A week had passed since the fallout with Seth, but the tension hadn't faded. CC, Ryan, and I shadowed Betty between classes like bodyguards, while Seth drifted further into the background, exactly where he belonged.
Everything about this situation made me protective of my friends more than I ever was, especially with CC and Betty.
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One morning, I was earlier than usual and decided to wait in the library for the others to arrive. It was just me, the librarian, the smell of old books, and the humming of computer monitors.
My eyes were heavy and gritty from sleepless nights. I was swimming in an endless sea of equations from my multiple math classes, and I needed a lifeguard to keep my head above the water. Who better to help me out than CC?
With a bunch of chatter echoing from the entryway, the misfits entered and looked shocked to see me sitting there with textbooks open instead of doodling or messing around.
Victor put the back of his hand on my forehead. "Pinchi Wey! Are you sick?"
I sucked my teeth and slapped his hand away.
Boss chuckled and set his belongings on the table they had been running the D&D campaign at. "You're supposed to check the temperature from the other end."
I raised my middle finger at Boss. "Okay. You first?"
Victor snorted into laughter, his amusement contagious.
Bear, James, and Nate followed shortly after and settled their belongings.
I sat there and watched them messing around before getting into the campaign. James had his manuals out and dice, but was distracted, staring intensely at the entryway.
"Pickle!" James hollered.
I quickly peered over my shoulder to see who James was taunting. It was CC. She was wearing her Class A JROTC uniform—the three-piece military-style formal ensemble used for inspections and special events.
Her makeup was very minimal compared to her usual look; the black nail polish and the jewelry she usually wore were absent. The different shades of green made the unique colors of her eyes more noticeable. She looked... professional. Sophisticated.
I couldn't help but stare in admiration.
"Alright. Let it all out." CC giggled and spun around to model her outfit.
"Pickle!" We all hollered and teased, our voices blending in a chorus of camaraderie. Being called 'pickles' was something the cadets were used to, especially when wearing green from head to toe.
"Why the class A's?" I asked.
"Promotions and DAI (District Army Instructor) inspection." She sighed as she took a seat next to me. "Big day."
CC took a look at the mess of notes and scratch paper, full of scribbles and crossed-out problems, that was in front of me. "Whoa. Math kicking your ass again?" She chuckled.
"Does it show?" I sighed. "Just when I think I get the hang of it, they pull some shit from the nether regions of hell."
"Okay. Let's see what you got." CC started clicking her tongue as she glanced over the assignment I was working on. She looked puzzled, then looked at some of the other papers scattered before me. "What the hell?"
Her sudden confusion had me concerned. Has my math assignment stumped CC?
"That bad?" I asked.
"No," CC said stubbornly. "You're just a mess. Completely disorganized and all over the place. How many math classes are you taking?"
"Umm...3 if you count chemistry," I muttered.
"Ah. That explains a lot." She blew a raspberry and started sorting out the notes as she sang "One of these things is not like the other..."
She had the papers sorted into neat stacks and handed them over one by one.
"These are from chemistry, this is algebra, and this is geometry." CC chuckled. "I don't know how you did it, but you managed to jumble all three into one assignment, you goober."
"Seriously?" I looked over them.
"Are you doing okay?" She asked, concerned.
I shook my head. "Just got a lot on my mind. Between school, home, and the whole...Seth thing, I haven't been sleeping well or thinking straight."
"Oh." CC bit her lip. "Well, you're pretty much here all day and night. I bet everything feels like a blur."
"Mhmm. I don't even know what day it is anymore. I might as well bring a tent and camp out at the bleachers." I chuckled.
"Good morning." Betty greeted as she took a seat. She looked as restless as I did.
"What took you so long?" CC teased.
"I was talking to Ryan," Betty said calmly.
"Ah." CC nodded casually.
"By the way, Ms. Davies really doesn't like me." I showed Betty the stack of assignments I was working on.
