Infallible

“Morning, beautiful. How was that fancy shindig at your place?”

I turned from my open locker at the familiar voice, a smirk tugging at my lips as I spotted the approaching culprit. Her red hair was a mess of curls sticking up in a million different directions, and she almost tripped over her own feet and face planted into the burgundy lockers. I stifled a chuckle and turned my attention back to my locker.

“Morning, Vera. Has someone been drinking too much coffee this morning?” I inquired, raising my eyes and looking up at my very tall friend, who bounced on the balls of her feet. Her sandals clacked against the white linoleum flooring in the process, making me cringe.

“Maybe just a bit,” she laughed, smoothing the wrinkles out of her tangerine shirt. Yeah, a little bit my foot.

“I thought we had a discussion about that, V. Admitting you have a problem is the first step,” I teased, grabbing my English book from the shelf and closing the locker gently.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” Vera said, waving it off with her hand. “Hey, you never answered my question. How was the business party thing?”

“Just about as exciting as a pack of rocks. Although at about eleven, Mr. James, an employee of my dad, got really drunk and tried to kiss someone that wasn’t his wife.”

“No,” Vera gasped, throwing a hand over her heart for exaggeration.

“Yes. Scandalous, I know.” The two of us giggled for a few more moments, linking arms before we made our way down the crowded hallway.

“So, was Brent at this little party? I don’t even know if I can call it a party, with how boring you rich people are,” Vera teased, bumping into me. I then lost my balance and flew into a poor, unsuspecting freshman, whose books scattered across the floor noisily.

“I’m so sorry,” I mumbled. I could feel my feet heating up in embarrassment, and I leaned down to pick up some of the papers before chasing after a cackling Vera.

“Jeez, Ry, watch where you’re going,” she laughed. I smacked her arm gently and shook my head at her.

“I need new friends,” I muttered decidedly, pushing my hair away from my flushed face. In all honestly, it couldn't be called a normal school year if I didn't say it at least once. My friends were a handful, but they were mine.

“Well you sure aren’t making any that way,” Vera responded, motioning to where the underclassman stood, his brown eyes shooting daggers through me. "So it looks like you're stuck with us."

I felt my cheeks flushing a deeper red and put my head down, dragging Vera toward the English room. I needed to get to class without another collision. My silent prayers were answered as we slipped through the door frame to the classroom and I rushed towards the back of the room.

“I really hate you sometimes,” I informed Vera before collapsing into my desk. I rested my head on the cold surface, doing my best to ignore the profanities scribbled all across it. I shut my eyes to rest for a second, but Vera's sing-song voice broke through my trance.

“I know you love me. But was Brent there?” she asked again, taking her post in the desk beside me.

“Of course he was there. His dad is co-owner of the company. Why are you suddenly so interested?” I snapped, hearing idle chatter as other students began to flock into the room. I had a strange feeling I knew where this conversation was going, but I was desperately hoping I was wrong.

“I don’t know. Just curious. You guys do hang out an awful lot,” she said suggestively, waggling her eyebrows at me.

Nope, I was dead on. She definitely went there.

I found my eyes rolling in their sockets in response, and lifted my head off of the desk to protest. I swear, I had this conversation too often for my liking, and not just with Vera.

“What are you implying?” she inquired.

Vera opened her smirking lips to respond, but we both fell dead silent as we were interrupted by the appearance of a certain curly-haired boy. Brent plopped down in the desk in front of me, and I swear, Vera and I weren't even breathing.

“What did I miss?” Brent asked curiously, turning around and resting his elbows on the dark surface of my desk. Usually I would've pushed him off, but I was too busy watching Vera. Her smile widened, and she again opened her mouth to provide answers.

“Vera insinuating things that are completely figments of her messed up imagination,” I rushed out before she even had a chance to start. I made sure to shoot a silencing, sharp glance at the her to assure she got the memo.

Brent’s gaze flickered between us, his bright blue eyes contemplative. He was suspicious, and I honestly couldn't blame him.

“Do I even want to know?” he asked slowly.

“No, you don’t,” I assured him, but he still turned to Vera, who twirled a ringlet around a thin finger absentmindedly. I widened my eyes and subtly shook my head, and she sighed with a dramatic flair.

“Fine, be all defensive Ry. Mark my words, though, we will finish this conversation,” she said with certainty, a mischievous glimmer in her glowing jade eyes. I didn't doubt her for a second, and I groaned. At the same time, though, I thanked the Lord she was dropping it.

