Her Absolution

Chaprter 4

    Sarah and I make our way to first period with our arms links. On our way to the classroom Sarah talks a little bit of the Ashton situation but I only told her to leave it alone I didn’t have the energy to deal with any of that. We found our way to the classroom without getting lost. As we enter, we can see some students already in, they were chatting with their friends. The teacher is not here yet because the desk is empty. Sarah nudges me to a few seats on the back of the room and we go to that direction. The students don’t mind us as they keep talking among themselves.

    I sit in the last chair of the row and Sarah sits in front of me. She was blocking me from the teacher’s desk. I’m so glad because if I fell at sleep in class, he wouldn’t see me. Sarah turns to me so we can speak when I notice a lot of girls watching me.

Okay. Weird.

    Why are they looking at me? And giving me death glares? I haven’t done anything to them. I can see as the classroom gets more crowded that all the students in it are from Crestfall. None from Blue Ride, except me and Sarah. It must be that we are from Blue Ride High, and they don’t like us in their school. 

    The teacher enters the classroom, and the girls stop staring at me, Sarah having the same questionable expression as me. A few seconds after the teacher enters Ashton walks in.

    Sarah once again turns and looks at me, this time I wave her off. When everyone goes to their seat, I see that there is only one available and it’s right next to me. And Ashton is the only one left without one. I saw him approach the seat and then it’s like he saw me for the first time. The look on his face was pure shock as in realizing that I’m here, in the same school, same classroom and right next to him. Does he remember me? 

    He gives me a smile and he nods at me and then sees Sarah. As he passes Sarah, he says good morning to us with his husky, sexy voice that sends shivers to my whole body. Sarah returns the good morning. The girls, most likely some fans, turn to us and gives us once again their murderous glare, let me rephrase that, they are glaring at me. This is so not helping my plan of ignoring him for the school year and being under the radar.

    He turns his head to his left, to my direction, and just stares at me. He wants me to say something, but I won’t. I completely let him keep staring at me, until he gets tired of being in that position. I guess it didn’t work because he starts speaking to me.  

“You’re in my seat.” Just ignore him.

“Fine if you don’t want to answer me. I’m just saying it, so you’ll know why they are glaring at you.”

    f*****g great. Not only are we in the same class but I took his seat. That’s why he keeps staring at me and why the girls are glaring, great. I thought it was because he remembers me or knows who I am. Ok, this is not a big deal, it’s just a seat it doesn’t have his name in it. But I’ll keep ignoring him, don’t want his fans girls to kill me or something.

    After that he turns around in his new seat and slouch in it. He seems to not have a care in the world. I go back to paying attention to the teacher. I want this class to end so badly and get far away from him. 

    In the middle of class, I got bored and lookout the window seeing the grass and the parking lot. I started to think of Asher again. It’s weird not beginning school with him, like a part of me is missing. I don’t want to think about him, so I turn my attention back to the teacher, hoping that the class goes faster. An eternity later, the bell rang.

    It rang just in time when the teacher was going to give us assignments. I put my stuff in my bag and told Sarah I will wait for her outside, practically running out of there. I took my phone out to check it and saw that mom sent me a text.

Mom: Hi, baby. I know I saw you like an hour ago or so, but you left before I got to tell you to have a nice day. Anyway, I’ll see you at home. Love you, my precious. XO

Me: Thanks mom. Have a nice day, too. See you later, love you.

    Mom is the best. She is always thinking of others. I want her for once to think about herself, to be selfish. In the corner of my eye, I saw Sarah leaving the classroom and link my arm with hers once again going to AP History. Marcus is already there sitting; he saw us and wave at us to sit with him. Sarah sat behind Marcus, and I sat next to Sarah on her right. 

    Once again, we were at the back of the classroom. We never really liked the front or middle. The teacher was already inside the classroom she was just waiting for the bell to rang so she can start. Mrs. Walsh was looking around the class seeing the students that she had.

    Mrs. Walsh was one of the teachers that took a job in Crestfall High since Blue Ride High burn down. She saw us at the back and gave me a small smile, I guess she was glad I was back in school. Then Ashton enters the classroom. Really goddess? He also has this class. Why the f**k me? It’s like the universe wants him to be near me. He goes to look for an empty chair when he sees the one in front of me and I swear I saw a smirk on his face. Please do not let him, somebody else please sit there.

    My prayer was partially heard because next thing I know Megan is entering the classroom. Bullshit I prefer Ashton than her, she can go sit herself in the other side of the room. And that’s what happen Ashton sat in front of me and Megan on the other side, but not without glaring at him. I don’t think he knows that she is in this class. This time he does not turn to see me or talks to me. Good, he got the message.

    The rest of the morning was calm and nice. I find out that Ashton is in all of my four morning classes, its good I have Sarah with me. Fourth period ended and Sarah and I make our way to our lockers. I don’t see Ashton near, so I open the locker and get my book for my two classes after lunch as fast as I can. I move to Sarah and once again we link our arms. It’s a way to tell the world to leave us alone. And for other kids to not start talking to us. 

