Critical Thinking

8

"It's Friday Friday." Farley sang grinning and I swayed my head side to side a bit.

"Gotta get down on Friday." Victor sang and shimmied making my cheeks heat up slightly giggling.

"Sing with us," Clyde said poking my already warm cheek making it only get warmer.

"I can't sing," I said shaking my head as the doors opened making a gush of cool wind hit my face.

"Fake sing then," Victor said.

"Fake sing?" I said blinking.

"I guess what he means is sing but not in your real singing voice," Farley explained rolling his eyes smiling.

"How do I do that?" I asked as Clyde pulled his newsboy cap down to cover his ears.

"Just do it," Victor said making me remember the same thing I said to Bookie and I grimaced.

"Maybe another day," I said and Farley nodded with Clyde as Victor shrugged.

We're out here for lunch. It's cool but likes not cold. Victor told us Cory was sick today so he couldn't make it to school today. I rubbed my hands together then blew them as Clyde held my tray and his own also carefully.

"This is why you guys should wear gloves like me." Clyde huffed and Farley held up his fuzzy black gloves that he was wearing, wiggling his fingers. I giggled as Clyde huffed handing me my tray.

"Thank you," I said and he smiled as we all took a seat at the table.

I almost jumped up after sitting down. The seats were pretty cold. Farley glanced my way quirking a brow looking amused as Victor laughed. Ughy, him and Victor always seem to catch my embarrassing moments.

"Too cold for your rump?" Victor asked now quirking a brow as I huffed blushing.

"It is cold though." Clyde shivered and I smiled.

Glad someone had my back.

He glanced over at me and smiled back. I felt my face heat up but smiled more before digging in...Okay no not digging in. This is lunch food from school, not a high-class meal. Soon we finished at the same time the bell rung. I went my separate way when we got in the building and they probably did too.

I made my way to English and sat down at a table. Most of the time no one sat in the other lonely blue seat next to me which I didn't mind too much. But to my surprise, the girl I met at the library has taken that spot.

"Hey," she said smiling as she put her backpack straps on the back of the chair.

Pink hairpin, pink shirt, pink flats, pink backpack, too much pink. I squinted my eyes.

"Hi," I said smiling as she sat down.

"Hey," she said before unzipping her backpack and rummaged in it before presenting- a purple binder.

Yeah, caught me off guard. I blinked as she zipped her backpack closed and she glanced at me. I looked away hoping she didn't notice even though most of me knew she probably did. She quirked her eyebrow smiling.

"Umm?" she said as she put the binder on the table.

"You just have a lot of pink things," I said squirming in my seat and she laughed.

"Sorry, mom likes me to match," she said and I nodded feeling slightly bad if it seemed like I judging her. Ugh, I probably was.

"So the book.." I said trying to change the topic only to successfully, awkwardly fail.

"Umm...what?" she asked furrowing her eyebrows and I shook my head as I felt my cheeks heat up.

The class eventually filled up leaving one empty seat. The same seat I'm guessing this girl us to sit at.

"Okay so some of you might know but some of you might not know that next week is Spirit Week," Mr.Pearsing announced.

"Spirit Week?" I said furrowing my eyebrows.

"Ah, yes Oakely your new to the school. So on each day you dress up a certain way for Spirit Week," he said and I nodded as he yanked the top off a blue dry erase marker.

"So next week it would be nice to see every student participate," he said as he wrote on the board.

Monday~ Super Monday

Tuesday~ Twin Day

Wednesday~ Gender Bend Day

Thursday~ Throwback Thursday

Friday~ School Spirit Day (as usual)

"Gender Bend Day?" I said quirking an eyebrow as Mr.Pearsing grinned.

"I will explain each one. So Super Monday us when you wear socks, pants, shirts, and etc with a superhero on it or it's signed. Like a superman shirt with the S sign." he said and I nodded.

"Twin day is when you and another person or more wear the same clothes. And on Gender Bend Day you dress as the other gender. Throwback Thursday is when you wear something old school like wearing a hoodie with the old Mickey Mouse on it. And School Spirit Day, of course, like every Friday is when you wear the colors of the school." he explained as I put this on my calendar on my phone.

The rest of class I read my book and got all the way to chapter two. Might not seem that far but chapter one was very long. Let me not forget there was a prologue that was also long. But eventually English class and I headed to the band.

The teacher was counting something as I walked in. I strolled over to where my seat was but my arm was grabbed and I was yanked.

