Oh, I Never Meant to Cause You Trouble

Finally getting around to fixing the alarm clock I had broke weeks ago, I woke up on time- early, actually. Early enough to walk to school instead of Grant picking me up, I wasn’t ready to act like I was okay just yet.

I walked to the rhythm of the music streaming through my ipod. My boots made clicking noise as I advanced down the sidewalk.

Waiting to cross, something caught my eye- a car, but not so much the car, the person who was driving it. I could recognize that silver Audi anywhere. My heart skipped a beat and I strained my eyes to see someone sitting in the passenger seat.

A girl- my mistake, a woman sat beside him who seemed to be very animated in her speech. Sucking in a breath of fresh air, I crossed the street quickly, stealing a glance at the car as they waited for me. Once on the other side, I was sure of it that he saw me- or was that just wishful thinking?

I have no clue anymore what I’m doing. This is far over my head, that’s for sure.

I shouldn’t be surprised that he has a someone. It’s not like we were mutually exclusive, or anything ever at all. But it just sucks to know that that woman has no idea how incredibly lucky she is.

After the stop sign fiasco, it was a slow go walking the other 5 blocks to school, but I managed to make it to homeroom just before the bell rang. Grant gave me a quizzical look, I’d been getting those a lot lately.

We walked to my locker side by side- sticking to the usual route to avoid Dylan and all his ‘Dylan-ness’ as Grant puts it. “So how was the dance?”

He thought for a moment, “It was alright, nothing special.” My face fell a little, alright?. To Sadie it was the best night of her life- or at least in the top ten.

“Well I bet Sadie had a lot of fun,” I prodded a little, trying to get some sort of positive response.

“Yeah she did- I just don’t see it going anywhere, you know? Like I need someone who understands me..” I tuned out for a second as I saw Asher walking down the hallway, on the way to the teacher’s lounge for his routine cup of coffee. He sent a smile my way but I turned my head as if to read a poster on the wall. Take that, Mr. I-need-a-woman. “Gem, are you even listening to me?”

“Hm? Oh yeah- you need someone that understands you.”

“Yeah.. So I was thinking that-”

“GEMMA YOUNG REPORT TO THE PRINCIPALS OFFICE IMMEDIATELY,” the harsh voice of Dean Vanderwoodson’s boomed over the speakers. I turned around to see Asher frozen, giving me a wide eyed look. Is this it?

It felt like slow motion as I walked to the office- I didn’t even care when people whispered by the lockers about why I was going. All I could think of were the serious consequences that would come with this- all for a guy who labeled me as His Girl Friday, forgetting about me in a matter of days. Life can be so cruel.

So now, I will most likely be suspended, my family will be embarrassed- probably lose some business and an innocent man will lose his job and go to prison. I opened the wide wooden doors to see his secretary, Mrs. Rights- typing away at her desk.

“Please, take a seat.” I did as I was told, absent mindedly flipping through the latest addition of the school newspaper, pretending to hold interest in an article about saving the whales. I was so on edge that the sound of Mrs. Rights voice made me fall off my seat, “the Dean will see you now.” As I walked in she gave me a worried look.

“I’m fine.”

This hasn’t been the first time I was in this scary wood paneled room. Freshman year I was in here for being tardy to my math class on countless occasions- the class was on the other side of the school. Sophomore year it was because I set twenty three frogs free from biology, since I’m against the dissection of those cute little amphibians. Junior year- Val had heard some nasty rumor about me. Something along the lines of me doing some ‘favors’ after school that had to be addressed, all of which were completely false.

And now, it was much bigger than just a simple detention. Well it was my senior year, better go out with a bang. “Ms. Young, it is quite clear why I called you here.”

I decided to pick the clueless card, “..not really, no.”

He took his sweet time telling me why, “firstly, I have to ask how your sister is-” he paused as I looked down at my hands, “don’t worry, Ms. Young, your Mother informed me over her illness yesterday, it has not circulated around the school.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, “oh, good. She’s been better, now Elle’s pretty weak so she’ll probably take this week off. I can gather her assignments if that’s best.”

He leaned back in his chair, “that seems quite fitting, we’re glad you were there to help her. As for Mr. Bates-” a frozen smile spread on my face, to cover up that I was losing it on the inside. “We have thanked him constantly for helping as well- the two of you were a great team.” I smiled, oh the irony.

“Thank you, Dean Vanderwoodsen, I’ll be sure to send her your regards,” I said sincerely, Getting up from the leather chair, he held up a hand.

“Ms. Young, I was not finished.” I hesitantly sat back down and he went on, “as you know- the Young Voices Foundation is teaming up with the-”

“New York Times,” I finished for him- naturally, as a writer I’m pretty up to date on the competitions. Well at least this wasn’t what I thought it was. If this is about Asher and I- he has a strange angle on it.

“Yes- and we have gathered the English teachers to evaluate seniors who have written strongly in their time here at St. Ann’s, and it has unanimously come down to two students, you and Sadie Cartwright.”

