The Girl Who Saw Through Jem

Ellis: November Rain

Chapter 41

November Rain

Ellis

For better or worse, Heath, Jem and Caleb never ceased to amaze me.

For example, there was one time Heath, Jem and Caleb managed to convince the third-grade substitute science teacher that Jem's father was part of the CIA therefore if the teacher dared gave them any homework, the teacher would find herself ultimately fired. Or that time when Heath, Jem and Caleb barricaded the whole gym with massive blue rubber balls that when our Principal Sullivan had finally managed to unlock the door, it flooded our corridors and school was cancelled?

Whatever it was, it all had been done for one occasion and one occasion only.

Jem's birthday.

"Porcey, I have a proposition."

"No, Heath. I am not going to show up in edible lingerie in the cake at Jem's birthday party." I was skimming over the drafted version of my extended essay. My pen had stopped trailing upon my third paragraph when I looked up and saw Heath and Caleb leaning against the library table occupied by me and a bunch of textbooks I had borrowed to fulfil my free time.

Ever since, Calista, Astrid and I had declared Cold War upon each other, I had done everything in my power to avoid running into them- which meant for extra eating and reading sessions by the library, alone. It sounded sad, I know, and pathetic, but isolation was not something I wasn't accustomed to. Before Calista showed up in eighth grade, I was used to not having any friends. I was that girl who would ask some other girls if I could sit with them to eat lunch with but then when everybody headed off to the playground to engage in stupid childish activities, I would skip off to the library to read, study and review notes.

"Come on," pouted Heath, "You're Jem's girlfriend. You should do the honors."

"For the second and last time, no," I stamped out, "And besides, what are you doing here in the library?"

"I know right? I never knew we had one."

"You're an idiot," Caleb said affectionately.

"How did you even manage to navigate your way here if you didn't know we had one?" I wondered.

"He had help," snorted Caleb.

"But Porcey, what are you going to give Jem for his birthday? Do you even know?"

"Yes," I snapped, though I was lying internally. I had no freaking clue on what to get Jem. Maybe a book on a collection of Shakespeare's greatest works? But that seemed so cold and indifferent, something an aunt would get you or a very well-known friend...I wanted my gift to stand out.

"What are you doing there, dear Porcey?" he casually asked as he vacated the empty seat, where I've placed all my textbooks by moving it onto my already crowded desk.

"My EE," I replied lowly, as the librarian- Ms Sevoy- circled the perimeter around the hawk, watching Heath and Caleb to make sure they weren't up to no good.

"Why are you doing your EE? It's only October. And EE deadlines are on the 16th of December. I mean, shouldn't you wait until at least 15th December to do it?"

I was perplexed. "But that's the day before it's due."

"Exactly!"

I rubbed my forehead. "Well, unfortunately, Heath. I actually care about this so..."

"Do they have food here?" inquired Heath.

"In the library?"

"Yep."