Chapter 2
572 Words
At school, Grace draped Andrew's jacket over the back of her chair.
A few girls immediately swarmed around her.
"Isn't that Andrew's jacket?"
Grace blushed. "It was cold this morning, and Andrew insisted I wear it."
Someone looked my way. "Tara, your brother treats Grace pretty well now, huh?"
I opened my textbook and said nothing.
Grace quickly waved her hands. "Don't say that. I can't compare to her. She's lived with the Jones family for so long. I'm just a sponsored kid."
Her voice was sweet, almost innocent.
'Lived there for so long.'
The words stung like needles.
The first lesson was Spanish.
The teacher paired us up for an oral presentation.
Andrew would always be my partner before.
He'd complain about my slow pronunciation, but he would always mark the stress points in my script ahead of time.
Today, Grace turned around. "Andrew, can I be your partner? I'm scared I'll mess up."
Andrew glanced at me.
I just kept writing.
He paused for half a second. "Sure."
My deskmate Jenny leaned in and whispered, "You two fighting?"
"No."
"Then why's he been sticking to Grace lately?"
I didn't answer.
Up on the podium, Grace mispronounced a word.
Andrew leaned down and circled it on her paper. "Touch your tongue there. That's not how you say it."
Grace looked up at him. "Are you this patient when you teach Tara too?"
Andrew chuckled. "She's way dumber than you."
Someone in class laughed.
The tip of my pencil tore through the paper.
He used to call me dumb too.
But back then, he would always add, "It's okay. I can teach you."
Now, only the first line was left.
When the teacher called my name, I stood up.
I barely got two sentences out before my throat tightened.
It wasn't that I didn't know the words.
It's that everyone's eyes were on me.
Grace whispered, "Is she nervous?"
Andrew didn't look up. "She's always like this. Never could handle a stage."
My fingers went cold.
Jenny snapped her head around and shot him a glare. "Andrew, do you ever think before you speak?"
Andrew frowned. "What's it to you?"
When I sat down, my eyes burned.
But I didn't cry.
After class, I went to the staff office.
My homeroom teacher looked at the transfer form I handed over and pushed up her glasses in surprise. "Tara, you're transferring to Lincoln High School?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
"You're a senior now. Switching schools is a big risk."
"I know."
My homeroom teacher held my gaze for a moment. "Have you talked it over with your family?"
I tightened my grip on the pen. "Yeah, I have."
She sighed and signed the form. "Go get the dean's stamp next."
I was walking out with the papers when I ran right into Andrew.
He held out his arm to block me. "What's that?"
I tucked the papers behind my back. "Nothing."
Grace came running up from behind. "Andrew, the teacher wants us to pick up the competition list."
Andrew shot me a glance. "Walk home together tonight. Mom made soup."
I didn't answer.
He frowned. "Tara, don't make me say it again."
I said quietly, "I have plans tonight."
His face drew dark.
Grace tugged at his sleeve. "It's fine, don't push her if she doesn't want to."
Andrew stared at me, then let out a snicker. "Fine. You'd better stay this tough, then."
- Writer
