The Locker Wars

The end of the year was fast approaching, and Adele jumped into study-twenty-four-seven mode.

To and from school, she carried books, only stopping to eat, drink, or sleep. The time that she didn’t spend in school was spent bent over books, underlining key phrases, highlighting the important words and writing and rewriting notes.

That went on for a while. It was the middle of May, with a few weeks left of school, and then exams. After that, graduation. And then Adele would be able to breathe easy.

“Adele!” someone down the hall shouted. “Yo, Adele!”

She only waved them away with her hand, concentrating on the book in front of her. Her tired eyes scanned the page, and she took the information in, trying to understand in a simpler way.

“Adele, look out—”

Adele finally looked up, but it was a little too late. She crashed right into William Beckett, who also had a book in hand, his eyes scanning the text. That was until the collision.

“Oh my, I’m so sorry...” Adele bent to pick up her book, but so did William.

“For what?” William asked. He only gave her a little smile and picked up her book before she could, and she placed her hand accidentally on his. She blushed madly. It was something out of a movie, this thing.

Adele pulled her hand away and took the book from William. “Ah... um... I don’t know. Good luck, um, studying.”

“Thanks you too.” It sounded like one word coming from him.

As Adele and William headed off in their own directions, their friends ran up to them.

Kirsten tapped Adele’s shoulder. “I tried to warn you...”

“Shut up.” Adele’s eyes were hot, and she thought she was going to cry. She couldn’t understand why, though.

“Hey, are you okay?” Riley caught up with them. “Don’t... oh; you aren’t going to cry, are you?”

“I am not!” Adele shouted, snapping her book shut. “If you guys would excuse me, I’m kind of studying here, and I really can’t be disturbed because I really need to catch up on my work and do the best on my exams. I need to maintain my high average.”

“That’s just it, you’re tied,” Riley shrugged.

“Tied to what?” Adele asked, turning the corner to go to her locker.

“Tied with,” Riley rolled her eyes. “With William Beckett.”

“Fuck you.”

Kirsten smiled. “No, she’s right. I just heard his friends talking over it today. His average is ninety-eight point six, and so is yours.”

“No!” Adele opened her locker, just to slam it shut. “I mean... oh god, no.” She slammed her forehead against her locker. “No. No. No.”

“What’s the big deal?” Kirsten asked.

“Big deal? What is the big deal?” Adele mocked. “My life is ruined. I have to be the smartest. So I can be valedictorian. So William can’t.”

“Is this competition or are you trying to prove something?” Kirsten asked. “Just have fun. You know, Prom’s a week away!”

“I didn’t buy tickets so I’m definitely not going, of course.” Adele shrugged. “What, you want me to come help you guys pick out dresses? Didn’t you already get some, like, last weekend?”

“Yeah, but now you’re going to have to look at us trying them on,” Riley explained. “You didn’t come shopping with us so now you have to do something with us!”

“I told you! I can’t hang out. I’m studying.” Adele gestured to the books in her locker. “I’m sorry, but studying is way more important than going to some stupid dance where I won’t even dance. I’ve got two fucking left feet.”

“Then at least come shopping with us after school ends,” Kirsten offered, eyeing Adele’s outfit. “Since when did you go for the ‘drabby’ look?”

“Since exams are coming up and I need something comfortable to wear.” Adele snapped. “When exams are finally over maybe I’ll wear a new blouse or something.”

“Adele, you seem, like, really uptight,” Riley mentioned softly. “Do you, like, want to calm down or something? We’re only making some suggestions. Trying to be nice, you know. Doing what friends should do and whatnot.”

“Yeah, I know, I mean, sorry.” Adele shut her locker and filled her bag with books. “I’m just trying to study a lot. Please just leave me to wallow in my misery if I can. You know.”

“If it helps, I heard William isn’t going to prom either,” Kirsten yelled down the hall as Adele walked away.

“Doesn’t,” Adele yelled back, turning to walk out of the school.