5: Franny (1/2)

5. Franny

I wake up quickly and I am already on the bus before my dad is even awake. I know it's pathetic of me to avoid him but I'm not ready for last night's conversation to start up again.

I want to forget it happened but I know I can't.

As I walk into the school I have this horrible feeling that by the time I get home the attic will be empty with not a single morsel of my mom's memory there. She'll be gone and thrown aside as if she meant nothing.

I feel my chest tighten at the thought but continue on anyway, heading inside and towards my locker. When I reach it, I get it open and peer inside, grabbing the books I need. I look up when I feel a presence beside me. I smile.

”Hey, Tally,” I say.

”Hey there.” She smiles and pulls on the strap of her bag. ”You want to come over tonight, just us? It's been a while since we've actually hung out.”

I nod, liking the idea immediately of not having to go home to deal with my dad. I push aside the part of me that's calling me weak, telling myself that I'll deal with my dad's problems later.

”Yeah that sounds good,” I say.

”Great,” Tally grins, ”you want to come over at about four?”

”Um, why don't I just catch your bus?” I ask hastily. ”It's easier.”

”Sounds good,” she says as the bell rings for first class. ”I'll see you in history.”

Tally walks off and I shut my locker before heading for the stairs. I arrive at the drama room for my first class of the day, and dump my bag on the floor behind the stage.

The other students arrive in small groups and take their seats. The second bell rings a last warning. I sigh, crossing my legs and leaning back in the seat, resting my arms on my knees.

The main doors burst open and in comes Miss Joit, wearing a poncho, several lethal-looking bracelets and a smile that is the epitome of insincerity.

”Hello, class.” She smiles and clasps her hands together. ”It is just so amazing to see you all again for another great day.”

She sashays through the circle of chairs, accidentally slapping a boy in the face with the ends of her poncho.

”Oh, I'm sorry, Steven,” Miss Joit says, her face curled up in a fake display of regret and worry.

”Um, it's Sam,” the boy says.

”Of course it is,” Miss Joit murmurs and then suddenly claps, making half the class flinch. ”So, welcome to yet another day in the class of dramatic arts. Now I believe yesterday we started going over the end-of-year production. It's quite far away so don't get your panties in a twist as we won't be performing till next semester. But it is something to think about for all you young actors. Now—”

The doors swing open again with a loud squeak, cutting off Miss Joit's speech before closing again with a resounding thump.

”Hello, young man,” Miss Joit calls out. ”Can I help you?”

I look over along with the rest of the class and my breath gets caught in my throat when I see Tyler standing there, his face impatient.

”I was just transferred from another class,” he says.

”Three weeks into the semester?” Miss Joit frowns. Tyler shrugs.

”Call the office if you have to. My last teacher was Mr Carter,” he says.

Miss Joit sighs and drops her arms, letting them hang by her sides. ”Okay class, talk amongst yourselves quietly as I just go make a call,” she says and turns back to Tyler. ”Last name?”

”Madden.”

Miss Joit picks up the phone. The other students eventually look away from Tyler and start up their own conversations, but a few eyes linger on him. Tyler keeps his bag firmly on his shoulder and gets a chair, dragging it to the side and sitting at the back, in the corner, and away from the circle. He lowers himself down into the seat and I can hear the long breath that he lets out.

”You're meant to join the circle,” a boy says, straightening up and reeking of pretentiousness. ”That's why we made it.”

Tyler doesn't acknowledge him for a moment until he eventually looks over and raises his eyebrows. ”Do I look like I give a shit?”

A few people snicker, and the boy clears his throat, cheeks lighting up with a pink tinge. He looks away and after that most people's attention is off Tyler and back to their own little conversations. I take that as my chance and drag my chair over to Tyler's, placing it beside his. He doesn't look up, just sits with his hands linked together, gazing at the red marks on his knuckles.

”What do you want?” he asks with hostility.

”I saw you last night.”

Tyler looks up, his face contorted in confusion until he sees me and then recognition goes through him immediately. His expression turns to ice and he turns away. ”I don't know what you're talking about.”

”Yes you do,” I insist. ”Last night you went to that bar and—” I look at his cheek and see the dark bruise on his light skin. ”—and got your face bashed in, apparently. God, what happened?”

I lift my hand up without realizing it and when my fingers are inches from his dark, painful-looking bruise, he grabs my wrist tightly. I jolt and gulp, freezing up as he turns his head to look at me. ”You don't know what you're talking about,” he says with finality.

Tyler lets go of my wrist, gets up and moves to the other side of the room as Miss Joit hangs up the phone.

”Okay, Tyler,” she says with a tight smile. ”Looks like you're a new addition to the class.”

***

Tally's leg brushes against mine as we sit on the bus together. The bus slows down with a churning noise at the beginning of the street that leads to her house. When the bus finally comes to a stuttering halt, Tally stands up and throws her bag over her shoulder. I follow, heaving myself from the seat and walking down the small aisle where my legs bash into five different knees accidentally. I say thanks to the bus driver and hop off, landing unsteadily.

”Okay,” Tally says as we begin our walk down the street towards her house, ”I think we should do a movie fest. One movie right after the other with only a five-minute bathroom break in between.”

”Yeah that sounds good,” I say, laughing. ”I haven't actually just sat and watched a movie in a while.”

”What do you want to see?” she asks. ”We could attempt the entire series of Harry Potter movies but that would probably keep us up too long and there's school tomorrow. Oh, by the way, are you staying over? I know how your dad is about sleeping over on a school night.”

I shrug, biting my lip. ”No, it's fine.”

Tally raises her eyebrows in surprise. ”Okay, cool.”

We get to Tally's house, which is large and elegant. The yard out front has perfectly trimmed grass, beautiful rose bushes and perfectly plastered stones forming the small pathway to the front door.