chapter8

A Chapter by carla

It was fourth period and I was finally painting my project. I guess this one will have to do. There were many paintings that I had come up with and I couldn’t decide. But the one that I had drawn with Rai had seemed like the best.

“That’s very good Adel. But…” Mr. Richard was looking at my progress so far and something like disappointment was on his face. “This is supposed to represent what you see as a moment of happiness. This looks like peace or serenity. Happiness is an emotion that you can only find within you. Maybe you should observe your friends and see what makes them smile and laugh and makes them happy. This painting will be ok but I know you and ok is not enough.”

Great I still hadn’t gotten the concept of happiness and I would have to find another painting. Mr. Richard was right, ok was not good enough for me. I had a talent and I would always surpass myself.

The bell rang and it was lunch time, great maybe I could get an idea from my friend the oak. It was nacho day and the lines were over flowing. Not that many people sitting at the tables yet so I just walked through quickly, my mind on one word; happiness.

It was a cool day but the sun was shining none the less. The oak’s branches were plump with green leaves. Oh how I loved to bask in its shadows, could this be happiness or was it just contentment?

“C…Can I sit here?” startled a little, I looked towards the voice and saw zee standing a little ways from me.

“Sure” I scooted over and made room for her. She had a lunchroom tray pilled with nachos. It actually looked edible for once, maybe there would be some left over.

“H…how was your day so far?” her lack of confidence around me still surprised me. I mean I saved her life, you’d think she would be so trusting. Maybe she knew of my lack of wanting to talk. But before I could answer some others showed up.

“Hey girlies” Rai walked over and took a seat next to me with belle next to her.

“Hey” seeing Rai reminded me of my art problem and there went my mood.

“Uh-oh something’s wrong” Rai cooed at me teasingly making belle and zee giggle.

“Don’t get made Adel we are only teasing” belle says “so what’s wrong darling?” they all quiet down and wait for me to answer. It’s as if they really do care, do they?

“It’s nothing just my art project is giving me some trouble.” I confess and they all seem really taken in, they love art apparently.

“Well, what is it you’re painting?” belle asks, all teacher now.

“That’s just it, I can’t think of something that captures the emotion I’m supposed to portray.” Slumping against the tree trunk, I let out and exasperated sigh. What was I going to do?

“Well what’s the emotion?” Rai asked while taking a chip from belle’s nachos.

“Happiness” everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to me.

“Wow that’s a tough one.” They all seemed deep in thought, trying to help me. Looking up at the branches of the oak, I let my mind ponder on that one word, happiness. Mr. Richard said that its and emotion most people feel once in their life time. Have I ever been happy? Has anything ever given reason to be happy? I have never really had reasons to smile or be happy, only when my family was still just that, a family. But I don’t think I could bring myself to paint them. Since then I haven’t really been happy, but wait there was something that has brought light to my dark life.

“Well I think Leo is an old rookie, I mean he was good in his days of the titanic but now he is old.” They were now bickering over Leonardo Dicaprio being too old for the movie business. How they got to that topic, I may never know.

“What about Brad Pitt? He is like 50 something and women still go crazy over him.” Zee was happy right now. Strange just a second ago she was shy and out of place. What was it that she was happy about? I should ask her soon, I might get an idea. Suddenly they all stopped talking and zee looked away embarrassed. Looking up I saw why, crystal had come outside and with the school counselor none the less. Rai was hiding her face because she really wasn’t supposed to be here since she wasn’t a student but no one ever said anything.

“Miss Johnson I need to see you in my office.” She was using my last name which really got me irritated.

“Yes I’m coming” sighing; I grab my bag and stand. Looking over my shoulder I see them all sending me encouraging looks. However zee was looking at me pleadingly, but why?

In Mrs. Sharon’s office I took a seat in one of the chairs in front of her desk and crystal took a seat in the other one, very snuggly if I might add.

“Miss Johnson if I’m correct you threatened Miss Bithly earlier today. Is this true?” she sat in her big office chair rail rod straight, too perfect for my liking.

“Yes” why lie, I’ve no reason to hide the fact I don’t like crystal. Even being in the same room pissed me off.

“Very well and why is it you felt the need to assault her and threaten her?” she placed a sheet of paper on the desk and began to take notes. What was I, some kind of specimen? I was about to tell her what she did to zee but then I remembered zee’s pleading look. She hadn’t wanted word to get out around town probably. Being new was hard enough I guess.

“I just don’t like her and she had gotten on my last nerve.” ‘So much for not lying’ I told myself ironically. Mrs. Sharon just nodded and wrote down notes, then turned to crystal. She was smiling cruelly and it reminded me of a demon. Then my eyes went wide as I understood why she was smirking, she was going to blab everything that had happened and make it benefit her.

“Mrs. Sharon I think it only fair that you know the whole story before punishing Adel so wrongly.” Her voice was like a snake’s venom and I wanted to hurl.

“And what would the whole story be Miss Bithly?” she smirked at me as she contemplated how to proceed. No, no, no, she couldn’t say anything about what happened. This girl wanted to die and I was more than willing to make her wish come true.

“Oh crystal there is no ‘whole’ story to it. Why, go ask Ulrich if you don’t believe me. I’m sure he’ll have something to say.” Her face retorted I disgust and fright at the thought of the truth being revealed. Ulrich you see had a high prestige rank in school and anything he said was sure to be right. Then she settled to just glare at me while it was my turn to smirk.

“Very well Adel we will leave it at that.” She wouldn’t let the matter of my threatening her drop though and I knew I was in for it. Because, just like Ulrich, she had influence, damn rich kids and their green.

“Well with that settle I believe you know the consequence for this infraction miss Johnson.” I nodded and began to plan how I was going to spend my month of suspension.

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