Free Echoes by Michelle Rowen Page A

realized that Ms. Carlson was trying to start class, but didn’t have our attention. Her gaze was currently fixed on me and Helen.
    “Are we interrupting you girls?” she asked.
    I sunk lower in my seat. “Not at all.”
    “Do you mind if I get started?” She looked vaguely amused that she’d put the spotlight directly on me. Everyone was staring.
    “Please go right ahead.”
    “Good.” She wrote on the chalkboard as she spoke. “Today you’re going to be writing a surprise essay test on the themes of Othello. Power, deception, betrayal. Pick one, use solid examples from the play itself, and give me four pages. You have the entire hour.”
    The class collectively grumbled their dismay over this, but then a minute later there was only the scratch of pens against paper as everyone began writing in silence. I knew I was going to fail this assignment badly. I couldn’t concentrate on analyzing Shakespearian themes today. The four pages I ended up scribbling might not have even been in English by the time I was finished. My grades were fine in this class, so I figured I could take one hit without it affecting my GPA too much.
    After sixty minutes, which felt more like six hours, the bell rang. Everyone turned in their papers at Ms. Carlson’s desk. I said a hurried good-bye to Helen, escaping any further questions, and was off after Ethan who’d already slipped out of class. He wasn’t walking quite as fast as he had previously, which let me catch up to him. I followed him around the corner, through the crowd in the hallway, to his locker. He opened it up, slid his books inside and took out new ones. Finally he glanced at me.
    “Uh, hello?” I said dryly. “It’s so nice to see you too, Ethan.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “Still following me, huh?”
    “It’s quickly become a habit of mine.”
    His lips twitched in a manner that might form a smile, but fell short. “Who would have thought?”
    “What?”
    “That Olivia Hawthorn would seek me out of her own free will. It’s kind of amazing.”
    “Is it?” I leaned against the lockers feeling awkward all of a sudden. My excited glow at talking to him again after our kiss was starting to fade along with my confidence. “I guess you’re forgetting about last night.”
    His dark brows drew together. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
    I felt my cheeks flush. I’d meant my seeking him out for information, not making out with him. Mostly.
    “Don’t worry,” I assured him. “Nothing happened. Not really.”
    He nodded. “Good. Glad we agree.”
    I cleared my throat. “Of course. Agreed.”
    He closed the locker, his shoulders noticeably stiff.
    Okay, this was awkward.
    And I didn’t want to keep thinking about that amazing kiss if I could possibly help it. It was much too distracting. Too bad it was seared into my mind forever.
    “We’re still going to see that guy after school, right?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
    “Yeah.” He wasn’t making eye contact. “You still want to?”
    “Of course I do.”
    “Then we’ll meet here after school. We’ll figure this out, I promise.”
    “Okay.” I clutched my binder to my chest and turned away from him. Before I took more than a step, he caught my hand in his.
    “Liv—”
    I turned back to face him, but didn’t try to pull away. “Yeah?”
    “It’s going to be okay.”
    I looked down at his fingers now entwined with mine. A warm, tingly feeling slid through me as our eyes finally met and held. “You really think so?”
    “I do.”
    “And you’re not going to avoid me again?”
    He drew me closer to him so I could feel the warmth from his body. “I couldn’t if I tried.”
    “Glad we agree on something.”
    The bell rang for second class and everyone in the hall began quickly disappearing into classrooms.
    “After school,” he said. “Here.”
    He finally let go of my hand and I watched him walk away until he disappeared around a corner. I took a deep breath to help