not to get in their way.
I wish Nathan was here to help pass the time. I texted him, but he hasn’t answered yet. Must be studying or something. His algebra exam was today, and I want to know how he did.
He tried his best to teach me a few tricks about the essay I’m supposed to turn in by the end of the week, but I’m hopeless. Something about getting the words from my brain to the computer. It just isn’t working. That and Chaucer is really boring.
My mind is a million miles away right now, and I’m not paying attention to where I’m walking, so when a classroom door bursts open, I run right into someone, which makes both of us fall onto our butts. I can’t really blame anyone but myself.
“Oh God, I’m so sorry.” The papers they were carrying fly everywhere, and it’s not until they’re all settled that I realize I ran into Meleika.
“Ben?” She’s already on her knees, scrambling to pick everything up.
“Sorry, it’s my fault.” I start grabbing for the flyers, ignoring the new sting coming from my tailbone. A few of them catch my eye. They’re all different designs, but it’s clear what they’re for.
“Spring Fling Dance!”
“It’s my bad,” Meleika says. “In too much of a hurry.” She shuffles the flyers to try and make them even. “I was supposed to have these up last week, but we’re still trying to get everything together for the dance.”
“Isn’t prom in like two months?” I ask. “Why bother with planning another one?”
“It’s tradition.” Meleika says this with about as much enthusiasm as I’d expect. “What on earth are you doing here this late?”
“Waiting for Thomas.”
She raises an eyebrow. “Thomas?”
“Mr. Waller. He’s my brother-in-law. And my ride home.” I make sure to pick my words carefully. “What are you doing?”
“I’ve got to hang these posters around campus.” We both stand up slowly, but she still has the panicked look. “Listen, I hate to ask you, but can you help me? Stephanie’s going to chew my ass if they aren’t up by tomorrow morning.”
“Yeah, sure. What do I need to do?” I guess anything’s better than just walking around campus.
“Here.” Meleika hands me this huge roll of tape. “I hold, you tape.” She pins one of the flyers against the wall in front of us. I quickly rip the four pieces and tape down each corner. “You’re fast, good.”
“Trained for seven years to be an expert tape ripper. Glad the classes paid off.”
That makes her laugh, and we move farther down the hall, making sure we don’t hang the same style of poster as the last one.
“So, are you going to the dance?” Meleika asks, pinning up another poster.
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
“What? Why not?”
“Dances aren’t really my thing.” I start ripping more pieces of tape, letting them hang ready on the ends of my fingers.
“There’s a game too.”
“Sports and dances aren’t really my thing.”
Meleika chuckles, brushing her hair out of her face. Over the weekend, she got rid of the braids and came back to school with huge, long curls. “I don’t really blame you, honestly. I wouldn’t go unless I had to.”
“You have to?”
“Everyone from student council has to show up to all our events, or else we don’t get the credit hours.”
“That sucks.”
“You’re telling me! I’m missing my shows to watch some beefcakes knock around balls with a big stick?” Then she stops. “I suppose the baseball butts aren’t so bad though.”
I keep my mouth shut, but I definitely wouldn’t argue with her.
“Meleika?” An all-too-familiar voice echoes down the hallway. Nathan, of course. “And Ben!” He smiles when he sees me. “What are you doing here?”
“He’s busy.” Meleika gets another poster ready.
“Thomas had to stay after, for some meeting,” I say.
“Oh.” Nathan’s smile drops. “So why are you helping Mel?” he asks.
“’Cause he’s a decent human being who helps when asked, unlike you.” Meleika takes a piece of tape from my fingers and tapes a flyer to Nathan’s forehead.
“I had to help paint set pieces!” Nathan protests, ripping the paper off his face. Apparently, he underestimated the strength of the tape because next thing we know, he’s doubled over hissing and rubbing that spot on his forehead. “You try telling Stephanie no!” he says through gritted teeth.
“Whatever.” Meleika crosses her arms. “What are you doing here anyway? You’re painting, remember?”
“Mr. Madison said you had the spare key to the art room. Mrs. Liu was supposed to get us more paint, but I think it’s locked