Free Eternity (Circle of Light) by April Margeson

hallway and I wasn’t sure he had heard me. I knew it would make him feel better if he thought that I was waiting on him and I would.  How could I not?
    I walked quickly to my second period class.  If I was late one more time I was sure to get detention.  That wasn’t something I was looking forward to doing during the final week of school.  I was sure that there were going to be several seniors there, but I was not going to be one of them if I could help it.  I could think of a million better things to be doing after school.  One of them was being with Eric.
    I reached my seat just as the final bell rang.  I smiled as the substitute teacher glared at me.  Katrina wasn’t so lucky.  The teacher immediately handed her a detention slip.  Katrina just smiled at her and said thank you.  Her response caught me off guard.  It was nasty toned and very unlike the girl.
    Katrina had become very distant and withdrawn lately.  We had been fairly close most of high school, but whatever was bothering her made us more detached.  She didn’t make any effort to talk to me, or anyone else for that matter, and I knew that whatever was going on in her life had to be something that she wasn’t prepared to talk to anyone about.  That made me not want to know, really.
    Katrina had always been a very fun-loving, sociable person.  I don’t think that I could name one single person that didn’t like her.  She was hard not to like.  Every action that she made was purely for the benefit of the people around her and some people had tried to take advantage of that in the past. None of that mattered to her. She continued to be nice and help them if they asked her.
    About thirty minutes into class Eric came back.  He handed the teacher a note.  I’m assuming it was from the guidance counselor.  He walked back to his desk hastily.  I could tell that whatever had gone on in the meeting had made him angry. 
    “What’s wrong?’ I asked him as he took a seat in the desk directly to my left.
    “ My old school failed to grade my final exams so I have to take them again here.” he whispered to me angrily.
    “That just gives you a chance to make a higher grade.”
    He laughed at me and said, “Only you Bailey.” 
    I giggled back at him as he slumped back in his desk with a disgusted look on his face.  I felt sorry for him and I knew I would have been just as mad about it if it were me having to retake those dreadful exams.
    “Will you help me study?” he asked slyly.
    “Really?” I became a beaming mess of excitement.
    “It isn't like I really need to study for them anyway.” he boasted. 
    “I wouldn’t be so sure of that if I were you.”   
    “I’m just using it as an excuse to spend the entire afternoon with you.”
    “I’m glad to know I’m so loved.” I rolled my eyes. 
    “That, you are .” he replied.
    Eric had said I was loved.  Did that mean that he loved me?  Probably not.  It was more than likely an observation on his part.  Nothing to get all worked up over, I told myself.
    Class was over sooner than I realized.  The day was going by so fast.  It was time for lunch.  The lunchroom was jam packed as usual.  I went through the line and got a slice of pizza and an apple. I hardly ever got the full lunch tray.  Most of the food was disgusting anyway.  I’m not sure how they get away with feeding us this way and if you asked me it should be a crime.
    Eric got two slices of pizza, an apple, and a carton of chocolate milk.  I thought the whole milk thing was kind o f cute.  I don’t know why.  It just was.
    Eric and I sat at the table with Jared and Damien.  A few girls were staring at Eric and I tried not to let them know that I noticed.  They giggled and grinned like they had never seen a good looking guy before in their life. I understood it in a way.  I mean, Eric is beyond the description of good-looking.  He is heavenly, with just a hint of danger to him.  The perfect balance