Chapter Twelve

"Good luck on your exams babe! You can ace it."

"You think so? I-I don't know, I might have missed a few terms." Anne's chem exam is scheduled this morning. I can feel her panicking over the phone while she flips her text book's pages aggressively.

"Of course I think so! And don't worry, after that exam is over, you'll see me tomorrow. Cool?"

"Uh-hm," She mumbles. The pressure on her right now must be heavy. She carries her parents' and school's high expectations. A single failed paper could send her into shambles. I always remind her to take it easy once in a while because I know how she stresses even the smallest mistakes she makes. Her environment isn't healthy. All the standard's she's forced into. So I want to be her resting place, her safe place that she could vent out whenever she needed to.

"I'm nervous," She said.

"It's going to be okay, trust me."

"I-it's just that, I've been screwing around lately with you and that distracts me with my studies. Like right now, I'm suppose to be reading my text book and my notes but here I am talking to you. Don't get me wrong babe, I love us, but sometimes I just feel like I'm slacking off..."

I will try my best to understand her. We both have different worlds outside ours. Problems of our own, that seems like it's easy for me, but is hard for her and easy for her, but hard for me. I need to support her because she's been really open about herself to me and somehow I feel responsible if she's ever down. It's tough to resolve a problem all on your own. I know she'll be there at my downfalls too, she has been there before.

"I'm at school babe. Call you later when the exams is over?"

"Please call... I can't leave you overthinking."

She hung up after I heard a loud car engine roaring at her back. Must be her friend, I remember her telling me about him.

I'm standing at my bedroom's front door pacing back and fort. I'm still wearing my pajamas, haven't taken a shower, but I did brush my teeth already. Mom and Dad is moving down stairs and I eavesdropped on them. They're bashing Evan for getting up late again. Little did they know, the rat isn't here.

With my stealth mode on, I moved like a ninja to sneak my way to my brother's room. There, I'll start the fake alibi.

"No! I'm not covering for you again!" I shouted, making sure I was heard by my parents downstairs. This is cringe. Not doing this again, ever. "I'll tell mom and dad about this. You are grounded. I'm not keeping up with your shit anymore!"

Dad noticed me shouting. He called out what's wrong, then I got out of Evan's room and faced my parents who are peacefully having breakfast. Mom is on the dining table and dad is on the living room switching the radio station from the news to his favorite friday special 70s song hits. They are about to witness a great scene to tear apart their goodmorning.

"Sweetheart what's going on?" Mom said.

"Evan's suspended from school, and I don't know why, he won't tell me! That delinquent needs to be taught, you just can't let this pass."

I almost dropped the act when mom dropped her toast. From their point of view, Evan is this friendly (which he is btw) angel, (not sure of this one tho), incapable of even hurting a fly. I damaged the rat's reputation, for a good cause, of course. If I tell them the truth, it will be way worse.

"Honey..." Mom refered to Dad. Either she doesn't believe me, or she doesn't want to be bothered this early in the morning.

"I'll talk to your brother. Where is he?" Dad rose up from his recliner chair. He wore a bitter expression as he climbled on the stairs but I was quick enough to block his way.

I raised both of my hand to his face. "No," I said. Step back old man.

"No?" He tilted his head to me.

"You don't want to be stressed out when you go to work, right Dad?" I grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around, messaging his stiff back as well. I pushed him back down to the living room. "I'll deal with him."

He squinted his eyes at me suspiciously. Me being up this early is even enough for them to raise their alarm.

"He's not getting out of his room, even closed it on my face! I-I doubt he'll listen to you guys." I shrugged as I added more reasons.

"Ellaine..." My dad sighed my whole first name out adding to the cringe fest. "Let me talk to your brother."

I was running out of bullets to spill. I looked over to mom. She's looking at the clock. "We're leaving in a minute honey!" She shouted from the dining room.

Thank God...

Dad gave up arguing with me. He said he'll talk to him later when they get home. Evan's on his own there. I risked it out all in here, but not giving it too much context so there's no worry messing up plot lines.

Dad put on his coat, and mom grabbed her purse. I impatiently watch them leave the house, but still on guard whenever they stay too close on the stairs. Finally, they left believing my alibi. It was a successful mission. I applaud myself on that one.

...

On my way to school, the very familiar orange Wigo car followed me behind as if it's spying me. She's not speaking, just obviously following me around, for what? To annoy me? Maybe.

I walked in silence, pretending to not notice her. I pulled an earphone out of my pocket and that's when she lost it and honked at me.

"You're annoying," She had the nerve to say. "And boring." She added.

"Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter?"

I rolled my eyes. What is she expecting me to do? I thought she doesn't want to get noticed because she's laying low.

"We're on our way to being buddies, or whatever you call it. So why not share a ride with me? You know I totally don't mind. It's hard driving pass someone I know. Makes me seem like a bitch."

"You're right." I shrugged. I don't have enough energy to waste to walk today. I'm expecting a call from Anne and if she calls in sad, I should be full of energy to cheer her up!

I got in her car which smelled like coffee on the inside. I thought it was a scented air freshener, but turns out she's just having coffee in her car, with the mug I gave her. A jar is placed beside the car's mug holder and it's full Malteser's. Chocolate in the morning, huh? She has a sweet tooth.

"Buckle up," She turned her car to drive mode and then we drove off.

I was busy finding a good radio station when Karlene spoke.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She asked.

That made me think. I got my backpack on my lap, and that's usually the main thing I always have, besides my phone which is on my palm.

I shook my head, not knowing that thing I forgot. "No, I have all my things."

She grunted, frustrated. "It's not that!"

I tilted my head at her. I have no idea what she's talking about. I have my clothes on, I'm wearing my shoes, have my backpack. What else? "I- tell me what it is."

"You haven't invited me to your birthday Ellie, and here I am thinking we're kind of close, but I guess we're not."

I chuckled. So it's about that? I think I remember telling her about my birthday but, I didn't invite her though.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." I grinned.

"I heard even Mrs. Edison next door is invited although she's not even always at home. How could you forget me?"

In my defense, the day I started inviting the neighborhood is the day she left for a date. So I forgot to bring it up the day after.

"It just means you're not really invited." I teased.

She pushed me jokingly.

"Kidding. Okay, I'm inviting you. Are we good?"

"Yes."

We're already at school grounds and she dropped me off at the front entrance of the senior high building because the parking lot is too far and she doesn't want me to be late. She said not to wait for her because she doesn't have a scheduled morning class today and it's okay for her to arrive late. Bold of her to assume I was even going to wait for her.

I shouldered my backpack and went inside. Five minutes to spare til the bell rang, I rushed to my Maths class.