Free To the Steadfast by Briana Gaitan

we should watch the changing of the
lottery sign.”
    I swat at a bug that
has landed on my arm before laughing at my friend. “That sounds so redneck.”
    “Really? Cause I
propose we sit up here in our cheap lawn chairs and drink watered down beer.”
    “Ugh, Killian. You’re
bad, you know that?”
    “So it’s a date? Meet
me here at ten o’clock on Wednesday night.”
    I nod and we make the
plans to do something stupid before I have to go back to my room and back to
the real life.

 

    I look for Mischa
at school on Tuesday, but he
doesn’t show. He isn’t at home when I stop by to pick up Violet for school.
Neither is he home when I drop her off. Wednesday is the same thing. He’s
fallen off the face of the earth, again. I can’t understand it. He acts like he
wants to be with me, but doesn’t follow through?
    Last period on
Wednesday drags on. When the bell rings, I stand to leave but Mr. Smith stops
me.
    “Cody, can we talk?”
    I approach his desk,
positive he’s going to hound me about my grades.
    “I’ve noticed a
dramatic drop in your grades this semester. Is there something I can do to help
you bring your grade up?”
    I fiddle with the
fringe on the bottom of my shirt. “Um…”
    “I only say this
because you’ve been an honors student for the past three years and after having
you in  Biology, I figured chemistry would be a breeze.”
    “I’ve been distracted,”
I explain. Distracted with parties, late nights, and boys.
    “Distracted is an
understatement. You’re failing and with only two weeks left of school I don’t
know if you can bring it up. Even an A on the final will only bring you to a
low C.”
    “Last time I checked, a
C is still passing.”
    “What happened to your
dream of going to medical school? Didn’t you want to follow in your father’s
footsteps? I remember him talking about that at the hospital benefit last
year.”
    He has it all wrong. I
couldn’t care less what my father does, but my father keeps telling people I’m
going to medical school. They wrote a column on our family in a magazine last
year, and I was quoted as wanting to change lives with him by my side. I’m
following in my grandmother’s footsteps and becoming a nurse. She’s the person
who made a difference. My father just makes a paycheck.
    “I don’t know. It just
doesn’t seem as important right now.”
    “Boys may seem
important right now, but your grades need to take precedence. I’m going to have
to put you on academic probation for the rest of the semester. You know what
that means.”
    “I do.” Required
afterschool tutoring, the same tutoring I used to volunteer for. I turn around,
my face a bright shade of pink. School used to feel so important, but somehow
I’ve let all the important things slip away.
    Violet  is waiting for
me after class.
    “What did he want?” she
asks.
    “I’m on probation. I’m
not passing chemistry.”
    “That really sucks.
What are you gonna do?”
    “Study.” I throw my
books in my locker and lean against it. All the students are buzzing about prom
on Friday. It’s a big deal for the juniors, but I haven’t given it a second
thought. It may possibly be because I have no date. No one asked me, big
surprise. I have a date with a pint of ice cream and a cheesy romantic comedy.
    “Are you going to
prom?” I ask Violet.
    “You know how I feel
about those things. It’s another way to have a popularity contest.  Why? Are
you wanting to go?”
    I shrug. “Maybe. No one
really asked me. Anyway, I better at least try and bring my grades up before
finals. I’m gonna go to the library and study away from all the distractions.”
    “See you,” she calls
out.
     I head for the public
library across the street and find a seat in the corner. I get halfway through
my study guide before someone taps me on the shoulder. I look up and see
Killian grinning down at me.
    “Imagine seeing you
here.” He sits down beside me and scoots his chair in