Chapter 8: Secret Hater
748 Words
When I resumed school on Tuesday, Rosie made a big scene of hugging me and lamenting about how miserable her life had been with me gone. I struggled out of the embrace, shy under all the eyes that turned to us.
"Glad you're better." Tara spoke up once I passed by her desk, a smile on her face. I thanked her with the usual polite smile response. Honestly, maybe she's just really nice but the surface courtesy going on here makes me feel a little weird. She could just ignore me.
When I passed by Nate's desk–where he was spinning a pencil on his desk, not even looking my way–I had half the mind to stop by and thank him for the cookies. I was pleasantly surprised and grateful that he remembered the cookies I used to obsess over–then again, he used to be my best friend so he knew these things.
I walked past his desk.
When I sat in my desk, I turned to Aaron's beside mine. He was reading through his notes, wearing reading glasses that made my heart feel something I tried my best to ignore. I tapped on his desk and he looked up at me, with a smile.
"Thanks for the chocolates." I gave a wince of a smile because I felt awkward for a reason.
"No worries. I'm glad you're better now."
I nodded and tried to correct my smile. The interaction was over like that.
When I leaned back on my chair, Rosie leaned forward with a whisper. "I know I should mind my business but why was your man glaring at my best friend after your little interaction?"
I whispered back. "My what?"
"Nate just glared daggers at Aaron for whatever reason now."
It was a long day of meeting the two teachers–Chem and Tie Dye theory–whose tests I missed and having them set up another day for me to rewrite. Also not to mention all the catching up I had to do. Being sick during a school period was no fun at all.
So it was safe to say that I literally jumped off my seat when the bell rang and our Literature teacher dismissed us. I missed my Sarah time.
"My cravings are getting too bad these days." Rosie complained beside me as we packed our books. "Declaring today my cheat day."
I sighed and looked at her, "With an s."
"I won't stray this time, I mean it this–" she trailed off and I frowned about to ask what's wrong when I saw Tara approach us.
"Hey, Rosie, Sarah." She smiled, handing us both some cute, little cards. "I'm having my birthday party this Saturday and would love if you two would come."
I looked down at the card, it had "Tara's 18th" with the location and time written on it in cute fonts. "Oh."
"And here, I would love for Aaron to come too." Tara gave Rosie an extra card.
Rosie laughed. "That's impossible for even me to achieve but thanks for believing in me."
Tara smiled then nodded goodbye. "Alright, see you tomorrow."
Rosie hooked her arms with mine as we walked out. "You'll be going, right?"
I winced a little. To be honest, I really did not want to go; not because of anything, I just really hated social events and would not know what to do with myself. However, Tara so kindly invited us, maybe just to add numbers to her attendance but now I feel obligated to go because of it.
"Ugh I don't know." I groaned as we stopped at my locker first. When I opened it, a paper flew out. Rosie gasped before I could even react.
"Secret admirer!" She exclaimed as I picked up the paper. My heart fell when I read what was on it.
"You're really not all that. Don't know what you feel like."
Rosie who'd already craned her neck to read fell silent as I crumbled the paper.
"Just some jobless mother fucker." She tried to reassure but that didn't make me feel better.
I have no idea what I've done except hang out with Rosie and Aaron, minding my own business. I never even spoke in class unless teachers picked on me. Trying my best to stay invisible, yet here we are.
"Yeah, probably a troll." I replied, aiming the paper for the dustbin and missing. "It's nothing."
It was something.
- Writer
