troubles - l.r.h

five

I sit in class the next day, around noon. It's raining. Pouring down, the drops of rain crash against the concrete that is swallowing almost the whole area around this building outside the class window. My eyelids are heavy like bricks and my body feels weird because of my lack of sleep. I can't stop thinking about what she said back on the lake - I can't even get her out of my head for one lonely second. Nipples is up front, teaching and shaping "the young minds like clay" about human sexuality.
I usually listen intensively to her deep teachings, but today, there is something else going on where I'm sitting, right by me actually. Mike is seated next to me with Abbie on his side. They are poking each other, looking a lot like middle school love interests.

"Say it back, silly." Abbie tells him as she pokes his forehead. Mike sighs.

"No I won't do that, Abbie. Stop it." He says, groaning, probably rolling his eyes at her. I decide to keep my eyes on Nipples, who is dramatically waving her hands in the air, and I can't figure out why. Abbie takes a sharp breath.

"You're ridicuous. Why can't you just say it?" She says, clearly annoyed with him.

"Because we're in the middle of class! I don't want to, you know me."

"It's not like you're fucking listening anyway." She says with a deep voice as I carefully turn to Mike. His eyes are focused on the wall at the front in the classroom, fists clenched and his jaw is shut tightly as he speaks. I reach for his arm.

"I don't want anyone to hear or see, you know?" Michael says through his teeth.

"Mike, everyone knows that we are together." Abbie says Matter of Factly as she looks at him, shaking her head. "You're so ludicous." Abbie snaps and turns away from him with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Wait, what's that? Latin for badass?" Michael says a bit too loudly, a foolish grin spreading across his face. People start looking in our direction as they overhear their conversation. I open my mouth to say something, but no words are heard.

"It's fucking Latin for stupid, obviously." She rolls her eyes at him one more time.

"Excuse me? Stupid? You know who's stupid?" I put my hand on his arm. He continues. "You are! You're pathetic, Abbie. Absolutely worthless!" Michael shouts as he slams his fist into the table, standing up with his chest rising and falling rapidly. People turn around to look at us. Whispers are heard. Nipples stops shaping our minds.

"Mike..!" I whisper to him, tugging at his arm to sit him down. "Stop it. You're overreacting."

"Shut the fuck up, Luke." Mike warns, giving me a quick glance. "Abbie, you know how I sure as hell dont ..."

"I've had enough." Abbie whispers to herself, but it's not very hard to overhear. Michael hears her too. He looks at her, fists still clenched close to his body.

"I'm sorry, is there a problem over there?" Mrs.Nipples interrupts, brushing her short, red hair out of her face.

"Yes. There is, acutally." Abbie says loudly, standing up. "My boyfriend is a fucking dick." She says as she quickly grabs her things and storms, almost struts out of the classroom, her long, brown hair waving around behind her. Everyone looks at her. I hear someone whispering something about her being fierce. Someone chuckles.

"At least I have one!" Michael shouts at her before the door slams shut behind her. I hear laughs.

"That was a terrible comeback, Mike. Terrible." I say as Mike falls back into the chair next to me.

-

Later that day, I sit in the middle of campus on the still wet grass, strumming on my guitar, humming to the soft tunes I play. The sun is out on it's mandatory trip towards nightfall, blinding me, so I have to squint to see. I then feel a light poke on my shoulder. There she stands, right before me, blocking the sunlight. I blink a couple of times.