Chapter 7-Time Will Tell

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A week later we all sat in study hall again. It was the only time of the day, besides lunch, that we could really let loose and talk. Leah silently did her work while Alicia and Sandy excitedly retold the kiss that had happened between me and Brian.

“I can’t believe you actually kissed Brian” I heard Alicia squeal in delight.

“I know it was soooo sweet!” Sandy giggled.

You would think they would be over it by now. I had kissed Brian days ago. I glanced over at Leah once again who was still deeply into her work-or was at least pretending to be. I have to admit, the girl has guts. If my best friend kissed the guy I like I would

a) Jump over the table and slap the bitch

Or

b) Run to the bathroom crying.

But Leah had too much pride to do either. She would rather sit next to her backstabbing ex-friend (a.k.a. –me), then over-react and have to explain herself. As far as I knew, she hadn’t told anyone about her feelings for Brian except me. If she had made a big deal over what I had done she would have to confess her secret to the very questioning and nosy Alicia and Sandy. However she had not talked to me since that day.

The more I looked at Leah, the guiltier I became, so I switched my gaze over to Brian. He was also trying to tune Alicia and Sandy out, but when I looked over, he gave me a smile. Not just any smile either. One of those I’m-trying-to-act-cool-but-I-really-liked-kissing-you-the-other-day smiles.

I politely smiled back, but started to feel even guiltier. We hadn’t talked about the kiss since it happened. I had actually been avoiding him to an extent. Brian had probably thought the kiss was because I liked him. If only he knew I did it as revenge on Leah…

I mean, I like Brian, but we’re just friends. How many times do I have to say that? It’s bad enough everyone thinks we like each other. I don’t need Brian himself, to start thinking it too.

“I’m going to the bathroom okay guys?” I said starting to stand up. For some reason, Brian started to get up and said, “I’ll go with you.”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

Now he was definitely getting the wrong idea. He probably thought I was hinting for us to go make out in the hall way. When I said I needed to go the bathroom I meant alone, solitary, solo, unescorted!

For a second I thought about saying that to him, but it wouldn’t be fair. Brian hadn’t done anything to me. He was just being a guy.

“Brian, I just have to be alone for a second okay?” I said as politely as I could.

He must have noticed the look on my face so he sat down without any questions.

I walked into the first bathroom I spotted which just happened to be one me and Leah had fought in a few days ago. I rinsed my face and tried calming down.

I felt like such a horrible friend. I knew Leah liked him and I still kissed Brian. It doesn’t matter that technically we’re still in a fight. That’s just plain low. And now Brian probably thought that I…oh who knows what he thinks.

Just as I was rinsing my face a second time, the bell rang. Time for biology.

Realizing I had still left my bag in study hall, I started running towards the library. I was so preoccupied I didn’t even notice that I almost bumped into Brian.

He stopped me. ‘Whoa whoa whoa, slow down Julie.”

“I can’t. I need to go the library, get my bag and make it to biology all in less than…” I peeked at my watch, “2 minutes. I’ve already been late to Ms. Finkler’s class 4 times this semester and…”

He handed me my book bag. “Take this, shut up and get to class” he said with a smirk.

“Brian, oh gosh…It’s so hectic these days and I totally got caught up in the bathroom thinking and I owe you big time…”

“Now you only have 1 minute and 26 seconds” he said.

I took the bag and gave him a hug. “I’ll see you at lunch” I said as I ran up the stairs to the second floor.

I got into class just as the second bell rang.

“Well, Ms. Williams it’s nice of you to join us.” I heard Ms.Finkler say from the front of the room. I looked around and saw most of the students were already working on the class work.

“I’m not late, the bell just rang and--”

She put her hand up as if to silence me. She walked over to her grade book and flipped through it.

“It seems this is your fifth time being late in just a little over a month am I right?”

“But I’m not late…”

“Silence.” she screeched. “I’ll have to send your name down to the principal. You’ll be staying after school for detention today.”

“Detention!?” I yelled. “That is so not fair!”

“Silence! Now get to your seat and do the work on the board.”

Sighing I started walking towards my desk. I noticed that Leah wasn’t sitting at our usual lab table, but was instead seated beside Spencer Montgomery, a well known pot-head around school, who was only in class because he was required to by his parole officer. I was disappointed, but not shocked to see how far Leah was willing to go to avoid me.

I heard Ms. Finkler’s voice start up again so I sat down. “Please turn to page 435 and work on the questions that follow the chapter.”

“Geez, is that all we do in this class?” I mumbled under my breath.

