Disclaimer- I don't own flight 29 or any of its characters
I step out into the court yard and the sun blinds me. I raise my hand to shield my eyes as I walk over to my usual table. I see Nathan already at our table with Daley. Daley sees me and waves me over. I smile. I don't think she quite understands that Nathan and I have been sitting at this table since we were freshmen.
"Hey guys." I say while taking a seat across from the happy couple.
"Hey Mel," Nathan grins.
I take my salad and sandwich out of my lunch bag and dig in. I'm absolutely starving. Art class had taken a toll on me. Mrs. Chelan, my art teacher, was a perfectionist to say the least. Her persistent creative rigor had caused her dismiss my latest couple of artworks as 'amateur' and announced that I must start over once again. It was painful to disregard my most recent painting. I had to excuse myself to go to the bathroom to regain my sanity. Of course with my luck, I ran into Eric on the way. We hadn't talked since we got back to school. He was going to the principal's office, as per usual.
"Mel?" Daley questions removing me from my thoughts "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, why?" why was she asking me this?
"You haven't said anything in like, five minutes. You've just been pushing around your salad with your fork." Oh, that's why.
"Oh yeah, I was just thinking." I shrug
"About what?" she inquires.
"Well Mrs. Chelan has been really harsh on my art lately." I explain nonchalant.
"Don't worry about it Mel, she's always harsh. I heard she made Max Ward cry last year." Nathan offers.
"Really? The bulky football guy that graduated last year?" Daley asks suddenly interested in the new topic.
"Yup, cried like a baby." Nathan confirms.
"That and I talked to Eric." I spit out, for no particular reason.
Nathan and Daley shut up and stare at me. "What'd he say?"
"Um nothing really, just that he was wondering around avoiding to go to the principal's office." I say thoughtfully, trying to recall if that was all he said.
"Wow." Daley finally manages to choke out. "So he didn't mention… the incident?"
"Oh no, we stayed far away from that topic." I shrug it off. "It was really short anyway. The conversation lasted like, five seconds."
"Huh." Nathan says intelligently.
"Anyway," I say quickly. "I've got to go. I have tutoring."
"Alright, see you Mel." Daley says.
"Bye Mel." Nathan adds.
I walk across the courtyard again this time walking away from the sun's glare. Cold air rushes me as I step in the school and I bask in the cool quality of the school's air conditioning. I look down at my watch and notice the time. Damn, I was going to be late. I rush over to the library where the tutoring sessions take place. As soon as I enter the library, I walk over to the front desk where Ms. Klein, the school librarian resides. She was the one who set up the tutoring operation at Hartwell.
"Hi Ms. Klein," I say politely as I approach her desk.
"Oh Melissa, I'm glad you could make it." she smiles at me. "The student you're tutoring is just over there." She points to the back of a brunette boy wearing a black shirt facing the other direction.
"Thank you." I offer before walking over to the desk the boy is sitting at.
I take me seat and notice who I'm sitting across from. "Jackson."
He smiles at me. "Hey Mel, what's up?"
"I… um… nothing," I mange to choke out. Wow, smooth Mel.
"You always had a way with words." He grins and then takes out a textbook from his book bag. "I'm here because I need help with math."
"Which subject?" I say trying to regain my composure and hide my blush.
"Calculus." he groans.
I attempt to let out a light hearted laugh. "Let's get started then."
A/N: I know it's a short chapter but I had slight writers block. I figured a short chapter would be better then nothing.
