I wrote this for you: I have to combine posts because I thought we had longer to tell this story

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

I have to combine posts because I thought we had longer to tell this story

Mascara gives me away

February 3, 2011
It’s the middle of AP Chem and Tina nudges me under the desk.

“You’re wearing mascara today. What gives?”

I sigh, mulling over my words.

“A couple days ago, Ian and I-”

“Ladies! Back to work please.” Stinkin chem teacher.

Tina pushes a piece of paper across the desk, “So?” Written at the top.

I don’t even know why I’m still so bothered by what happened with you. It was really no big deal. I sketch the words across the paper nonchalantly, briefly describing what happened in the cube car and push the paper back.

I see her eyes narrow as she scans the few meager sentences I managed to choke out about the incident. We get chastened again for not paying attention, and so it’s several minutes before she picks the paper back up, furiously scribbling her response. I roll my eyes inwardly. She’s mad, and now her writing is going to be impossible to read. Jeez.

“He did what?? I’m gonna find him and rip his man parts out so he never has the chance to ever.. I mean really?? You can’t just treat my best friend like that! Who does he think he is? That’s not cool. Not cool at all.”

There’s a tug in my gut that I ignore. Tina overreacts about so many things.

I write a careful reply. “It’s not a big deal. It sounds worse than it was. Nothing really bad happened. Calm down. It’s fine.”

She reads my response and rolls her eyes. She leans over to whisper, “If you say so. But I swear, if this happens again, I’m gonna hurt him.”

I laugh a bit too loud, which earns us another sharp glance from our teacher. I turn back to my work but I can feel Tina studying me from across the desk, analyzing and over-analyzing every stray thought stumbling across my face that only she can see.