    Marcus joins us on the way to the cafeteria, he was telling us about a girl in one of his classes of how rude she was to him. But knowing Marcus I’m sure he started the whole thing; he is such a problem seeker with girls. 

    Marcus is the kind of guy that if he sees someone he likes or is attracted to them, he goes and says something cheesy or offensive. Mostly offensive or both. I’m going to go this time that it was offensive. He must really find her attractive if his talking so much of her and only meet her like one time.

“Marcus, was the girl really rude to you? Or was it because you said something to her that you shouldn’t?” Sarah asks him and he just gave her this look of innocence. That innocence look he is putting on gives him away.

“Sarah I’m betting is the last option.”

“I knew it. God, Marcus can you sometimes not say anything or at least think before you speak?”

“But I didn’t this time, she was the rude one. And I think.”

“Yeah, right. You’re not swearing on your p**n stash magazines so that means that you are lying, you totally said something offensive to her. I already feel bad for her, and we haven’t met her.”

    And the fighting starts. By now Asher would have shut Marcus up and him and Sarah would have gone someplace to go make out for a while. But he is not here, and I am not going to take his place, let them fight it out, it will be healthy for them. The three of us enter the cafeteria and went to the line to get the food.  

“I hope this food is not crappy like in our school.”

“At least eatable. I don’t want to go the rest of the day starving.”

    But when we look at the different kind of food, it was like looking at heaven food or something. It wasn’t nasty to look at or smelled horrible that makes you nauseous or dizzy. The food actually looks delicious and normal, like from a restaurant or at least a good dinner. Sarah got a hamburger with lettuce, tomato, onion and ketchup, some fries, an apple, and a bottle of water. I got a bowl plate of mac and cheese, a Caesar salad with ranch dressing, and a coke. Marcus took the same hamburger as Sarah without onions, fries, and a bottle of sprite.

    We found a table near the window and far away from the trash cans. The cafeteria is already crowded, and it has only been 8 minutes since lunch hour started. I thought the Crestfall students will eat outside but from the looks of the food here I can see why they don’t. Marcus and Sarah have resumed their arguing and I start eating silently looking at their bickering. 

    I felt my phone vibrate; I took it out of my pocket to check who texted me. It was my sister Jen, what could she be texting me for?

Jen: Hey, little sis. I don’t know if you are in class, but I need to talk to you. Call me as soon as you can.

    My heart started to beat fast, extremely fast. Did something happen? Is she ok? Was Ruby, ok? A lot of scenarios and what ifs starting to go through my mind. Is this what mom and dad felt like when they got the call about me and Asher, cold, nervous, anxious? Did their heart start betting so fast you think is going to burst out of their chest? 

    What if something happened to mom or grandma Lisa? Grandma is all alone in that beach house. Did she fall and hurt herself? With all of the scenarios and question going to my mind I left the cafeteria, without explaining to my friends, and went outside to the courtyard to talk to Jen in private out of anyone’s ear shot.

    With shaking hands, I unlock my phone once again and my fingers press the call icon. Please, I don’t think I can take any more trauma or loss. I already lost to much. I touch number 5, Jen’s speed dial number. After ringing two times she answers. 

“Jen?”

“Hi, little sis. Sorry if I interrupted, your class.”

“I’m at lunch. What’s up? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. Everything is okay. Is just that when you get back from school you probably won’t see me. I know I said I was going to stay until tomorrow, but something came up at work and I have to leave early.”

So, it was about this, it was nothing serious or life threating. I got angry and I just snap, her being the closest to me having to be at the receiving end of my anger. 

“What the f**k Jen? Why would you send me a text like that?”

“Wow calm down. What do you mean? And why are you so angry? I only told you to call me.”

“Why am I angry? Jen, you send me a cryptic text. Read it and then put yourself in my point of view. It made me think of the worst. That something happened to one of you. That I was going to go to a damn hospital again.”

“Oh baby. That was never my intention. I’m sorry. I promise that if it is about one of our health’s or that something happened to one of us, I will call you not text. Okay?”

“Promise?”

“I do.”

“Okay. I’m sorry if I acted like a b***h. I got really scared.” I calm down but I was still pissed not at her but at the situation that was created by my imagination. By thinking first without knowing anything. 

“Don’t worry about it anymore. I am the one who should apologize. I should have been more honest about what it was about. I never ever what to make you feel scared like that again.”

“Okay, Jen. I love you.”

“I love you too, precious.”

    I smile at the nickname. Jen ended the call and just like that I let out a loud sight. I was down on my knees holding on to them trying to calm my breathing. I breath in and out then count to 10. I stay like that for a few minutes, not wanting Sarah or Marcus to see me like this.

“Autumn are you okay?”

    I thought it was Marcus because it was a guy voice but when I get up and turn around Ashton Mercer is in front of me. Ashton Mercer just called me by my name.