"Aw-Awah!" I was pulled over to the less bright side of the room and Victor was grinning down at me making my face heat up. "Yo-You scared me-" I begin to say.

"Shhh," he said pressing his finger against my lips and my face heated up more. He grinned pulling his finger away not exactly slow but not fast. I stare up at him flustered. "So, I have a game on October fifth and I was wondering if you'd go?" he asked scratching the back of his head his cheeks slowly tinting with pink.

"Oh is that all? Sure." I said smiling and he grinned.

"Great, cheer for me," he said and I nodded as he grinned before walking past me to his seat.

I shook my head smiling. I grabbed my case that held my saxophone then carried it to my seat. Clyde was already sitting down and practicing. I pulled out my saxophone and cleaned it.

"Oakely." a voice said and I looked up meeting ocean blue eyes.

"Hey, Farley," I said smiling and he snorted holding up the handle piece to my saxophone.

"O-Oh my gosh I kinda need that, thanks," I said taking it and he nodded.

"Your welcome," he said laughing softly and sat down next to Victor.

After we were all settled we practiced on the two songs we had chosen at the moment. Ms. Housewright said she was still waiting for submissions for the third song. We went back and forth on both songs at least twice then she worked with a few groups separately before the bell rung.

I headed to History, sadly as always I was bored in this class. But I made sure to pay attention....well try to. Once the bell rung I quickly packed up and headed out the building. I grinned as the cold air hit my face. Fresh air and school are over for this week. I mean don't get me wrong, I've only been at the school for seven days and it's not bad but man is it good to be leaving school on a Friday. And that's when reality hit me.

Dad said he wanted to talk to mom today I believe. I glanced over at where dad usually comes driving over and huffed. I can't believe I forgot. I noticed a familiar fawn colored blonde hair and walked over.

"Hey, Farley," I said and he flinched slamming the book into his hands closed. "O-Oh sorry if I disturbed you," I said frowning slightly as he looked up.

"Oh no you didn't." he chuckled standing up and tucked the book under his arm. "Just kinda startled me that's all," he said shrugging and I nodded. "Aren't you heading home?" he asked glancing over somewhere before looking back at me.

"Oh um well...I don't really know what to do since my dad is actually going to be busy today." I said and he nodded.

"Well I was waiting until everyone left," he said nodding his head over to the buses and cars that drove in and I looked back at him as he grinned. "I rather walk across the street feeling safe and not feel like I could be hit or ran over at any moment," he said and I laughed that soon became awkward.

That wasn't funny....was it. I mean he had a good reason. Anyone would be scared that would happen but I guess most don't think about it. Sometimes I do but not that often.

"That's smart." I finally said and he snorted rolling his eyes smiling with dimples.

I wanted to poke them. My face heated up. Okay, that's just weird Oakely.

"It's stupid but glad you think so. So thanks," he said grinning and I smiled.

"No problem, sooo I'll just wait here with you," I said sitting down on the grass and he quirked an eyebrow looking down at me.

"You could walk home, I'll be fine," he said and I waved my hand.

"I honestly can't go home. My dad is doing something." I said and he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Oh, um okay," he said and an awkward silence filled the air.

I huffed to myself. Why couldn't I keep a simple casual conversation going? My social skills suck. I mumbled to myself and decided to just go on my phone. Farley leaned against the tree looking at the buses as I went on Feather book smiling. Maybe Bookie was around and he could keep me company. Maybe I can even get better at my social skills with him and possibly be friends with Farley and get better at talking with Victor and Clyde.

CyberGeek: Hey?

I sent it humming. A ring and a vibration startled me so I jumped. Farley looked down and dug his hand into his pocket. Silly me, of course, it was his phone. He pulled out his phone then stepped a bit far from the tree. I looked back at my phone pouting.

Maybe Bookie was busy. I sighed and turned my phone off. Hmm what to do, what to do? I glanced over at Farley and he was on the phone talking I think. When he came back he looked a bit upset.

"I have to go now, my dog got in trouble," he says sighing.

"Your dog?" I asked and he nodded. "Can I come with you?"

Woah, Woah Oakely. You're invading his space. And your awkward and have bad social skills. Being with him more I don't think is gonna help. But your dad is doing something with your mom. And you have to be out until eight.

"Um, sure," Farley said after blinking at me.

The walk to wherever we were going was kinda long. It was quiet mostly Unless I decided to ask or question or try to start a conversation only to fail. But it wasn't too long before I was sitting up against a wall on a patio, petting a dog as Farley seemed to be arguing with a man.

"He ruined my garden!" the man shouted.