Apparently not too quietly because I saw Ms. Finkler walk towards my lab table.

“Is there something you want to share with the class, Ms. Williams?” she said.

Yesterday, I probably would have stayed quiet, but not today. I was too pissed and the last thing I needed right now was an annoying teacher.

“Actually there is.” I swear I heard a few of my classmates gasp. No one, talks to

Ms.Finkler like that.

“Why the hell do we always do questions from the textbook? We have a final coming up and I haven’t learned anything from you.”

“Watch your language Ms. Williams. And did it ever occur to you that I can choose to run my class which ever way I want? Now turn to page 435.” She started walking back towards the board.

“No.”

Everyone was looking now. Including Leah.

She sharply turned around. “What did you just say, Ms. Williams?”

“I said no.” Grabbing my bag I stood up. “I really don’t need this today. Give me detention today, tomorrow, the whole month, I don’t care.”

Ms. Finkler was obviously startled. She had worked as a teacher for over 20 years, and I’m guessing no one ever stepped up to her before.

“You…You need to sit back down Ms. Williams now!”

“No, I need to get out of here now.” I walked down the aisle, straight past the teacher and slammed the door as I left.

At first I thought she would come after me, but she didn’t so I walked around the school until the bell rang cursing the day I signed up for biology.

While I was in art class, later that day a hall monitor walked into class and handed a note to the teacher.

“Julie? Mr. Martins wants you in his office.”

I groaned silently. The principal.

How much do you want to bet this had to deal with Ms.Finkler?

I put away my paintbrushes and walked to his office.

When I got there the door was slightly open and he motioned for me to come in and I sat down. As far as I could remember, I had never been in the principal’s office, so it was a bit overwhelming. His desk looked pretty welcoming with pictures of a young boy and girl, most likely his children.

He took off his glasses. “So Julie, I can assume you know why you’re here. Ms. Finkler made a complaint. She said you were disruptive and stormed out of the classroom.”

I nodded. “I…I honestly didn’t mean too. I’ve been having a bad day. I know that’s no excuse but...I’m really sorry.”

“I hope you understand this is completely unacceptable. Yelling at a teacher is one thing, but storming out? Completely out of line.”

“I’m sorry, I know I was wrong…”

He scanned a folder on his desk. “Your records are in perfect order. No trouble with any other teacher before.” he said a bit to himself.

I sighed in relief. “Thank you, so if that’s all…”

“Not quite. You didn’t actually think you could get completely off the hook did you?” He chuckled a bit. “Now let’s see, what’s a suitable punishment?” he thought for a moment. “Ahh I know. Three days of detention.”

Oh, that’s not so bad I thought.

Almost reading my mind, he continued. “Of course that’s not all. You’ll be in charge of cleaning up after the Spring Fling, by yourself, this Saturday night. I think that’s more than fair.”

The Spring Fling was an annual dance we had at our school in May. It was a year end dance, similar to a junior prom for grades 9, 10, and 11 that was held in our gym. I had only attended once, when I was a freshman. The sight of my classmates grinding against each other, made me vow I would never go to another one again. Also the fact, that my first boyfriend dumped me during that dance for Becca Smith, may have had something to do with it.

“By myself?” I asked. Has he seen the size of our gym?

“Yes, unless you want the option which Ms. Finkler suggested.”

“And that would be…”

“Suspension.”

“Spring Fling it is.” I groaned.

At 3:00 I trudged into the detention room. There were about seven people scattered about the room mindlessly staring and chattering. The detention teacher was reading his newspaper, not really focusing on any of the kids in the room. At first, I didn’t recognize anyone, but then I saw Spencer Montgomery, the one from biology class that was sitting next to Leah. He motioned for me to come over and since he was the only one I knew, I went over to him and sat down.

“Wow, I never thought I’d see Julie Williams in detention” he chuckled.

“Listen, if you called me over just to annoy me then--”

“Nah, its just weird you know? You’re always hanging out with Leah and Brian right? Well you kinda strike me as a goody-two shoe. Not exactly detention material.”

“And I suppose you are?” I retorted back at him. I was starting to regret sitting next to him.

“Whoa don’t get defensive.” he said.

Ignoring him, I started on my homework.

Just then, I saw Brian walk into the room. “I had to see it for myself. Julie in detention? What has happened to the world?”

“Ha ha.”

I quietly prayed he would not bring up the kiss.

Instead, he ruffled my hair. “Well, I didn’t see you at lunch or math, but Leah told me you would probably be in here.”

“Leah told you huh?” I mumbled.

“What’s up with you guys anyways?” he asked. “You guys seem kind of…distant now.”

