A Hidden Picture

Twenty four

~ Reed

I hate math tests.

I hate them so fucking much.

"Are you gonna go inside?," Jesse asks as he about to walk through the door.

I stand outside, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed over my chest, gnawing on my thumb nail.

"Yeah I'm just waiting for someone." God my stomach feels like a fucking washing machine.

His eyes go slightly ajar. "Does this person happen to have long curly hair, eyes that are scary, and a bit of an attitude?"

I look up to him as I continue to gnaw on my nail. "Yeah," I mutter.

He pats me on the shoulder. "Don't make out for too long. Ms. Dawson gonna come looking for you eventually."

My face burns. "Fuck off."

He lifts both hands up in the air with a smile. "Good luck." With that he walks into the room.

I nervously look down the hallway for the fifth time.

Shit where is this woman?

"Hi Reed!" I jump a little and look up with wide eyes.

Liz stands there in front of me with large hazel eyes.

"You okay?" she asks, looking me up and down.

I clear my throat. "I-I'm good. Just startled me."

"Are you waiting for someone...?" Her eyes dart around.

My arms still sit crossed against my chest as my fingers begin to pick and the loose threads on the arm of my hoodie.

"Yeah." Can she please leave. Please.

"Who?" Her eyebrows pull together.

"It's something for homework." No it's not. I internally sigh, can she please just go inside we're not even friends.

She bites her lip and looks up at me. "Okay well...if you ever need me I'll be at my desk."

Yeah no shit where else will you be?

Her eyelashes flutter before she walk inside, her hand skims my forearm before fully leaving.

I offer her a forced small smile. When she's gone I uncomfortably wipe the side of my hoodie.

Where the fuck is Annalise?

The bell is gonna ring soon and she always manages to be late. I'm surprised she hasn't gotten detention for the amount of lates she's gotten.

My nerves are calmed slightly when I finally see her walking down the hallway. She's stares at her feet.

She's wearing her usual blue jeans, a pair of slightly dirty reeboks, and a green tank top. A black sweater covers her arms.

When she finally lifts her head she sees me and her mouth opens slightly.

As she get's closer I can see circles under eyes. Her eyes look...sad? They just have a bit of a sunken look to them.

"Hey," I say quietly. Shit I don't know how I'm gonna take this stupid fucking test.

She doesn't say hi back. Just immediately cuts to the chase. "Listen. You're gonna do fine. Okay? You've studied a lot and you're gonna do good."

"Okay but what if I forget everything? I don't know what it is with math tests but the minute they're in front of me it doesn't matter how many hours I studied it all goes out the fucking window. My brain just blanks and suddenly I can't remember shit. If I fail this test my grade is going even more down the drain than it already was which I cannot afford because if that evil witch in there get's me kicked off the football team my dad's gonna-"