“What the hell’s going on?” Brent demanded, his curiosity boiling through. I wrung my hands together and tried to find a reasonable explanation. In the end, though, I didn't have to.

The bell announcing it was time for class to begin rang harshly throughout the halls and saved me. Everyone rushed to find a seat as Mr. Everett strolled to the front of the classroom. Brent’s eyes pleaded to be let in on the secret, his expression oozing urgency. Vera and I shrugged, motioning for him to turn back around. He grudgingly obliged, but not without one last glare.

“Good morning everybody,” Mr. Everett boomed in his monotone voice.

I flipped open my notebook, taking the pen cap off with my teeth as I tried to find where I left off from last week's notes. Brent's shoulders slouched in front of me, and I saw his head loll back slightly. He was definitely dozing off, which meant I would be taking notes for the both of us, and more than likely Vera, too.

I stared down at the paper with a bit of determination, doing my best not to smudge the black ink all over the crisp white paper as well as my own hand. The hour seemed to drag on forever and my hand cramped like crazy, but on Mr. Everett rambled. I was almost afraid to even dare to look at the clock on the wall. No need to get my hopes up, only for time to miraculously slow like in movies. As Mr. Everett turned to write on the chalkboard, Brent whipped around to face me, and I jumped half a foot in my seat. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Vera watching curiously, a smug smirk on her face.I struggled to keep my eyes on the small, neat notes instead of getting up and smacking the look right off her features.

“Ry, why can’t I be let in on the secret?” Brent whined, making sure to keep his voice low.

I continued scribbling notes furiously across the face, only offering him a brief look up before going right back to the paper. I wasn't good at keeping things from him, and if he asked enough, I knew either Vera or I would crack.

“It’s just stupid girl stuff. Just drop it, kay?” I muttered, pushing my bangs out of my eyes and attempting to get them to stay behind my ear.

“Okay. But there’s something else too,” Brent mumbled.

I looked up at him and could just feel my lip twitch with a hint of annoyance. Did no one but me actually try to pay attention in class?

“I swear, Brentley, if I miss anything that ends up on the test, you’re dead,” I hissed. Brent smiled, tripping over what words to say before I changed my mind, because we both knew I would.

“Are you okay? I mean, about what happened at your place Friday,” he rushed out.

My spine stiffened automatically, and my grip on the pen tightened to the point I thought it would snap under the pressure. I willed myself to count to ten and think about anything else. Of course. None of my friends knew how to drop a conversation.

“Brent,” I murmured with a shake of my head. My eyes flickered up to the front of the classroom, where Mr. Everett was finishing up on the board and about to turn around any second now.

“No, Ry, let me say this. I—“

“Mr. Quinn, is there something you’d like to share with the class?” Mr. Everett asked harshly.

Several students sat up straighter, awoken from their daydreaming at the razor sharp edge to his voice. Brent’s cheeks flushed a rosy red as he grimaced. I could see him grit his teeth as he turned around quickly.

“No sir,” he called quickly, before lowering his voice again as faced me again and narrowed his eyes accusingly at me. “Why didn’t you warn me?”

“I tried. You insisted on continuing,” I retorted in a hushed tone. Even he couldn't argue that one.

Brent clamped his mouth shut in defeat before rotating again to face the board. By now, everyone’s eyes were on Brent and me, and I squirmed uncomfortably before turning my attention back to my notes. Vera was grinning madly, her eyebrows dancing. I saw from the corner of my eye, and allowed one hand to fall out of Mr. Everett’s view before flipping her off.

Her response? A chuckle.

“Miss Moore, seeing as your performance in this class has been less than excellent, you might consider writing these notes down instead of snickering at god knows what,” Mr. Everett scolded, and Vera sunk down into the burgundy plastic chair, her face matching her curls.

“Sorry, sir,” she whispered, and I had to press her lips tightly together to stop from laughing. Lord knows I didn't want to get the same lecture, especially since I hated confrontation. Vera's crimson cheeks and guilty expression were almost too much, though.

The desire to laugh was made greater as Vera scowled directly at me once Mr. Everett turned his back. I just shrugged my shoulders before finally being able to turn back to taking notes, my ink stained hand once again flying over the paper in a mad attempt to scribble down any useful information across the page.