Hello, Can You Please Stop Haunting Me?

“Don’t you have some sort of a charity flyer thing to design, due in a week or so?”

“It’s a flyer. How hard would it be to design it?” Zach snapped, rapidly tapping on his touchpad. Eliza didn’t want to do anything but to throw her stuff in her car, drive home, imagine she was on a beach somewhere in Maui and sleep her afternoon away. But she couldn’t. She had a truckload of homework piling up and her backpack had never felt heavier. It was as if someone dumped a sack of bricks in her bag. Her fingers suddenly itched to open her bag and see if it was true.

“I don’t know, you tell me.”

Zach glanced up with that irritated look he had whenever he didn’t want to be interrupted. Eliza raised her hands up, shaking her head innocently. Jeremy floated away from her and landed somewhere behind Zach, peering at Zach’s laptop screen.

“DotA? Really?”

“Sh—dude, you have got to stop doing that!” Zach exclaimed angrily, his laptop nearly falling out of his lap. He cradled it close to him and realizing that he was leaving his game for what seemed to be a couple of seconds, he hurriedly looked at the screen and his face fell.

Jeremy sniggered. “You got beaten by a crappy newbie.”

“Shut up.”

“Guys, please,” Eliza said, rolling her eyes at the boys’ antics.

Jeremy put his hands behind his head and floated back to Eliza. “I’m going to go. I’ll e-mail you the notes that you want for Lit by tonight,” she said when she saw Julie approaching her and waving. Eliza was carpooling with her today (mainly because Eliza didn’t have any money left to buy fuel) and Julie always helped a couple of teachers to carry books and such around before going back home.

Little angel with a devil’s temper, Brea once called Julie.

“I’m thinking, Starbucks,” Julie said, giggling as she linked her arm with Eliza’s. “You want to join us, Zachary dear?”

“DAMN THAT STUPID—”

“Game,” Eliza whispered and Julie nodded.

“I guess that means ‘no’, then.”

“I’m afraid I can’t go either,” Eliza said, feeling a tad guilty. “I’ve got to go to the florist.”

A twinkle appeared in Julie’s eyes. “Ooh, for what? Tell me!”

Eliza placed a finger on her lips and winked.

“Tease.”

“I’m free tomorrow though, after school,” Eliza said in sudden inspiration.

Julie took a sharp breath. “I’m busy with the charity event all afternoon. Gotta clean up afterwards and everything. Maybe then?”

“Sure.”

Eliza noticed that Julie emphasized on the word ‘charity event’ as she glared towards Zach who didn’t even hear her. “We’re supposed to collect money for the needy before winter you know, to give to the homeless. But at this rate, no one is going to come to our stall if no one even knows about it—”

“Now, that’s unfair,” Zach protested, his eyes leaving the screen finally. “I’ve finished it, you know. Yes I know it’s unbelievable,” he added quickly when he saw Julie’s amazement. “I just haven’t printed it out yet. But since you insist so badly then, hey Eliza, come to our cupcake stall tomorrow afternoon. To help the unfortunate.”

Zach gave a triumphant smile towards Julie. “See, there’s one person. I’m making a difference.”

Julie said, “I’ll meet you at my car!” before storming off. Eliza raised an eyebrow questioningly towards Zach.

“I’ve a feeling you did that just so she could leave us be for a moment.”

“Me?” Zach said with an obviously fake affronted look on his face. “How dare—okay, you got me. I just want to say I’m sorry for not being able to help you on this whole finding Xavier thing. It’s just that I don’t really know when I’ll be really free for this week.”

“While it’s much appreciated, but I never asked for your help Zach,” Eliza said. “So there’s no reason to be sorry. I can manage.”

“So, where are you heading off to after going to the florist?”

“Home,” she replied. A moment later, she walked briskly away from Zach after giving him a small wave of goodbye.

“You liar,” Jeremy whispered, a wistful smile on his face.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Eliza said.

“You’re awful at lying, d’you know that?”

“Like I said, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

There was an awkward silence filling the air between them before Eliza saw Julie again who was tapping on her pink watch impatiently. A small shiver ran down her spine when Jeremy began to speak again.

“I always enjoyed looking at carnations and daisies.”

Eliza nodded slightly as she entered Julie’s car.