I had been blessed, or cursed, by a very high tolerance for cold. I knew that by the time I got to school I would already be too hot for the sweater, and it would find its new home around my waste until lunch when I started to get cold again for about an hour, then off it would go. Nice to be predictable, I suppose.
I enjoyed my early morning walks, they were invigorating and peaceful. The sun was beginning to show its face above the houses and illuminate the land around me. Flurries were beginning already, and I knew by time I walked home this afternoon there’d be measurable snow on the ground.
I walked up to the building as the bell sounded and I hurried to my locker to grab my books for my first two classes.
I was not in a good mood as I left my AP English class, the test behind me. I did well, but I really had to work at it. English was in no way, shape or form my strong spot, nor did I pretend it was. I headed to my locker again, dumped off my books and grabbed my lunch. Today we’d have a good old fashion turkey and Swiss sandwich and an orange.
Finding locker 218, I slid down to the floor, brown lunch bag to one side, my novel to the other. As I got settled, bringing my sweater over my head and stretching my arms though, I watched the others, calling out to each other, waiting in line for a hot lunch, or the guys throwing food at each other. My eyes automatically scanned toward the middle of the lunch room to the rowdiest table of them all. There she was, leaning over as she tried to listen to something Kelly told her. Haley sat back, laughing as she dug her fork into her lunch. For just a moment I wondered what had been said, and what it felt like to have that kind of camaraderie.
But just for a moment.
I took the sandwich from it’s clear plastic baggie, and began to eat as I read, chewing slowly as I became further and further involved in the story and its characters.
'Hey.' My head shot up, eyes wide.
'You know, I think you have this weird sort of sick desire to sheer off as many years of my life as you can.' Haley grinned.
'Sorry. Maybe if you didn’t get so involved in,' she lifted the book in my hand to see the title, '‘Bag of Bones,’ you’d hear me.' I glared, put my book aside. 'I didn’t know you were into Stephen King.'
'I’m guessing there’s a whole bunch of stuff you don’t know about me.'
'This is true. Well, one less mystery, I suppose.' She smiled at me as she knelt down. 'Well, I just wanted to let you know that I’ll be picking you up at seven-thirty tonight. Cool?' I nodded. Just when I’d hoped she had forgotten.
'Okay. I’ll be ready.'
'You sure about that?' She wiggled her eyebrows. 'It is going to the dark side, you know.'
'Yeah, yeah. I’m sure it will be a hoot.' Her face sobered.
'Andi, if you don’t want to go,'
'No, Haley, really.' I put a smile on my face. 'I’m looking forward to it.'
'Really?' She brightened again. I nodded.
'Yeah, completely.'
'Great. I’ll see you then, okay?' She stood, 'Oh, I won’t be able to give you a ride home tonight. I have to leave early for the dentist.'
'Hey, no problem.' I smiled reassuringly. 'I’d rather walk in the snow than go to one of those evil creatures, so I’d say I still have the long end of this stick.' She grinned and walked away.
The leaves had begun to change on the trees at the end of September, so now the trees were nearly bare as the snow fell, gentle, large flakes of white to cover the ground and houses. Already there was a good four inches on the ground, and it didn’t look like it was going to stop soon. Eight to twelve inches were expected by tonight.
'Hi, honey.' I was met by a monster hug at the door by my mom.
'Hey,' I returned the hug, missing it as she’d been working double shifts for the past week. I had spoken with her once since Monday night. I stomped the snow off my shoes at the front door as my mom took my backpack from me.
'My god, how all you kids aren’t permanently lopsided I’ll never understand.' She heaved the bag to the couch, and turned back to me with a smile. My eyes narrowed as I made my way to the kitchen.
'Why does it look like you just ate a monstrously tasty canary?' I opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of sunny delight, popped the top and guzzled half.
'Well, Clive asked me out again.' She jumped up to sit on the counter, lightly banging her heels against the cabinet below. I took notice of this before my eyes raised to her face, which was glowing.
'Happy news.' She nodded.
'We’ll see how it goes this time. Here,' she reached for my drink, which I gave to her. After taking a large sip, she handed it back.
'Has he left Diane yet?' My mother sighed, looking down at her hands. I felt like a shit. 'I’m sorry, mom. I didn’t mean to stomp all over your news.' I walked over to her and hugged her, giving her a huge smile. 'I’m really happy for you. You need to have some fun, and you deserve it. If it’s meant to work out with Clive, it will.' She looked up at me, smiling.
'Thanks, honey. I’m just lonely, I guess. He’s a good guy, just can’t quite make up his mind. I’m not looking for another ring, honey. Just someone to do things with, you know?' I nodded.
'Well, then I think it’s great. I know you guys have a ton of fun, and if that’s what you’re after, then I’d say you’re getting it.'
'Thanks, babe.' She hopped down from the counter and hugged me. 'So what’s on your agenda for tonight? Another Playstation marathon?' she smiled. 'Chris is over Brian’s again.'
'Oh, well, I have a party to go to.' Her eyes opened in surprised.
'Really? Where?'
'Well, it’s at a guy from school’s house, and I’m going with Haley.'
'The girl who flipped over my brownies,'
'That would be her.' She patted my shoulder.
'Well be careful, honey. If you drink, please be smart about it.'
'Oh, don’t worry. You know I’m not into all that.'
'You weren’t into parties, either. You are a normal kid, Andrea, whether you allow yourself to be or not. I expect that. Just be smart.'
'Thanks.'
Alone in my room, I sat at my computer to check my email. I had three hours to kill before Haley would be here, and I had no idea what to do with myself. What does one wear to a high school party? What’s expected of you? Do you bring anything? The last party I had been to was in Mrs. Smuther’s class in fifth grade. We had had to bring cookies for the entire class on the last day, our graduation from elementary school. Somehow I don’t think bringing a batch of Pillsbury’s would do it.
Reading an email message from my Sabum Nim for an earlier class tomorrow, I played a game of Literati with some unknown person sitting at their computer, probably in Japan or something.
I hated when I felt this way, a million choices of things to keep my occupied, yet nothing appealed. I played the computer game out of boredom, not any real need to get my ass kicked. I felt restless, nervous, full of energy, but wanting nothing more than to curl up in bed and hide. There was no way I could skip out on this; Haley had been so nice, and it just wasn’t right. Plus, it had seemed to me that she was really excited for me to go. Was it all a ruse? Had she invited me only for me to find that I was the party favor? The entertainment for the masses? What better fun than to play Pin the Tail On Andi.
Running my hands nervously through my hair, I sighed. Why, oh why did I agree? Never in my life had I given in to peer pressure. Why now? And for such a stupid thing.
'I’m disappointed in you, Andi.' I muttered, ending my game of Literati and turning the computer off.
A workout, yeah, that would be good.
I stepped out of the shower, steam rolling through the air all around me as I wrapped my body in a towel. I
