Making Circles - Vanessa Gilbert (recommended reading txt) 📗

“Okay class so go ahead and begin reading Romeo and Juliet tonight and tomorrow we’ll start acting it out and talking about it, “Mrs. Droison said.
Mrs. Droison never changed, her hair was the same dark, deep purple red, she still kept her hair down and curly, she still wore crazy wacky fashions and she still had random pieces of jewelry. Everyone stood from their desks, picking up their bags, throwing them on, and began to migrate towards the door. I stood, picked up my side bag, put it on, then began to make my way towards the door with Kyle on my heels and Rose right behind him. “So even though he said harsh and cruel words to you you’re gonna take him back, “Kyle asked.
I nodded and shrugged as I said, “Apparently.”
“Why? I mean if he is as big of a jerk as you describe him to be then you should be kicking his ass to the curb and telling him to beat it,” Kyle said.
“Shut up Kyle, you don’t know what they’ve been through together. Their like the perfect couple, “Rose said hitting Kyle’s backpack.
I laughed a totally fake laugh. Yep we’re the perfect couple minus the yelling and the harsh words, I thought. “I’m sorry but she may be the perfect part of the relationship in my mind. I mean, come on he sounds like a total douche that doesn’t deserve anyone and if he gets someone he probably pushes them away with a cold hand…or a hard fist,” Kyle said.
Well he’s right there, I thought. “You're wrong Kyle, yea sometimes he can be a douche but most of the time he’s sweet,” Rose argued.
“Do you hear yourself? You’re pretty much saying, ‘Oh yea he’s a total douche but he’s the best she’s gonna get and besides that he’s good looking,” Kyle said.
“Hey…I never said he was good looking,” Rose said.
Oh so that’s the only thing that’s a lie,” I thought. “So you’re saying she can’t get another, better guy,” Kyle said.
Hey same thing-“No I’m saying that she can get anyone but at the moment he’s the only one that has eyes on here,” she said.
“How do you know,” Kyle asked angrily.
“Well do you have eyes on here,” Rose asked.
I looked at Kyle and blushed as I asked, “Yea do you?”
Kyle looked at both of us frantic as hell and looking like soon he might have a mental break down. “Uh, uh, uh,” Kyle stuttered.
Rose laughed and said, “Here I’ll save you. Are you gonna meet up with him at Lunch and talk about it?”
I looked at her and shrugged as I said, “I don’t know Rose, I mean he could be telling the truth wouldn’t be the first time-,” and just with that Kyle jumps in and yelled as we walked down the hall, “And yet again we are back to what I said to Rose, do you hear yourself? This is not the only time he has yelled at you and your thinking of getting back together with him!”
I sighed and said, “Kyle, no offense but I don’t need you yelling at me right now.”
Kyle sighed and sarcastically said, “You’re right, I shouldn’t yell I mean you have so much to think about.”
I glared at him and said, “Your cuteness can last so long before you piss me off.”
“You think I’m cute,” Kyle asked as Rose and I walked away.

