A Pocketful of Gems

Chapter 4: baked in a pie - Part 4

I slung my bag over my shoulder and grabbed my books quickly, praying that I didn't stumble again and drop everything.

I rushed pass Eve and Abel, bumping his shoulder hard.

"Gemma?" he called to me, concern straining his soft voice. I looked back at him. He looked at Spencer and turned away. Eve toggled between us, then stood still, her eyes plead with me.

"Gemma?" her voice was soft and pleading. Her fingers curled and uncurled at her side. I turned away.

I went straight to my first class. I sat with my fists clenched in my skirt and tried not to hyperventilate. I was making what was certainly the biggest mistake of my life; I'd thrown away my best friends. The only people to have noticed me when I was lost and in distress and had offered me their hand to lead me through and out of it. This wasn't just a woman's irrational stupidity; no this was me being downright stupid. I had something good and beautiful. Why am I so God damn ungrateful? Is it my genetics or the curse of the XY chromosomes?

"Gemma, is something the matter?" Mrs. Ernest walked into the classroom just as the bell sounded faintly, her voice boomed and rattled inside my skull.

I became aware I was crying when Mrs. Ernest's already blurry form liquefied as she trotted towards me on heels too high to support a woman with her exuberant quantity of curves.

"Why are you crying, what happened?" I searched my head for an excuse, I usually kept a good supply, but all the ones that came to mind sucked; the guy I liked only wants to be friends; I just burned the bridge to the three best things to ever happen to my sorry existence in 16 years; my parents are on the brink of getting a divorce and I developed twelve new freckles.

All sucked, I pulled out my no fail excuse, though I hated using it up now.

"My period came early and it hurts so much," I whimpered and pressed my hand to my abdomen.

"Oh, I'm sorry sweetie," she placed a gentle hand on my back and rubbed small soothing circles. "Do you have anything you can take? No? Let me see, you're friends with Eve."

Her ample curves jiggled as she pivoted on her heels in search of Eve, who had just slipped into her seat, unawares.

"Eve." She jumped at her name. Two seats in front of her Mitchell looked at me with concern. I gave him a small smile and he nodded. "Come take Gemma to the office to get a sick pass and call her parents."

Eve stood and hurried over, eyes wide, she gathered my books and bags and helped me up.

"You can take your things too, Eve, I know you aren't gonna come back." Mrs. Ernest smiled to herself. "Though I'd not mind if you sent Abel to get them, heh, heh."

Eve laughed sheepishly, she went to get her things and I bolted out my seat hand over mouth.

I made it to a trash can in the hallway and thanked the powers that be that the halls were clear. Mrs. Ernest tepidly closed her door like she'd seen nothing.

Eve stood beside me.

"Is it Spencer's?" I laughed without humour.

"I have stomach flu, you cow."

"Those were Valarie's exact words to Auntie," she passed me a bottle of water to rinse my mouth, "five months later she had twins."

"I'll never be that lucky." I dropped the bottle in the trash.

"You kinda already are." She tilted her head and smiled at me. "Haven't realised it yet though, have you?"

It didn't take any convincing for Ms. Blaze to write us a sick pass; I had to borrow her wastepaper bin and she was fine with me not returning it.