Eight

I sat quietly on the floor in front of my locker when school was over, replaying the events that occurred during lunch in my mind. Lunchtime was always full of memorable events but this, this was unique and especially memorable: Tyler attacked Jake Kellen!!

I had pinched myself severally during Spanish class, immediately after lunch hoping to wake up on my bed at home, but I remained seated on the third seat in the second row, beside a shockingly quiet Claire, paying zero attention to Mr Mateo's teaching. Spanish class was one of the three classes Tyler and I had in common, and for the first time since the ninth grade, he was absent.

I glanced at my wrist watch, it was twenty minutes past two which meant the final bell was rung twenty minutes ago and Tyler was still nowhere to be seen. I had to come to terms with the hard truth, he was in detention.

"Hey."

I looked up, and saw Claire smiling at me. "Hey." I replied, returning my gaze to the floor.

"Are you still waiting for Tyler?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Then I better keep you company." Claire said and settled beside me on the floor.

"I would really like that." I replied turning my head to face her. She had a small smile on her face and I noticed for the first time, a dimple on her right cheek. "I had no idea you had a dimple." I remarked.

"Really?" She asked brushing her palm over her right cheek.

"Yeah."

"I wish no one would notice it, I don't really like it."

"Why not?" I asked with a raised brow.

"I think of it as a deformity."

"Well I think it's cute."

"You're just saying that."

"I'm serious. It looks good on you."

Claire made no reply, and we remained quiet for a while before she spoke again "How long do you think the detention will last?"

The question disappointed me a little, since I expected to hear a reply to my last comment. "An hour." I replied and hoped that my disappointment was not evident on my face.

"Just for fighting?" she asked raising a brow.

"Yeah. The principal is really strict when it comes to punishments for any form of violence."

"And yet there is a lot of violence in her school." Claire pointed out.

"Why are you still in school?" I asked.

"Isn't that obvious? I'm keeping you company."

"Yeah, I know. But I was here for about twenty minutes before you came, so what were you doing within that time?"

"Oh! I was attending the press club elections."

"You're in the press club?" I asked in surprise.

"Why are you surprised by that?" Claire asked squinting at me.

"No reason, I just never imagined it."

"That's a reason."

I smiled. "Who is the new press club president?"

"Yours truly." Claire replied with a wide smile.

"That's nice. Congratulations."

"Thanks."

I glanced at my wrist watch again, it was thirty minutes past two.

Thirty more minutes of doing nothing. 

I turned to Claire; she was starring at the floor like it was the most fascinating thing she had ever seen. I opened my mouth to say something but I refrained from it and just observed her.

Her black curly hair was gathered in a ponytail but a few stray strands hung loosely at each side of her pecan brown skinned face. Her flesh colored full lips were pursed together, her brows began to furrow, and she squinted her light brown eyes at the floor.

She remained like that for a long while and I began to get worried.

"Claire!" I called, but she did not respond. "Claire!!" I called again, but she remained like that. "Claire!!!" I called and this time I tapped her shoulder, she jerked and turned to me swiftly. "Are you okay?" I asked, with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just lost in thought."

"What were you thinking about?"

Claire was about to respond, when Tyler appeared "Hey guys." he said.

"Hi." Claire replied.

"How was detention?" I blurted out. 

"Not bad." Tyler replied.

"C'mon, I'll drive you guys home." Claire said and started walking away.

*~*~*~

As I sat quietly in the passenger seat of Claire's car, Tyler's fight with Jake, replayed in my mind and I suddenly felt angry. I turned to Tyler swiftly "What is wrong with you?" I asked.

He raised a brow. "What?!"

"What.is.wrong.with.you?" I asked again, placing emphasis on each word. 

"I don't understand why you're asking me that."

"Because as usual, you did something stupid."

"When have I ever done something stupid?"

I let out a short unctuous laugh "Are you really asking me that? Last week, for example, you took alcohol! Not just a little, but a lot! Then you got drunk! And I don't think I need to remind you what happened after that."

"That could have happened to anybody." Tyler said and I could sense the anger slowly creeping into his voice.

"Yeah, but it happened to you! And today you decided to attack Jake! Jake Kellen, for God's sake!!" I yelled. "Do you know what that little stunt of yours is going to cause us?!" I asked slowly.

"Enlighten me Jason, please!" the anger in Tyler's voice was clear now.

"Jake and his friends are going to keep attacking us for as long as they please." I replied.

"Why do you keep saying 'us'?" Tyler asked. "I can't recall you participating in the fight, or is my memory incorrect?" he added, making a mock surprise face.

"Whatever." I muttered, turning my gaze to the window.

"You're always the first to criticize." Tyler continued angrily. "But you run from every little challenge, do you know why?!"

"Because, I am rational!" I yelled back.

"No, because you're scared! You never take risks or attempt something new because you're scared of the outcome!"

"Can you guys stop this?" Claire said, glancing at both of us.

We ignored her completely. "Call it whatever you please, but I'd rather be rational than preposterous!"

"And I'd rather try to fight back than cower at every sign of difficulty!"

Tyler and I remained quiet, glaring at each other.

"If you guys are done arguing, I have something to say." Claire said, glancing at us again.

"We were not arguing." I said flatly, turning away from Tyler.

"Oh, really. So what were you guys doing then?"

"Disagreeing." Tyler replied.

"Wow! Just wow! Both of you are really full of surprises."

"What did you want to say, Claire?" I asked, eager to change the topic.

"Well, while we were waiting for Tyler, I thought about something."

"What?" Tyler asked.

"Can you let me finish?" Claire said firmly.

"Sorry." Tyler muttered.

"I put together a very feasible plan on how we could get popular within a few weeks."

"Oh really. How awesome."

"I don't appreciate sarcasm, Tyler."

"No one does." Tyler retorted.

"I expected a more positive response from you guys." Claire said, glancing at me.

I had nothing positive to say, so I remained quiet. Tyler on the other hand, was eager to air his views on the matter.

"What's the point of trying to become popular in the eleventh grade? I mean, we have just one more school year, and we're off to college."

"So you prefer to leave K. C. A with a terrible reputation when you can change everything within a few weeks and leave with a memorable and an amazing one."

"I would prefer the latter, but you cannot guarantee that your plan would work."

"Says the guy who calls himself a risk taker." Claire said with an eye roll.

A wide smile appeared on my face and it slowly turned into a loud laugh.

Claire glanced at me and joined in the laughter.

"How sure are you that the plan will work?" Tyler asked when Claire and I stopped laughing.

"Ninety percent."

"Well, based on the ten percent left unaccounted for, I am not interested."

"Why are we not moving?" I asked realizing that the car was no longer in motion.

"Because we've arrived at your house."

"Oh! Thanks for the ride."

"You're welcome."

"Can I come in for a little while?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, sure." I said coming out if the car.

"Thanks for the ride, Claire." Tyler said, coming out of the car.

"Will you guys think about it?!" Claire called after us.

"About what?" I asked.

"Adopting my plan."

"Sure." I replied.

"How about you Tyler?"

"I'll try."

"Thanks guys." Claire said with a wide smile and drove off.