Change For Me

18. f(x) and y

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"And Conrad said Jae fucked Karly." Eva explains to Taron. At this point, I don't care what they do with the gossip. It's not mine to tell anyways.

We have the rest of class as a work period, so Eva decides to join me and Taron. While we're doing our assignments Eva is telling Taron, in full details, everything from what happened in the hall the other day.

"Yikes," Taron turns to me. "I feel you Ellie. You should be mad since you practically did all the work."

"Don't remind me," I've come to terms with it. I'm honestly tired of denying.

It's been a week since our presentations and the day I overheard Jae and Conrad's conversation. I'm even more disappointed. I can't believe—actually I can—that Jae hooked up with someone, rather than doing our project.

I know it's his life. He can do whatever he pleases, but it's a group project after all. I had to end up doing most of the research and work, basically everything. What do they say? "There's no I in TEAM".

~a week ago~

"Ellie, wait up." Eva jogs up to me. "Hold on, let me catch my breath."

I can feel her tension. She wants to mention something, which I know about deeply. I just want to forget and move on but, they're not going to leave me alone if I don't address it. "What's up? There's something wrong, I know—cmon tell me."

"I don't know—I'm just mad at Eric and Jae." I finally say what I'm feeling. I don't feel relieved or better in another sense—I feel the same. "They may have done small things for the project, but at the same time I had to do most of the work. And...we got the lowest mark out of the whole class."

"You don't know that." Eva says in hopes to encourage me. A laugh escapes my mouth at her optimism. She can't really believe that, can she? Even I've accepted it.

"Are you sure? Because thats not what Madame Brun told you."

"You heard?" Eva's eyes widen. I nod my head.

"I'm pretty sure the whole class did." I laugh opening my locker to get my gym clothes. I find laughter as my comfort. I laugh at everything—to ease the mood a bit.

"It's fine, 80% is still a good mark. I don't know why all of you are worried." I shrug, closing my locker door.

"Tell Madame." Eva suggests again, as we begin walking to gym. "She can raise your mark."

"It's all good." I dismiss her idea although she tries to urge me in doing so.

Teachers scare me—interacting with them in general. How do students keep a conversation going? It's always awkward for me. Although I know Madame's a very lenient teacher, she marks her assignments with seriousness. Whatever mark I get, she believes is the mark I deserve. There's no point in discussing, arguing, or even convincing a teacher—they're all stubborn species.

Me and Eva turn a corner. "If you haven't hooked up with Karly, then you would've gotten a better mark." We hear.

Me and Eva face each other with confused looks. To my surprise, Jae and Conrad comes into view. The realization hits me. Conrad is referring to Karly. She approached Jae on the first day of school and the girl that called him on the day of the concert. At least I'm not imagining the name on his phone, I knew it.

We awkwardly pass by them. Jae and Conrad have expressions that show how guilty they are because they're caught by something they shouldn't have said.

When we enter the change rooms, Eva has a lot to say, "he's a dick." Eva glares at the door that closes behind us.