Summer Sanders is going through it. The pressures of school are mounting, and her home life is completely falling apart. Feeling bored and lonely on a Saturday night, she decides to get buzzed and surprise her hookup buddy with her best lingerie. Th...
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"Kiss me," Aleena says, opening her mouth wide across the table.
I unwrap a Hershey's kiss and extend my arm, perfectly making the shot into her mouth.
We've spent our hour break before the start of my anatomy class in the STEM building study area. Our laptops and various snacks are sprawled across the table. I start cleaning up since my class starts in a few minutes, when I hear a notification coming from my laptop.
"My professor just posted our exam grades." I suck in a breath. "Should I check it or should I wait after my class ends?"
"Just rip the bandage and check it now," she says. " Whatever your grade is I'm sure it's better than the 69 I got on my accounting test."
I type fast and log into my account.
"How'd you do?" Aleena asks before I can even pull my grade up.
When the page loads I go cold, taking a moment of silence to decipher my thoughts. "I got a 62." It comes out with a shudder. Embarrassment, anger, and disappointment all take ahold of me.
"That's not bad honestly. It's still passing, that's all that matters." Her mouth pouts and she looks at me with sympathy.
I shut my laptop and pack my bag up, pushing my chair back to head to my last class of the day. "Right." Is all I can manage.
Aleena treads behind me. "Come on, don't get too down about it. You have still have two more exams right?"
"Yup."
"You'll do much better on those, I know it. You're super smart, Summer. This isn't a setback it's just more encouragement to push you even further next time."
We stop outside of my classroom. "You're right, I won't let it break me," I say to appease her.
"Good, cause I've gotta get to rehearsals and even though missing it will make the play messier than it already is, I'll do it to comfort you." She squeezes my shoulder.
"that's no necessary, I'm fine." I try my best to sound convincing. "Ryan's understudy still hasn't gotten over his stage fright, huh?"
"No, it got so bad during rehearsals last night that he had a breakdown and quit. We're scrambling to find someone to fill the role. I swear, if you see anyone with even an ounce of talent, please drag them to the performing arts center. I will thank you for the rest of my life."
"I'll keep an eye out," I say.
"Thanks." She embraces me and leaves for rehearsals.
I find my seat in the half empty class, waiting for the professor to arrive. My pen drums against my open notebook to keep myself present, but my mind doses off into a state of emptiness.
"You going to the basketball game tonight." The two girls that sit in front of me get my attention. I might as well eavesdrop while I wait. It'll help me from sinking further into my misery.
