Free The Locket by K J Bell Page B

steps I would get to see Brent.
    Reaching the door, I peeked in and began scanning the room. I spotted Brent standing in front of a table in the back of the class. He was talking with a small group of girls who were giggling at every word he said. I felt the slightest bit of jealousy lingering in a dark place somewhere near the back of my mind. Stepping into the room, my eyes lit up and I smiled brightly, staring at him, urging him to look at me. He turned and our eyes locked. Something distant and cold replaced the welcoming gleam I usually felt when I looked at him. Taking a step toward him, I ignored the rejection I saw in his stare. Leveling me with a shunning glare, he turned his head and continued his conversation with his admirers until the bell rang.
    Layken and I sat. I was aware she noticed my malaise, but didn’t ask about it, which I was thankful for. Heat filled my stomach and crawled up my neck as confusion whirled around in my head desperately searching for an answer to why he was totally avoiding me.
    Pointing out a small table in the middle of the room, the teacher began to talk. A bowl of fruit was centered on the table. Our assignment was to draw the outline of the fruit. We would learn how to shade it tomorrow. Putting my pencil to the paper, I failed to actually draw anything as my frustration grew over Brent not acknowledging me. He had obviously had time to think about my family, deciding he would prefer not to be friends. The thought made me sick and angry at the same time, riling my emotions.
    A boy darted in the door holding a hall pass. His dark brown hair was messy as though he just woke up, skipping the brush, hurrying out the door, late for school. I assumed his rush to school was also the reason for his wrinkled clothing. He smiled at Mrs. Jenkins, handing her his pass.
    “Nice of you to join us, Brody,” Mrs. Jenkins said before shooing him to his seat.
    I wondered if this was the same Brody that Layken mentioned at lunch. He walked past me, flashing a mouth full of braces when he smiled. Brody took a seat next to Brent in the back of the room. My eyes followed Brody and I glimpsed at Brent. He instantly turned away when we made eye contact. Seriously, what was his problem?
    Hiding behind the curtain of hair that formed over my ears, I turned several times to look at Brent, hoping he would respond. He didn’t and I slunk further down in my chair. He hadn’t looked at me once, not once. The entire class passed and Brent sat stone-faced as though I didn’t exist. The bell startled me, causing me to jump. My pencil rolled to the floor. Class was over and I hadn’t drawn so much as a line on my paper. Mrs. Jenkins crossed in front of my table, frowning at my obvious lack of effort.
    “Drawing invisible fruit, Ms. Blake?” she asked. The class burst into laughter. I spun in my chair to see Brent was laughing too. Catching my stare he smiled dolefully, averting his eyes to break my gaze. What was with him today?
    As soon as the bell rang, I tossed my things in my backpack and ran from the class –rudely – not even addressing Layken when she said goodbye. I would apologize later. I was too angry. People in this town were just awful, spreading rumors about my family and about me. How was it people could listen to silly gossip about other people, and then turn that into hateful, hurtful, feelings towards those people they’ve never even bothered to get to know. Were we not a more civilized society, far from pack animals that have a need to claim a place by exposing the others weaknesses?
    Yesterday, Brent walked me to all of my afternoon classes. Today he could not even say hello. Tears stung my eyes at the realization that I only had myself to blame for mistaking what I was feeling. After history, I was fed up with being ignored and decided to confront him. As we exited the class, I approached him charily.
    “Can we talk for a minute, please?” I pleaded, forcing back tears, not wanting