Page 47 of One More Chapter
I giggle breathily, awkwardly, then shrug, trying to hide.
“I don’t know. Saw you talking to him before we came inside. You lookedpretty cozy…”
I don’t know what my voice is doing. I don’t know what my body is doing. It’s as if the bees are controlling me and I have nothing in my power to stop them.
That thought alone brings me pause.
It’s the excuse I’ve used my entire life.
Ant has bees in his brain and they make him do dumb shit.
No. Not anymore. Ant has bees in his brain, but hecancontrol his actions.
“Anthony Ellis, there is absolutelynoreason you get to comment on who I do or do not speak to,especiallyif it is a dating prospect.”
“I know, Iknow, that was a stupid thing to say, and I’m sorry,” I say, scrubbing my hands over my face to stifle my groan. “You’ve just got me all sorts of messed up, Pen. I saw you with him, and jealousy lit me like gasoline on a fire. I’m sorry. That was rude of me. Especially after I messed up your dinner thing last night. I’msorry.”
I shake my head, deflating a little when I tick my gaze to look at her. She is red with anger, but it seems to be stifling down to shades of pink, the lines around her eyes and the divot between her brows warring, like she wants them to stay, but they’re fighting to fade as she processes what I’ve had to say.
“No,” she shakes her head. “That wasn’t your fault. I didn’t even tell you?—”
“I could have texted,” I say softly. “I could have let you know I was going to be late.”
“You shouldn’t have to—” She pinches her eyes closed, cutting herself off. Opening them, her voice is smaller. “I’msorry, Anthony. I have been terrible to you lately. I wanted to make you dinner as an apology, but didn’t communicate. This is my fault.”
“Ahem.”
We both startle, realizing that a few of the kids are finished and waiting for one of us to review their reflection form, leaving me no time to ruminate on what just happened. Penelope and I part, heading to our respective desks.
I go over the questions with Eliza, a student in our sixth hour class:What was your unexpected behavior? What did you expect to happen? What happened as a result?In theory, it’s not a bad system. Her form reads “Off Task Behavior” at the top, and the remaining questions seem to match up.
“I’m interested in this,” I say, pointing to the section that asks why it was hard for her to stay on task. “What do you mean by, ‘I already know how to do this?’’
“Exactly what it says,” she scoffs. “It was a review day. I don’t need to review the material, so I got bored.”
“And turned your study guide into a paper airplane?” I ask. She smirks. I sigh, then follow up, “Okay. Take the test early then.”
“What? I can’t do that.”
“Sure you can. Did you ask?”
“No.” She crosses her arms, eyes wandering as she thinks it over.
“If you’re confident in the material, and know that reviewing is going to bore you into getting into trouble, why not ask to take the test while everyone else reviews?”
“And you really think that’ll work?” she asks, raising a brow.
“Wouldn’t hurt to try.”
I promise to email her science teacher and explain that the idea came from me, then click my pen so I can add my teacher signature to her reflection form. I pause.
“What are all these tallies for?” I count fourteen.
“Oh. Those are all the times you and Barker made googly eyes at each other.”
I send my googly eyes straight over to her, hoping she doesn’t catch me again in the crossfire.
after florida