"Why haven't you turned those in?" Betty asked while looking over what I had. "These are previous assignments."
"That's a good question." I completely shut off and stared at the overwhelming amount of homework.
Why didn't I turn in my homework?
"It actually helps." Betty teased. "That's probably why she's pissy at you."
"I know," I muttered. "It's just that I hate homework. I don't like doing assignments outside of class because it's the only time I can actually get help if I'm stuck. "
"You know I can help you, right?" CC reminded me. "I did during summer school."
"And I can help because we are in the same class in a way." Betty smiled warmly.
I smiled back. It was still surprising how much support I had at school from my friends than I ever did at home. When it came to schoolwork at home, I had to figure it out on my own.
"How about I let you look over my homework so you can check your work," Betty suggested.
"Isn't that copying?" I looked at her, confused.
"No. Referencing. You're still going to do the work, you're just comparing it with mine." Betty added.
"Hmm?" CC tapped her pen. "She has a point."
Betty passed her notebook with her previous assignments, which were already graded, toward me. "C'mon. I'm trying to help."
I was at a loss for words about this.
"Hey, Betty. Can I talk to you outside for a bit?" CC smirked and stood up.
Betty nodded and followed CC outside the library.
I sat there alone, still looking confused as to what just happened.
"Girl talk?" Bear whispered over to me.
I shrugged. "I guess."
"Any ideas about what?" Bear pushed, intrigued if I knew anything.
"Just one." I sat back in my chair with my fingers interlocked behind my head. "Seth is officially done. Out of the picture."
"Hmm." Bear raised his brow. "Really?"
I waggled my eyebrows. I couldn't make a hint any clearer.
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During the Lunch hour, there was more commotion going on than usual at the island. I ignored why because I was utterly lost in the creamy goodness of my one true kryptonite. My weakness. The reason I was so chubby.
Little Debbie snack cakes.
"I GOT A PROMOTION!"
"AHHH!!!"
CC's sudden shouting behind me shook me out of my food trance, making me fumble my half-eaten snack cake to the ground.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
"FIVE SECOND RULE!" Victor called out.
"It's dead." I shook my head in defeat. Tears filled my eyes as I saw that delectable treat lost to the grains of sand.
Everyone on the island was laughing in amusement at the moment of chaos CC's outburst caused. She was very chipper as she proudly flaunted her new rank chevrons adorned on her shoulders. "I'm now a Staff Sergeant."
With the sadness of losing my snack wiped away by hearing the good news, the island gave CC a congratulatory round of applause.
"That's awesome! I take it the inspections went well?" I asked.
"Always. Those things are a breeze. I just needed to remember not to lock my knees while standing at attention." CC giggled.
From my experience in the JROTC class, some cadets have fainted and fallen over because of locked knees.
CC joined Betty, Teressa, Sadie, and Dee, who were deep in conversation. I watched from a distance as she looked happy and proud with her new accomplishment. Nothing could ruin this except...
"AHEM!"
Heather had walked up to the group, interrupting their conversation with a rude and obviously fake throat clearing. She had her hands behind her back and gave CC a cold glance.
The group went silent in disbelief.
CC's jaw clenched as she saluted. I knew that look; it wasn't respect. It was survival.
Like the prude that Heather was, stood there enjoying every minute CC stood there saluting. "You need to make sure you wear your cap outside while in uniform, Kane", Heather said in a snarky tone.
"Yes, ma'am!" CC put her cap on and returned to saluting.
A slight curl appeared at the edge of Heather's lip. She finally saluted back and walked away with her nose up in the air.
CC sat back down, flustered and growling under her breath.
I walked over to check on her after such a humiliating encounter. "What a fuckin bitch!" I exclaimed.
CC nodded angrily. "Someone else got a promotion and is now riding on a high horse. I have to salute her whenever I see her." She gagged.
"Can't she get in trouble for being rude like that?" Betty asked. "She's pretty much hazing you."
