't even have to leave this room to get out.”

“What? Are we just going to magically fly out the window?”

“Wow, your idea is like ten times better than what I had. But, instead of flying could we climb up and out?”

“Yeah, that's probably good, I left my flying dust at home, anyways.”

Moving the teacher's desk over a couple feet, we scaled our way out of the dungeon.

“Oh sweet freedom. I can see the light up ahead, and it's marvelous. I am so gracious, oh great grass filled earth.” I said, dropping to my knees and grasping clumps of grass in my hands.

“Over dramatic much? Looks like your lover left, I guess that means you can walk me back now.”

I sighed, disappointed that he didn't wait. “Yeah, I suppose.”

“We're off then!”

-----------10 minutes later------------

“I'll see ya tomorrow, Av.” I'd just dropped Andi off at her house and now was making my way back to my house. To say the least, I was kinda eager to see the surprise my mom had told me about before.

After walking a couple blocks, I passed the spot where I met that group of guys. I laughed off a strange feeling that I had. I was starting to get anxious to get home now, my mind was off somewhere else, I guess you could say.

I walked passed a large brick building with a bunch of random alleyways leading to storerooms and the back exits to peoples apartment complexes. There must have been about six of the narrow entrances.

Then, out of nowhere, well, obviously not nowhere, a person jumped out in front of me. It was Zack. “Ahhh! What is it with people freaking me out today?” A perfectly good horror movie scream wasted on him.

“Oh, haha, yeah sorry about that...” He said rubbing the back of his neck, “I waited till you dropped her off and then I was going to try and catch up to you.”

“....So you were stalking me, don't you know that's illegal. I'm gonna have to report you.” I said mustering up the greatest People's Eyebrow that I could. It was quite fair.

“Damn, and I thought I was doin' something good, turns out they didn't want to be followed.” He laughed out.

I giggled, but then proceeded to walk away. I looked back over my shoulder, he was standing there like a deer in headlights. “Well, are you coming, or not?”

He jogged over to me, “Ya got spunk kid, I like it.”

The rest of the trip was mostly silence until I saw my house approaching, “You should probably start on your way home now, my mom would murder me if she saw you here.”

“Do I really have that bad of a reputation around the neighborhood?” I followed his question with a slight nod. “Well, I guess I'll be your forbidden fruit then.”

I was just about to melt on the sidewalk. “I best be goin' then.” He slowly walked away, but about five feet away, he turned around and speed walked back to me. “Almost forgot something.”

He leaned down and gave me a quick kiss, and was off, just like that. I was done, my heart melted, I turned as fast as I could and ran up the steps as if I was being chased by an ax murderer or something. My life was complete.

I walked through the door of our Victorian style house. “Ohh, mother dearesttttt! I'm hoooome.”

I heard her faint voice, “I'm in the kitchen, Avery.”

Besides hers I heard a few other hushed whispers. I slowly crept my way towards the dining room. And, then I saw them. Sitting at our table as if they owned the place. They stared at me with stupid grins plastered across there faces.

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