"The neighborhood kids threw the baseball in your yard on purpose," Farley grumbled.

"I'm not talking about them darn rotten kids, oh but you teenagers are far worse." the man said glaring and Farley rolled his eyes.

Farley's dog stuck his tongue out panting and liked up to me. I couldn't help but smile and rub him around his floppy hair white ears. His big brown eyes were adorable.

"If I catch that mutt in my yard or anywhere near my property he'll no longer be yours!" the man said before stomping away and Farley grumbled glaring before turning my way sighing.

"Sorry about that, you really must have been bored to come along with me," Farley said softly and I frowned as he whistled making the dog run over to him.

He bent down and smiled ruffling the dog's hair around. He hugged him close then made a face when the dog licked him before laughing. I smiled gently and stood up.

"So this is where you live?" I asked waving my hand in the direction of the house and he nodded standing up.

"Yep, home sweet home as some people would say," he said strolling over and dug in his pocket before producing some keys.

The dog panted his tongue out making me giggle. Farley looked at quirking an eyebrow as the dog wagged his tail before Farley unlocked the door and opened it. I walked in and looked around. It was cool colors around the house. When I looked in front of me Farley pointed behind him with his thumb.

"Need something?" he asked and I shook my head as his dog circled me then stopped when I petted him.

Farley nodded and headed into the kitchen. He came back with a can of coca cola before pointing towards the stairs.

"I'm gonna be up there cleaning my room. I didn't think we'd have any visitors," he said and I shook my head.

"You don't have to clean up. And sorry for intruding, I didn't really have anywhere to go in the meantime." I said and he waved me off.

"No big deal, I understand. Your dad probably had a date over or something like that right?" he said as he went upstairs and his dog followed as I did also.

"Well my mom and he are talking," I said as he got up the stairs.

"Oh, sorry," he said and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"About what?" I asked following him as we walked down a hall and I looked around.

"If I was intruding on your business," he said opening a door.

I walked over to his side and his room was slightly small. Not too small though and it wasn't really messy either. I ran over to his bed and flopped on it without really meaning too. I mean just seeing a bed made me want to do that, let me not forget wanna just fall asleep in it.

I heard a snort. And turned my head to see Farley laughing. I pouted sitting up in a criss-cross applesauce position.

"Whaaat?" I asked and he shook his head before going over to his laptop then sat down in his computer chair and turned to face me.

"Welcome to my laboratory," he said smirking and I giggled.

"Nice laboratory," I said looking around and a picture caught my eye but I looked away from it.

I didn't want to seem too nosey. Or invade anything more than I already had. His dog soon came in here and tried to get on the bed. I almost let him this those big brown eyes.

"Pep, no," Farley said narrowing his eyes and I heard a whimper from the dog before he got down and went over to Farley.

Farley pets him and lets his dog get up there on his lap. His dog wasn't exactly big but wasn't small either. He was more of a medium-sized dog. I didn't want awkward silence to fill the air again. I wanted to get better at being social.

"So his name is Pep?" I asked pulling one of my legs to my chest and left the other leg stretched out.

"It's his nickname I call him, his full name is Pepper," he said petting him smiling. "I got Pepper when I was about eleven," he said and I nodded.

"I've only had a goldfish as a pet," I said pouting and he laughed.

"When I was three I had a goldfish and named it-"

"Goldie," he said at the same time but I more asked it and he looked up at me giving me a crooked smile and some reason my heart flip-flopped only for my face too soon heat up and I looked down.

"I-I named my goldfish Goldie too," I said and I heard shuffling making me look up.

Farley was holding the dog slightly while looking out the window. He huffed and put his dog down.

"Hide." is all he said and I looked around before jumping slightly when I heard a door open downstairs. I ran over to the closet sliding the door open and closed it back.

"Umm...okay." I heard him say then he flung the door to side scaring me before putting his dog in the closet with me laughing softly. "I meant for Pep to hide but alright," he said before sliding the door close gently and I heard rushed footsteps getting fainter and fainter, telling me he was probably running down the stairs.

I slid down and sat down leaning against the wall. Pepper tried walking around but didn't have the much room so I pulled my knees to my chest. He walked in a circle then looked at me with his tongue out panting and wagged his tail. I smiled but my smile soon flatten when I heard loud thumps coming up the stairs.

I gripped my knees chewing my lip as I heard them coming closer and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I pulled my knees closer to my chest so I was almost in a ball. The closet was slid open fast and I almost screamed. Okay, I did scream before I met sky blue eyes.