I couldn’t help but be excited- I’ve known about this competition for a year now, and you go to New York City for a big award ceremony and get to spend a few days sight seeing with some students and teachers from other schools- it’s basically an all expenses paid trip to blow off school. Sounds pretty stellar to me.

“Thank you, that’s an honor to even be considered.”

“Now- I need you and Sadie during lunch to head down to Mr. Bate’s room to go through guidelines and the theme of the contest.” I stopped for a second- he was the teacher in charge of the contest? This was all just a sick joke. I was waiting for Ashton Kutcher to pop out from behind the curtains yelling ‘YOU’VE JUST GOTTEN PUNK’D’, but there were no camera crews or gorgeous celebrity.

Shaking hands with the Dean, I picked up my books, waved adieux to Mrs. Rights and walked to French. That morning I was a mixture of things- extremely excited on the prospect of a new writing project, nervous to see Asher since last weekend and at the same time I was mad at him. I am the epitome of strange.

I decided to brown bag it that day, and as I closed my locker, I jumped to see Sadie standing behind it. “Ready?” she asked excitedly. I nodded slowly as we walked down the hall together.

“Hey Sadie?”

She was inspecting the contents of her Vera Bradley lunch box as she mumbled an audible, “yeah?”

“About Sunday, I’m really sorry if I was acting weird.” I had her full attention now, “it’s just school and my family, its getting to be too much.” Well that was partially true. School was getting intense since I had to see him everyday and home was beginning to be unbearable since Elle had my parents wrapped around her little finger. I just didn’t tell the whole truth.

“I understand, don’t worry about it.”

I smiled, Sadie is one of the more understanding, “And Sadie?”

“What?”

“I’m glad you had a good time with Grant at homecoming.” She couldn’t help but blush- and it broke my heart that Grant wasn’t as gung-ho about the two of them being together as she was- I’ll have to get onto him about that.

“Thanks, I am too.” Sadie knocked on the door, which was closed with the curtain down. Don’t worry about it, Gem.

But I did worry. It took a few minutes until the door swung open, Mr. Bates- Asher escorting out a pretty blonde, the same blonde I saw in his car this morning. I narrowed my eyes at him when he glanced to the both of us.

We all watched as the dippy woman smiled and strutted down the hall in a short skirt and skimpy top- is that the kind of girl he wants? “Sorry about that. Girls, come in.” Sadie walked in eagerly as I wasn‘t exactly jumping for joy. “Are you okay?” he whispered quickly in my ear. I shrugged my shoulders, joining Sadie in one of the seats in the first row. Asher recovered quickly sitting up on his desk, clasping his hands together, “alright- so this year’s competition’s theme is your favorite literary author, and why you feel everyone should read one of their specific books.”

Sadie raised her hand, even though there were only three of us, “so is this a persuasive essay?”

“In sorts, you are giving the background of the author as well as insight on why they should still be celebrated today.” I racked my brain for a worthy author, there are far too many.

“Does it matter if it’s a male or female?” Sadie asked.

“Not at all, who were you thinking of?”

“I’d want to consider Jane Austen, I think she’s a valued writer.” Asher nodded, then turned to me.

“What about you?” he asked, taking a drink of his soda.
“I was thinking Vladimir Nabokov,” he choked mid sip, “you know, I find it fascinating how the leading male character robbed the young girl’s innocence and then loses her due to his stupidity.” Sadie chewed on her carrot with interest, a little unsure where I was going with this.

Asher gave me a stern look, “’Lolita’ may not be fitting for this competition, Gemma.” I cleared my throat and looked up at the ceiling.

“Fine. I’ve been reading Robert Louis Stevenson lately, maybe I’ll write about him.” I muttered dully.

“These are dark authors, Gemma. Maybe C.S. Lewis?”

I tested him with a stare, “what can I say, I’m a little dark.” He dropped it and handed each of us a packet with the information.

“Now only one student from each school may place into this contest. This is a friendly competition, so help each other out. And my door is always open if you’d like to bounce ideas off of me.” Is that what that blonde was doing with him? Hm. “These are due next Monday, so try to impress me.”

Once dismissed, Sadie bounded out the door without waiting for me. I grabbed my bag in one hand, the packet in the other and made a beeline for the door. Unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough as Asher gently pulled me back to him. “What happened? Are you okay?”

I nodded, playing with the paperclip holding the packet together, “nothing. I’m fine.”

“I was worried.”

“Oh, were you really?” I murmured, “just forget about it, your job is safe.”

“I wasn’t worried about my job,” he looked to the door, then lowered his voice, “I was worried about you.”

“Didn’t seem like it,” I muttered listlessly.

“What was that?” he took a few steps closer, so now we were inches apart. I ignored the sudden spark that was ignited between us as well as his intoxicating eyes.

“Nothing.” I backed towards the door, “it doesn’t really matter anymore. It’s done- now your free.” He looked a little hurt. “I’ll see you in English, Mr. Bates.”

And as I left, I heard him mumble, “yes you will.”