CHAPTER TWO
Untamed Tongue
Martin listens intently as his friend Max describes the children’s hospital he’s been volunteering at for the last few weeks. Max has to do community service as part of his probation.
“The first kid I met scared the daylights out of me,” Max explains. “He was standing out in the hallway by his room when the head nurse and I walked by. He was quiet at first, and for the longest time he just kept staring at me. The nurse told him to say hi, but he didn’t say anything. I went over to say hi to him and the kid started bleeding from his mouth, or so I thought.” Max shakes his head as he remembers the scene.
“He started moaning and I’m sure my face went pale, at least until I realized that he was laughing at me.”
“He was laughing at you?” Martin shakes his head.
Max chuckles. “He pulled a little tube of fake blood from his pocket and tossed it at me. The little troublemaker was trying to freak me out, and it worked! I can’t believe I fell for that. I must be losing my edge.”
“Imagine that,” Martin comments. “The class clown got clowned.”
“Yeah,” Max smirks. “The kid laughed so hard that the nurse had to take him back to his room. You know, so he wouldn’t get too worked up. He has leukemia.” Max’s expression changes.
“They’re good kids, and they’re always happy to have me there.” Max, remembering the reprimand he received from the head nurse just the day before, chuckles to himself. She had scolded him fiercely, telling him the next time he decided he needed something to do he should come to her, not make a wreck of their rooms and destroy their hospital supplies.
“How’s your dad these days?” Martin asks.
Max shakes his head. He recently lost his mother, and his father is an alcoholic. Max is trying hard not to follow the same path. He’s already been put on probation for drinking and driving.
Jennifer walks over to their table and stands across from them. Martin raises his eyebrows and Max stiffens; Jennifer doesn’t look happy to be there. Max isn’t thrilled about it either.
“Do you mind?” Max asks, obviously irritated.
“Actually, yes!” Jennifer replies curtly. “There aren’t any other tables free, and this is where I always sit. You can leave if you want.” Max glares at Jennifer as she places her tray on the table and sits down.
“Aren’t you going to say hi?” Martin asks in a wounded tone.
“Hi,” she replies flatly.
Martin shakes his head. “You can’t still be mad at me about yesterday—“
“Yes I can,” Jennifer interrupts, “and if you don’t mind, I’d like to eat my food now.”
“Come on, Jen,” Martin presses. “Don’t be mad.”
Jennifer sighs, the fight leaving her. “I’m more disappointed than mad, Martin.”
“About what?” Max asks.
“About something that’s none of your business,” Jennifer snaps, her irritation returning.
Max rolls his eyes. “Did the princess get her feelings hurt?” he asks mockingly. “Oh boo hoo!”
“Max…” Martin gives his friend a warning look.
“What?” Max says defensively. “It’s not my fault she gets all worked up over stupid stuff.”
“You corner the market on stupid, so I guess you’d know, wouldn’t you?” Jennifer replies sharply.
Martin looks at Jennifer. “Jen don’t—“
“At least I’m not a stuck up self-righteous cow,” Max spews.
“A cow?” Jennifer laughs. “What does trailer trash like you know about cows? This conversation is between me and Martin, so butt out!”
Max clenches his fists and stands up, putting his finger in Jennifer’s face. “I don’t know what Martin sees in you, but don’t think that being his friend means that I won’t kick your–”
“Max, that’s enough!” Martin cuts him off. “That’s enough from both of you.”
Max sits down, glaring at Jennifer. After a long silence, Martin sighs and stands up, shaking his head.
“I’ve got some things to do.” Martin walks away and heads out of the lunchroom. Max gets up as well.
“And I’ve lost my appetite,” he sneers.
Jennifer’s face grows hot as she watches Martin and Max walk away. She is embarrassed and ashamed of herself. Her neighborhood isn’t any better than Max’s. She isn’t any better, either. She just blurted the first thing that came to her.
Jennifer’s throat feels too thick to eat, so she goes to the garbage can to throw her lunch away.
“Me and my big mouth,” she mutters to herself.
†††
Chemistry class is, as usual, a breath-taking event. Jennifer glances at the poor soul behind her, Lennie Gavin. He works a paper route early mornings and helps his father at his shop.
His hands are against his face, with elbows propped on the desk. His eyes are half opened, but he hasn’t moved since class began. Jennifer wonders if he’s still breathing and considers checking his pulse.
Her worries are assuaged when his left elbow slips out of place. He bangs his head on his desk, then jerks upright from both the impact and the sound of uproarious laughter. His face turns beet red as the entire class becomes hysterical. Most are grateful for the distraction. It is the first sound anyone has made for nearly half an hour.
Jennifer hears Martin chuckling to her left and she blushes, remembering the cafeteria.
While their teacher tries to resume control of the class, Jennifer tries to get Martin’s attention.
“Hey, Martin,” she whispers. He turns his head in her direction, then turns his head to the left. Max is handing him a sheet of paper with a doodle on it. Jennifer leans in her chair to look at it. It is a feminine stick figure with long, curly hair and a huge mouth. One hand is on its hip, the other is in the air, waving a stick labeled “magic wand.” Next to it is another stick figure with devilish horns; its legs are positioned to kick the other figure in the butt. Martin chuckles as he looks at the drawing.
Though she can’t see it very well, Jennifer knows that the drawing is of her. How can Martin laugh at her?
Martin turns his head back in her direction, but Jennifer intentionally looks away, pretending to pay attention to the teacher. Martin tries to get her attention without making too much noise, but Jennifer shifts her whole body to the right, overtly ignoring him. Martin sighs and returns to the notes he’s scribbled for class.
Don't Judge Me Page 2
