Free Honor Student by Teresa Mummert Page A

stairs
to her room. I smiled back at her mother, feeling sorry for Becka’s
rude outburst.
    I stood in the doorway of her bedroom. The
walls painted a deep purple and heavy matching drapes lined the
windows.
    “You like?” she asked, twirling around.
    “It’s nice. Very…gothic” I replied. I had
never pegged Becka for having a darker side.
    “It’s not gothic, it’s romantic.” She smiled.
I did not get that vibe at all, but what did I know about romance.
The closest I had come was being tied to William’s bed. I felt my
cheeks turn pink at the thought. I turned my phone over in my hand.
I had no missed calls or messages.
    “It’s nice” I smiled and she beamed with
pride.
    “I got something to make you feel better.”
She grinned, pulling a small tin out of the stand next to her
bed.
    “Oh, no” I recognized it from the school
bathroom. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
    “Why not? My mom is oblivious. Besides, you
need this after the day you have had.” She pulled out a joint and
began to light it.
    “What the hell.” I walked over and took the
joint, drawing in hard and holding my breath.
    “So, where have you been?” she asked, taking
the joint carefully.
    “What?” I breathed out, caught off guard by
her question.
    “Where have you been all day?” her tone hung
heavy with concern not just general nosiness.
    “I needed to get away. I could not sit still.
I just…walked.” She nodded and I knew I did not need to elaborate
further. Seeing Becka around school I never would have imagined us
hanging out and actually getting along. I realized that it was
probably my fault we did not become friends sooner. I kept to
myself as much as possible, trying not to let anyone get close
enough to me to hurt me. The saddest part is that I was actively
hurting myself. I was completely self- destructive. I was not
always this way. Before my parent’s had died I was happy.
    “Where did you go?” she asked, touching my
arm.
    “Around town” I answered, taking the joint
from her hand.
    “No” she laughed, “Just now”
    “Oh...I guess I was just thinking about all
that has happened lately.” I replied.
    “I know what will make you feel better.
Cookies” She laughed, grabbing the joint and putting it out inside
the tin. “Come on” she looped her arm inside mine and sat my phone
down on the stand with her box.
    “Wait…I need that” I said, reaching out my
hand but she waved it away.
    “What could possibly be more important than
junk food?” she rolled her eyes and drug me down the steps to the
kitchen.

Chapter Eighteen
    I was relieved to find the kitchen empty.
Becka’s mother had gone outside to work on her garden, leaving us
free to rummage through the fridge for snacks. Becka handed me the
plate of cookies and a few sodas. She grabbed a few more things and
we made our way back upstairs to her bedroom.
    “So, what really happened to your hand?”
Becka asked as she took a long swig from her soda.
    “It was an accident.” I replied dryly.
    “Rumor around school was you got fucked up on
all kinds of drugs and tried to off yourself.” She explained as if
talking about the weather. I rolled my eyes and nibbled on a
cookie.
    “The truth is much more boring.” I caught the
light on my phone blinking out of the corner of my eye.
    “It always is.” She laughed and I leaned over
to slide my phone of the stand, and peeked at the screen. The I.D.
on the message read ‘William the Conqueror’. I smiled, realizing he
must have programmed that in while I was in the bathroom.
    Do you have any idea what I want to do to
you right now?
    I could not keep my cheeks from burning
red.
    “What? Who is it?” Becka asked, grabbing for
my phone. I held it back and pushed her hand away.
    “No one, just an old friend from back home.”
I lied. I typed back a quick reply then slid the phone into my
pocket.
    Who is this? It is so hard to keep my
admirers straight.
    My phone vibrated in my pocket