She took a deep breath. CC was very tense, and I could barely imagine what was going through her mind. The way Heather approached her, even as a JROTC officer, was with malicious intent. She made it personal.
The way Heather acted was as bad as spitting in someone's face.
"Girl talk?" CC looked over to Betty. Her eyes were glossy, clearly from being hurt.
"Oh yeah. Girl talk." Betty nodded and picked up her bag from the table.
"Mhmm." Teressa hummed and followed them. Sadie and Dee wasted no time in joining them as well.
I didn't know exactly what went into "girl talk", but the way they flocked together, this was a war room meeting, and they were the council. Even if they weren't the closest of friends, they were part of the Island of Misfits, and they stuck together.
"Should we be scared?" Bear asked.
"Probably." I chuckled. "Those are some pissed off girls. I've learned to fear them when they're angry."
"They can't be that bad, can they?" Bear was skeptical.
"Yeah, they can. You don't have an older sister like I do. I've seen things."
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After night class, I sat at the front ledge and waited for Betty to join me.
"Did you turn in your homework?" Betty asked as she approached.
"Yes," I chuckled. "Miss Davies was surprised to see me handing something in for a change. I thought she was having a stroke by the way her jaw was hanging there."
Betty laughed. "See. That wasn't bad, was it?"
"No. It wasn't bad," I muttered. "Thank you."
"It was nothing." Betty smiled. "CC told me about your struggles with math. Figured another helping hand could go a long way, and you can avoid repeating more classes."
I blushed, not because of the support, but now that I knew CC had discussed me in their talks.
It made me curious as to what else was said about me.
Betty noticed I had gone quiet again. "You've been shutting down like that lately. What's up?"
"Huh?" I didn't realize I had spaced out until Betty mentioned it. "Oh...just...thinking about a lot of stuff."
"You're thinking about CC, aren't you?" She asked curiously, trying to pry through the walls I had set up again.
"Yeah," I muttered.
Betty giggled. "You really need to just ask her out."
"I want to. I'm just waiting for the right time."
"Did you see the posters for the spring fling?" Betty hinted.
"Yeah. I've seen them around." I paused the moment her hint clicked. "Do you think CC would go?"
"Well...CC didn't look interested when Teressa was talking about going as a group during lunch. She might change her mind if you actually asked her."
I smiled. The warm feeling of butterflies in the stomach was very strong when thinking about it. "I'd like to go, honestly."
This dance sounded like a perfect opportunity not just for me, but also for Bear.
"Are you going?" I asked.
Betty seemed just as interested. "Absolutely. I like the school dances here."
"Umm...I happen to know someone who would really like to go with you."
"Really?" Betty bit her lip. "Who?"
"Bear," I smirked.
Betty chuckled. "I knew it. Why the hell hasn't he asked me?"
"Well..." I leaned back with my arms supporting my weight. "There's a lot that Bear and I have in common."
I felt vulnerable as I prepared to admit a weakness.
"It's the same reason I haven't opened up to CC. We're both shy. We're afraid to ask and don't know how."
Even in admitting that, the weight that had just lifted from my chest was instant relief.
"I see," Betty said softly.
"Now that I know you are going to this dance, I figured I'd give Bear that push he's been needing to ask you out," I admitted.
"Hmm," Betty hummed in thought. "Maybe you can finally make your move, too."
My ears went hot, and I looked to the ground to hide the blush now glowing across my cheeks.
Betty giggled softly and placed her hand on top of mine in confidence. "You can do it. You're braver than you're giving yourself credit."
"You think so? I don't know if I can do it alone." I bit my lip and chuckled under my breath. "Maybe...you can convince CC to go and give her that same push I'm going to give Bear."
"I'll talk to her." Betty smiled and took in a deep breath. "I have a feeling this dance is going to be a great night for everyone."
God. Is this the moment I finally step up?