by L.A. Jones
Chapter Six
Day Two began much as Day One had. Aradia’s dad dropped her off, she wandered the campus, and she wondered why so many people were staring at her.
She was sure of it now. At first she’d held open the possibility that she was imagining it, but she’d outright caught a few students looking at her. It wasn’t the way one might stare at a celebrity.
She flattered herself to think maybe they all found her really attractive, but it didn’t feel like the right kind of staring for that explanation. Besides, it was about equally guys and girls looking, and she didn’t think that answer quite fit the facts.
It was more like they were confused and were trying to figure her out. They stared the way one might stare at one of those Seeing Eye puzzles, searching what appeared to be chaos in order to find a 3D bunny.
When she heard the first bell ring, she was practically on the opposite side of campus from her first period. Poor planning, Rai, she chided herself.
She hustled.
Aradia’s forehead was slightly shining with perspiration, but she made it to English Lit with time to spare, and she wasn’t even the last one to arrive. She arranged her notebook and her copy of Anne of Green Gables, their reading assignment from the night before, in a convenient manner on her desk.
Aradia was much more comfortable than she had been on Day One. She was feeling especially empowered in her friend-making abilities after her successful interaction with Roy at the track, even though he hadn’t made it to their proposed lunch date.
She had sat in the corner of the lunchroom with a clear view of the entrances. She’d made sure to get there early so she wouldn’t have to search awkwardly for him. It wouldn’t have been hard to find him with her summoning power, of course, but she preferred to be able to wave him over.
She thought waving him to her would be cuter.
She’d never gotten the chance to try, though.
At first she’d sulked through her cheeseburger and baked fries. They should call them french bakes, she had moped to herself.
By the time she’d made it to her dessert fruit cup, though, she had felt much better. Roy hadn’t necessarily stood her up. She imagined he probably didn’t want to miss lunch. Maybe something unavoidable had come up, or maybe he’d already had other plans which he had forgotten.
She smiled at the thought. She didn’t know him well, obviously, but she prided herself on her ability to judge one’s character. She could easily imagine Roy getting excited and double-booking himself.
At any rate, she decided that as part of her new leaf she was turning, she would give him the benefit of the doubt.
Aradia smiled as she reminisced about the prior day’s gym class while she absentmindedly rubbed her hand over the cover of Anne of Green Gables.
The girl sitting next to her sneezed. It was a polite, quiet sneeze, but it brought Aradia out of her reverie nonetheless. “Bless you,” she said.
The girl turned in surprise. “Oh, thanks!”
She was wearing blue denim overalls with a red shirt, paint splattered sneakers, and chunky thick-framed glasses. Her ears were small and hidden by her pig tails, which lay floppily on her shoulders. Her hair was dirty brown and, like Aradia, she had a lot of it. Her face was blocky, yet petite, and was dotted with plentiful freckles.
With another positive interaction under her belt, albeit a small one, Aradia wondered if she should perhaps try making friends with this girl.
“Alright, let’s begin,” Ms. O’Dell lazily proposed. She sounded almost as unhappy at the idea as Aradia felt. “Who here did not do last night’s reading?”
What an odd question, Aradia noted. Not surprisingly, nobody raised their hand.
"Rhonda," the teacher said from the front of the class. She appeared to be looking at Aradia, which probably meant she was addressing Sneezy to Aradia’s right.
Sneezy’s eyes went wide, confirming Aradia’s supposition. Aradia was glad to know the girl’s real name. Rhonda is a much more pleasant name than Sneezy.
"What chapter in Anne of Green Gables is entitled Rachel Lynde is Surprised?"
Mrs. Rachel Lynde is Surprised, Aradia corrected her teacher mentally.
Everyone in class turned to look at Rhonda. Observing the girl freezing up, Aradia winced. Rhonda obviously had no idea of the trap into which she’d been enticed.
Quick as a flash Aradia flipped to the desired chapter and tapped lightly on the page to get Rhonda's attention.
At first, Rhonda hesitated, apparently reluctant to trust someone she barely knew. With little to lose, though, she accepted Aradia’s help and said, “Chapter One."
The teacher smiled and said, "Good," then turned to the chalk board. In large letters she slowly wrote and underlined “Themes.” “Imagination vs. Social Expectations,” she wrote and said aloud. “Images of Nature.” “Social Concerns.” She went on for a while in that manner.
Rhonda breathed a deep sigh of relief and whispered, "Thank you."
"No problem," Aradia replied with a shrug and a smile.
"Reading books like this one has never been my strong suit. I’m more of a Star Wars Expanded Universe fan," Rhonda explained, then blushed after realizing what she had just so casually admitted.
"Well, may the force be with you," replied Aradia, earning herself a smile from Rhonda, whose cheeks came down a notch on the blush scale. "I usually prefer classics, but ‘to each his own,’ I like to say. Besides, a hundred years ago the only book around was the bible. Nowadays, I’m just thankful to have options."
Rhonda laughed, drawing the attention of a couple nearby students, and she blushed again. Aradia chuckled.
Ms. O’Dell seemed about to start discussing the items she’d listed on the board, many of which were not technically themes, Aradia noted. She was interrupted, though, by a straggler sauntering into the room. It was the blonde boy from her Algebra class, the one who had evaded her the day before. Today he wore a dark green polo, khaki chinos, and brown loafers. Aradia decided he’d be The-Most-Handsome-Boy-I’ve-Ever-Seen until she learned his name. Probably afterward, too.
He was tall, though not as tall as Roy, Aradia estimated. That could be good, she thought. Easier to reach his lips. His wavy blonde hair bounced with every step he took. In Aradia's mind he moved in slow motion. Even in the fluorescent lighting, his skin glowed like the first winter snow.
Aradia gazed at him adoringly.
Strolling to an empty seat at the front of the class, he said, "I apologize for my tardiness, Ms. O'Dell. I was...sick this morning."
Ms. O'Dell grunted an acknowledgement of the weak excuse and asked, “You were sick yesterday for class as well then, I take it?”
Again he was at a pleasant angle for Aradia, and she saw him smile as he answered, “Fortunately I am feeling much better now. Thank you for your concern, ma’am.” His smile was more charming than Tristan’s and seemed as natural as Roy’s. He’s smooth, Aradia swooned.
"Well, at least you're here now. Should I take it you did not get last night’s assignment?"
“I asked a friend for it so I would not get behind,” he replied, and Ms. O’Dell actually seemed disappointed that she could not bust his chops in front of the class. “I found the reading to be quite engrossing, really. It has the reputation of being adolescent material, but was obviously intended originally for readers of all ages. I see you have already begun discussion on the primary themes…”
Ms. O’Dell seemed to get over her annoyance when she realized she had at least one student in her English Literature class interested in discussing English literature.
Practically mid-sentence, Aradia noticed The-Most-Handsome-Boy-I’ve-Ever-Seen get distracted, as if by a sudden thought or realization. She wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t been entranced and staring. His nostrils flared and he sniffed twice, sharply.
He turned and looked directly at Aradia. Her heart stopped.
For a brief moment, their eyes locked. She just froze and stare
d right back. The boy gave her a little wave, but when Aradia did not respond, he turned away.
"Who is that?" Aradia asked Rhonda in a whisper, more concerned the boy would hear her than the teacher.
"Who’s who?"
"The boy that just walked in.”
"Oh. That’s Dax. Dax Dayton. His dad is the head of the zoning board, or something like that. I think he's a sophomore."
"He's..."Aradia stammered, "magnificent."
Rhonda grinned.
