Falling Into Place

When I realized they were waiting on me I simply nodded. My eyes were heavy anyways so I mind as well have some caffeine to keep me awake. Jess quietly asked what I wanted so I had to think again, which was just tiring me out. Still, I thought and looked up at her taking a deep breath.

"I want a caramel fudge coffee," I said with a yawn.

She looked at me funny, simply because she's never seen me eat sweets or anything chocolate related. That's only because I normally never get the chance to eat sweets. When I got the warm cup, I spend five minutes blowing on it then began to drink the chocolaty substance. I felt the color return to my face and my body began to settle down. I felt Jessica staring at me as I licked the chocolate from my lips.

"What?" I asked quietly.

"If that's what it takes to get you to chill out, I'll get you coffee every morning," she said, but worry still filled her eyes.

"I just didn't get to eat this morning and I had to walk so I was kind of off is all," I lied smiling faintly ,but it was fake.

She left it that for awhile as we finished our coffee and Derek slowly began to join in our conversation which I didn't mind since he saved me from angry cheerleaders on several accounts. They don't like my opinion of their cheering, make-up, hair, or clothing. They shouldn't have asked me ,but hey, people are stupid. Feeling awake and refreshed I was all jokes and games as we headed into the hell hole Jess calls school. Only because she didn't like hearing me call it prison. Then, when we were alone, Jessica started asking questions. The ones I was scared to answer.

"Why do you smell like piss in a can?" she asked as I looked at her, concern was deep in her eyes.

"I left my sweat shirt in the living room and my dad split his beer on it, I told you he drinks," I answered, a lie that's hard to see through.

"There's glass on your sleeve," she said, very worried.

"Oh, that?" I attempted to brush it off," A bottle fell on it and broke, no biggie."

"Summer," Jessica said softly," You look like you got ran over by a train and haven't slept in three days, quit lying."

"My mom and dad were fighting again and he threw a bottle at me this morning. It busted on my door and was full of beer. Happy?" I asked my voice stained with misery as walked into my English class.

My teacher looked at me worried as I picked the glass out of my sweat shirt, dropping it in the trash can beside me. At the end of class, I'd written notes, copied her slide show, and finalized my three page essay. When she asked to see me after class, I thought it was about that ,but she had a new topic. My life.

"Summer, you have the highest English scores in the tenth grade. Normally, you'd be the last kid I keep after class ,but I'm starting to worry about you," she said softly as I shrugged.

"Me too, I made a 89 last week," I said smiling grimly.

"Not your grades ,Summer," she said as I looked up at her, she took a deep breath," I'm worried about you as a person."

"Oh, I had to walk today and I didn't sleep well, that's all," I said brightly.

"Are you sure?" she asked me meeting my ice cold eyes.

"Yes ma'am, I'm sure. Don't worry Mrs. Pike, I'll make up for the 89," I said and ran out of the classroom as Jess caught me in the halls.

"We need to talk," she said, worry creasing her face.

"I'm popular today," I said sarcastically as a cheerleader laughed," Your nose job is a little big don't you think?" I said spitefully to her.

She gave me a snide look and I gave her the finger.