“Fine I’ll admit it, we got into a fight. Can we drop it now please? I’m too busy stressing about Saturday.”

“Isn’t Saturday the Spring Fling?” he asked.

“Yea it is. I have to clean up the gym after the dance. The whole gym!” I complained.

“We should go together.”

“To what?”

“The Spring Fling, Julie.”

“Um, that was so not random.” I said sarcastically.

“No, I’m serious. I mean I know it sucked last time you went, but it’ll be fun this time. Do you really want your memories of your junior spring fling to be of you cleaning gum off the floor? Don’t you at least want to say you danced with your friends and enjoyed yourself, even a little bit?”

“I guess that’s true” I said slowly.

“Great it’s a date.” He kissed me on the cheek. “We’ll talk about it later okay? I have to get home.”

When he left, I pounded my head on the desk. What a way for me to convince him I’m not into him right? What did I get myself into?

“Are you guys really a couple?” the voice belonged to Spencer. I almost forgot he was there.

“No, I mean yes, of course we are.” Damn after all the thought I put into this plan I almost blew it.

Spencer looked at me questioningly. “Well you didn’t exactly seem happy when he asked you to the dance.”

“I was… uhm. Just mad because I don’t have a dress.”

“Whatever.”

“So, are you going to the dance?” I tried easing the subject off of anything dealing with me or Brian.

“This one girl asked me a few days ago.” he said.

I shrugged. “So who is it? Anyone I know?” I didn’t really care, but I figured it was the polite thing to do.

“Well, yea you know her... its Leah.” Now I cared.

My mouth dropped. “So, what are you guys now, a couple? You barely know her!”

“Whoa whoa whoa. She’s not my girlfriend. We’ve just kinda been talking more this week and she asked me. She’s nice, been helping me out with biology and everything.”

“Well you better not hurt her” I said. I couldn’t help but be protective of Leah. Spencer wasn’t exactly the safest guy to be around.

“I was going to ask another girl you know, but she has a boyfriend…or at least she claims she does.” he said teasingly at me.

I laughed at that. “Stop lying. You know me even less than you know Leah.”

“Oh, it was worth a try” he chuckled.

We joked for a while and before I knew it, an hour passed and detention was over.

I gathered my things and started to leave, but Spencer called me back.

“Make me a promise okay?” he said as he pushed his hair out of his eyes. Damn, he had nice eyes. They were blue, but not like Brian’s. They had a little hint of yellow and green in them, and were gorgeous.

“Um...sure.”

“Save me a dance?”

I smiled. “I’d love to.”

Why hadn’t I ever noticed how cute Spencer was before?

Author’s Note

Hey everyone. Finally chapter 7. I actually finished this sooner than I thought I would. I got a lot of inspiration for this chapter, and it was probably my favorite to write so far. If you noticed, it also is longer than the other chapters. As for the last chapter, thank you everyone who read, and especially those who reviewed(you get extra smiles lol). It was the second most reviewed chapter of the story (chapter 4 being the first). I’m just really happy you guys are enjoying the story. Time for review replies:-)

Jas0e- I’m happy that was your first time reviewing. Thank you, I’m so happy you liked the chapter.

i loost speeling beas- Believe it or not, very few people sympathized with Leah. Most thought she deserved it, but I love that you felt bad for Leah lol. She’s really a nice girl, she just let her emotions get in the way. Thank you!

SummerBaby94-Lol thank you. :-) that twist was a bit unexpected.

xbloodyxsuicidex-Egad, I can’t believe you said Miranda... I still love you though. Thanks for the review

ihrtbks- I hope your question was answered (or at least clarified a bit) in this chapter. By the way Julie is reacting, she likes Brian a lot LESS than he likes her, but who knows…

X-Miz-x0x-Pennii-X-Aww thank you!!

mischalovers- Lol, yea Leah isn’t very likeable in that chapter, but shes just blinded by love.

Menadoa-I hope you liked this one, and every other one too.

ikisstotell- I try to make this story loosely based off my own high school. I wanted to try and avoid the typically bitchy cheerleader type character a lot of high school stories have. (I love those stories by the way). I just wanted to try something a little different and I’m so glad you like it!

bananna nanners Yay :)

askChachi- I keep thinking of Scott Baio when I see your penname lol. Well back to the story review, don’t worry Alicia and Sandy will get some more time during the next 2 chapters.

afterloop- I love you too lol. I’m glad you like my story and have stuck with it. I also hope you liked the increased length of this chapter as well.

Chapter 8: To be announced…