I made it to my next class in the nick of time. I stepped half way in when the bell rang and fully stepped in when the bell stopped ringing. Mr. Timpson, one of my few favorite teacher’s, smiled and said, “Wow Arien, cutting it close now aren’t you?”
I laughed and nodded then said, “A bunch of freshmen got in my way.”
“We'll pick an available seat with any group of your choice and get settled in,” he said.
I starred at all the empty seats…all of them involved someone that hated me. Kasey, Jessica, and Maria all sat in one big group with one available seat. They glared at me, their eyes saying, “If you dare seat here we’ll kill you.” I looked to another group that had a bunch of gothic kids that where sitting around looking pissed off at everything and everyone. I could love that seat but let’s look at another choice. The last choice I had was to seat with a bunch of people who, kinda like me, loved to do math, they thought it was fun and interesting. Nah lets seat with the gothic kids who will leave me the fuck along. I heated for the seat and just as I did one of them put their foot right on the seat and said, “Sorry but this seat is taking.”
“By who,” I asked searching for a backpack.
“My ghost friend Charley,” he (or she I can’t really tell) said.
I sighed in anger then looked at the nerds who gave me the same glare that Jessica, Kasey, and Maria gave me…the glare of shunning someone…the glare of telling someone they aren’t welcome and they might as well as be a ghost for all they care. I starred around the room, everyone’s eyes on me…waiting to see where I sat…the seat with the nerds who will probably think of some master plot to kill me…OR I could seat with my ex best friends who would do the same but their plan will be easy to see. I’m gonna go with the sitting on the floor and curling up in a ball, I thought.
“Please choose your seat quickly Arien, we need to get started with class,” Mr. Timpson said.
I looked around frantically…I felt like I was in music chairs…the music is playing…people are walking…the music stops…a mad dash for a seat and the last one standing is…me. I sighed and made my way over to the nerd table…have to pick wisely at least if these guys kill me I can be proud of it. I sat down and pulled out my math binder, trying to hide my fast with my long hair, hoping they couldn’t see me. “Okay class, welcome to IMP 2. For the ones here who don’t know me my name is Mr. Timpson,” Mr. Timpson said walking around the room.
Everyone glued eyes on Mr. Timpson except for me…today is Mr. Timpson’s greeting day, which means no work and if you already know the speeches then he lets you just seat around and do nothing. I pulled out my sketch pad, my green mechanical pencil, and my light pink big eraser and began to doddle. I drew a sketch of a puppet doll girl hanging by her strings up in a tree. I erased a mistake and then began to re-draw what I erased only better. “Hey,” one of the nerds whispered, “are you Arien, the girl who put her friends in the hospital?”
I looked up at the person and felt myself freeze up. No, no please don’t let someone be asking me if I was the one who put them in the hospital. I didn’t mean to, it wasn’t my fault. “Um, I didn’t want to put them in the hospital,” I answered.
They rolled their eyes…they were saying yea right. I could feel my throat close up with the want to scream. I pulled my feet onto my seat and went back to my doddle. Soon other things appeared in my doddle…soon little other puppet dolls joined each one circling around the tree, looking up at the poor puppet girl hanging by her strings, and laughing. I stared down at the picture…this was me…the girl puppet was me…her hair covering her face, her body covered in huge clothes trying to hide the true her, tears running down her face…blood running down from her wrists.
I stared down at the picture taking in the gruesome image. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, the image…it is an image only a crazy person would draw…I guess I’m crazy. “Mrs. Arien, please tell the class what my number one rule is,” Mr. Timpson asked.
I looked at him dumbstruck and thought for a moment. Crap what’s his number one rule, I thought. “Um…don’t judge,” I guessed.
“Close but not exactly take another shot,” he said.
Oh god what do I say. I looked around frantically begging someone to help. “Arien,” Mr. Timpson asked.
I stared at him and shrugged as I said, “Um, I don’t know.”
Everyone giggled as Mr. Timpson shook his head in disappointment. I sighed, yep its official…I died in a car crash on my way here and now I’m in hell for lusting over Carter…and Mark. “Does anyone remember what I said,” Mr. Timpson asked the whole class.
Katie raised her hand and said, when she was called on, “You said that the number one rule is to be kind and nice to everyone no matter what happened between the two of us and if we start anything you will take us to the principal’s office.”
Yep, I’m defiantly in hell.

Everyone crowded around the door waiting impatiently for the bell to ring. I picked up my bag and threw it over my shoulder and then joined the group by the door. I kept my distance from the big group though afraid someone might pull the huge plot to kill me right here…right now. I leaned up against a nearby wall and waited watching the faces and expressions guessing what they were talking about. The nerds grouped up and where looking like they had just had a major “brainer” so they are talking about something deep and needed a lot of thinking. The group of gothic kids looked pissed off…but then again they always looked pissed off. And Finally the group of my ex best friends…they had the face of anger…and they kept having quick glances my way…they were talking about me.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath…I’m not here…I’m at home…in bed…curled up…comfortable. The bell rang and my eyes opened violently and then I pushed my way out the door and towards my next class. I walked out of the class room then ran towards the nearest exit and made my way to my next class, my head facing towards the ground my mind set out on one thing. “Arien,” I heard a familiar voice call out.
I looked behind me and walking towards me was Kyle. I smiled and waved and called out, “Hey Kyle.”
Kyle jogged over to me and then when he reached me he asked, “So, what class are you going to now?”
I smiled and asked, “Guitar, you?”
Kyle smiled a big smile and said, “I’m counting this one as fate, same class.”
I stared at him in shock and said, “No way.”
He nodded and laughed as he said, “Way.”
I laughed and gently punched him. He smiled and then asked so is this how you flirt.”
I laughed and said, “Maybe.”
We both laughed then kept walking towards the building…eyes watching us like daggers. I looked at him and said, “You know it really isn’t good for you to hang out with me…I mean…I have a bad reputation.”
He looked at me then everyone around us and stopped walking. I stopped walking and starred at him and asked, “What?”
He walked in close and whispered in a low, deep, husky voice, “I don’t care what people think…I don’t care about your reputation. You are all I care about.”
Kyle pulled me close to him and as soon as he did I felt the blood rush to my face and felt what I’ve wanted to feel for ever…protected…loved…safe. I stared into his silver blue eyes and just got lost in the ocean of it. I blinked my eyes then said, “Um, we should try and get to our class on time.”
Kyle smiled and said, “Yea let’s get going.”
We walked closer and closer to the building and it wasn’t