Chapter Four

Time almost seems to go backwards. Geography and Geometry last for what feels like a lifetime. It's when I'm sitting in Spanish that I finally raise my hand and ask my teacher, Mrs. Ramon, if I may go to the bathroom.

"Well, alright…make it quick. Down the hall and to the left." She hands me the pass and continues with the lesson. I bolt out the door and head down the hall.

I don't know what it is about empty hallways, but they really help me think. When you're in-between classes, all you can think is, "Oh my God, MOVE! I've got a class to get to!" You don't think about your day or anything.

I don't know how everyone will feel tonight at the Sugar Bowl. I mean, we haven't seen each other in months. Is there anything we can really talk about? Third grade memories are all we really have left. Back when things were simple. I didn't like Francine that way, and the Brain and I were still good friends. I hadn't seen him in any of my morning classes, though I assume he is taking AP courses.

Thinking of third grade makes me smile. I decide I'll invite Binky to come with us after school. He may act all macho with the Tough Customers, but I know that he's really a giant teddy bear. A clarinet-playing, ballet-dancing teddy bear.

I'm out of the bathroom and back in class in five minutes. Just in time, because as soon as I sit down, the bell rings. Lunch hour. Great. There's no better place to visit than a high school cafeteria to witness natural selection firsthand.

Three flights of stairs later, I'm in line for lunch. Today they're serving some sort of plastic-looking burger. The fumes of mystery meat waft my way and almost knock me unconscious. I feel a hand on my shoulder.

I turn to see none other than Fern. Believe it or not, I used to have a bit of a crush on her, as well. It was back in junior high, and it was no big deal, but every now and then my twelve year old self creeps up to the surface and forces me to smile in her presence.

"Hi, Fern."

"Hey, Arthur. I um, was wondering—well, would you mind if I sat with you and Buster today?"

That's a surprise. Fern is a really nice girl, but she was never really in my circle of friends. Still, I like her enough to say yes. "Sure! That's fine."

She smiles and grabs a tray. She gently places an apple onto it, but it is otherwise empty. "Would you mind if Sue Ellen sat with us, too?"

"No, that's fine, Fern." I notice her sweater is baggy and the sleeves are too long. Her face is thinner and it's obvious she's lost weight. I don't mention it.

Fern and I find Buster in the back corner of the cafeteria. He has brought his own lunch, or should I say, garbage disposal. He's packed a peanut butter and ketchup sandwich, barbeque potato chips, cottage cheese with peaches on top, and a bottle of apple juice. "It's all going to the same place," he explains when he notices my grimace. "Hey, Fern. I didn't see you in band today."

"Oh, yeah…I dropped it."

"Why?"

She brushes off his question as she notices Sue Ellen enter the cafeteria. "OVER HERE!" Fern waves her hand until Sue Ellen looks up from the book she is holding and makes her way over to our table. As soon as she sits down, I feel a pair of eyes looking at us from across the room. I know who's looking at us before I even see him. Binky Barnes. I don't know exactly what his current relationship status is with Sue Ellen, but it sure is noticeable. At least to me. Sue Ellen is oblivious as she continues to read her book.

Lunch is nice. Fern, Buster, and I make small talk and reminisce about junior high and elementary school, with Sue Ellen occasionally adding bits and pieces to the conversation. It almost feels like we're best friends again, even though I haven't talked to them for three months or more.

"Buster, do you want to meet up with Francine, Arthur, and I at the Sugar Bowl after school? Fern, you can come, too. Francine invited Muffy and I already. It'll be so much fun!" Sue Ellen's face is filled with excitement not unlike the kind she feels when she comes back from a safari or cruise around the world.

"Oh, well…sure! Sounds fun! I'll just call my mom and ask if that's okay." I knew Buster would be on board. He can never say no to ice cream.

"Fern, what about you?"

Fern twists the stem of her apple and shrugs. "Sounds fun. I'll go."

The bell rings, ending the lunch hour. Buster, Sue Ellen, and Fern head towards the C door to go to Geography. I, unfortunately, am not in the same class. I make my way towards the B door and the choir room. I may not be very good at singing, but I do enjoy it. Funny enough, so does Francine.

A tall, menacing sophomore blocks my way. Great. The last thing I want is trouble. "Excuse me," I say.

"Well, well…Arthur Read. Binky wants to talk to you. You're going to have to come with me." Of course. I didn't recognize him at first, but it's Rattles Ciccone, one of the Tough Customers. He grabs my arm and leads me to the boys' locker room. It's absolutely lethal in there, for multiple reasons: 1) Everyone who goes in there is super muscular and could probably wrap you around a barbell and lift you that way, and 2) the noxious fumes of sweat and men's deodorant practically knock you unconscious as you walk in.

Binky is sitting on a bench, waiting for me. He looks damn intimidating. I swallow hard and try to keep myself from making a run for it.

"Arthur," he growls, "I'm glad you could make it."

"Well…you and your friend kind of dragged me here. This won't take too long, will it? I've got choir in five minutes."

Binky smirks. "Whatever you say. I just wanted to ask you for some advice."

I raise my eyebrows. "Advice? On…?"

"Girls."

Oh, you've got to be kidding me. This is about Sue Ellen?

"Listen, I don't know if you have noticed…but I'm not the easiest guy to talk to."

Clearly, I mean you talk to your friends in a toxic-smelling locker room.

Binky sighs and tosses the towel around his neck into his gym locker. "There's this girl. She's nice and smart…I'm not like that. But you are, Read. How can I get her to like me?"

Never in my life have I felt sorry for Binky Barnes. Not until now. "We're meeting up for ice cream at the Sugar Bowl after school. Francine, Buster, Fern, Muffy…and Sue Ellen."

Binky's eyebrows furrow. "Hey, I never said who I-"

"Yeah, well, it's a bit obvious. Just come with us, okay? Talk to her."

I leave him to think about it and also to save my butt from getting chewed out by the choir teacher.

Three hours. Part of me hopes everything will be just like it used to be. The other part of me knows it never will.