2.2 Daisy Chain

Chapter 2 - Part 1

When I arrived at my mathematics class, Emily was already sitting at
another table. The girl sitting next to her, Donna Jenkins, gave me a
sympathetic smile like she knew what was going on. I hated that. How
could Donna know what was going on with Emily, my best friend, before
I did? I also didn't like the way that Emily kept looking at her
mobile but hadn’t acknowledge my missed call or text. It was clear
she was ignoring me!

I sat in my usual seat but a lump was rising in my throat. I spent
the whole lesson in silence, unable to speak in case I cried.
Dreading that the teacher might ask me a question because I wouldn’t
be able to answer.

As I was leaving for first break, Maxwell Blake, Emily’s forever crush
came up to me.

“So what’s happened bewtween you and Emily?”

I shrugged. I hated not knowing. It felt wrong. We knew everything
about each other. We were inseparable. This... this made no sense.

“You want sit with me for English. I’m usually on my own?”

I nodded. It was nice to have someone speaking to me and maybe I
could get him to go out with Emily. Then, maybe she’d forgive me for
whatever it is that I’ve done.

“See you after break.” He then headed off into the crowd.

As I had nothing to do for break, I waited outside the English room.
I saw Emily approach and hoped she would speak to me but when she saw
me she turned around and walked away.

When the bell rang and I could enter the room, I stood nervously by
the door unsure if I was to sit in my usual seat or wait for Max and
sit next to him. I really wanted to sit with Emily and have things go
back to normal. I didn't like the way today had started it felt like
the world had spun off course and had settled itself upside down.
Luckily Max wasn’t far off and he indicated with his head and a casual
“Come on Jazz,” that I was to sit with him.

When Emily arrived, I knew instantly I’d made the wrong choice. There
was that look again. As she walked past my desk her hand swiped
across my desk, knocking my pencil case to the floor. “Oops, how
clumsy of me; you better pick that up before someone trips up on
that.”

I knelt down to pick up the pens and pencils that now lay scattered
across the floor. Emily was always clumsy but I knew this hadn't been
an accident.

“Aren’t you going to help?” Max asked angrily. I flushed red,
realizing that all eyes had turned on me.

“No, she doesn’t need my help.”

"Its fine." I shook my head at Max to make him leave it alone. I
sunk into my seat and wished I could carry on sinking into oblivion.