Between Classes

Outside room 112 in the bustling hallway, Anna could see Caleb up ahead approaching, navigating through the sea of students. Making eye contact with him, she knew he was coming to see her.

She frowned and prepared for him, shaking her head.

“Here comes your shithead step brother,” Veronica said sourly, seeing him parting the students to come directly at them.

Tall and good looking, Caleb stepped in front of the girls, a binder and math textbook under his arm,  “So I heard Trent Davis got a look at your scars and tried to kill himself in your history class,” he said snidely, chuckling at his own stupid joke.

Veronica opened her mouth and made a noise of disgust, big blue eyes wide in disbelief at the audacity of the boy.

“Why do you always do that, trying to hurt my feelings, try to make me feel so small?” Anna asked, her own eyes narrow, mouth pursed as she looked up at him.

“I don’t know, why are you such an emo drama queen?” he queried, shrugging his shoulders.

She shook her head. “You’re a shit,” she said, scowling.

“Ooh, that one cuts,” he said, snickering.

“Why don’t you just go to your own class,” encouraged Veronica.

Caleb looked from Anna to Veronica and laughed. “I just thought of something, you two could be slice and dice,” he started, eyes back on Anna, “For you that’s pretty obvious, and you,” he added, turning to Veronica, “Well, you could be dice because it would be a gamble whether or not a guy would get a rash after being with you,” he chortled loudly.

“You are such an asshole!” Veronica snapped.

Caleb nodded, “Yep, that’s where I heard you like it best, little skank that you are,” he countered, cocky grin on his handsome face.

“Fuck you,” Veronica retorted.

“Eat me,” Caleb replied, grabbing his crotch.

Anna shook her head, feeling it again, feeling the inky blackness pooling up inside, but Veronica grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

“Errr!” Veronica growled, “I wish somebody would just smash him right in his arrogant face,” she snarled, tugging on Anna.

Anna’s eyes lingered on him as Veronica pulled her away, the noise in the hall sounding far away.

“Hey, did you hear me?” Veronica asked, shaking Anna’s shoulder. “We need to get to class, you just like gapped out there a minute.”

Anna shook her head. “Sorry,” she said, not sure how she had arrived at her locker. “It’s okay, you go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

Veronica nodded. “Hurry up though,” she called moving off down the hall.

Opening her locker, she put her history books on the middle shelf and pulled out what she needed for social studies.

Valen appeared beside her open locker door, big grin and a half dozen sparse whiskers on his chin, which he called his man beard. “Hey girl,” he said, dressed in faded blue jeans, long sleeve white undershirt and faded black t-shirt with the band emblem for the music group Injustice.

She smiled, “Valen, you better hurry, you’ll be late,” she advised, looking toward the large faced clocking hanging down from the ceiling a short distance away.

“It’s okay. I got chemistry and old man Magoo won’t even know if I’m there or not,” he said, squinting his eyes. “Is that you Mr. Danse?” he asked, stooped over, his best impersonation of an old person’s voice.

She chuckled and shook her head, pushing his face away.

“I know there’s a lot going on for you today and just wanted to check in see if you were okay,” he said, voice concerned.

She nodded, “I’ll be fine,” she affirmed.

He angled his head and looked at her with compassion in his blue eyes, “You sure?” he asked.

She smiled, knowing he meant well. “Don’t worry. He isn’t even going into the hearing till like ten o’clock or something,” she explained, “And the last time it took like four hours before they had a decision.”

“Okay,” he said, “But if you need to talk or want a shoulder to lean on,” he left the rest unsaid, brows raised, patting his shoulder with his free hand.

“Between you and Veronica, I’m sure I’ll get through the day, now go,” she directed, scooting him off to class. Closing her locker, she strode quickly down the hall arriving in social studies just as the final buzzer rang.

Mrs. Pembry smiled and nodded as Anna hustled in and slipped into her desk.

Anna allowed her mind to drift.