CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
BLAKE’S POV

“This is...not at all what I was expecting from you guys.”

Anderson, Anthony and I stared back at Clara with the same expression we gave each other this morning before going to class – annoyed with a hint of resignation and acceptance of our fate.

“That is actually way better than what you were expecting, I believe,” Anderson said. We all knew it wasn’t true and I felt bad for him when he received mocking looks from our other classmates and teacher.

“I can assure you this was not what I was expecting.” She dropped the Knight that I made – I could tell it was mine because of the way it was shaped like a deformed giraffe – and faced Anthony.

“What the hell happened?”

“Basketball practice, homework, personal life. You know, the usual.” Damn! I didn’t think Anthony had it in him to speak to his favourite teacher like that.

“You’re making excuses and you know that.”

“Well, that’s what happened. Clara, you didn’t give us enough time to make this. You paired me with an amateur and someone who is only good at making mugs. The time limit was insufficient and I had basketball practice and other shit I was dealing with.”

Okay, Anthony just yelled at her which means that there was something really wrong.

After last night at the park, I was certain that he was a bit pleased with what went on between us. I mean, I don't blame him, I was a good kisser. His spirits were lifted and he even did a little dance on the way home. We both knew the kiss meant nothing; I was just trying to help out a friend who was in need. Did my stomach do backflips when his lips came in contact with mine? Yes, yes it did, but that was only because I was surprised at the sudden contact. When he asked me to kiss him, I didn’t have enough time to process his request. I figured he just needed a distraction to help him forget the issues he was having. It was a new day but I had a feeling the issues followed him to class.

Our teacher frowned down at him. She was pissed but she was organizing her thoughts and deciding what to say so she wouldn’t end up lashing out on him like he did. I could tell that Anthony immediately regretted talking to her that way, but he was too upset and prideful to apologize.

“Clara, what Anthony was trying to say was that he was too busy to properly coordinate this assignment and you know how terrible I am with the clay. Anderson helped out a lot, but he alone couldn’t pull this off. When Anthony did have time, he made the pieces and the chess boards. You can tell the ones he made just by looking at them.” I motioned to the chess boards with deformed pieces and the few perfect ones that Anthony made. “I promise to do better next time.”

Miss Clara didn’t want to budge. She wanted to address the situation, call Anthony out and make him apologize publicly. At least that’s what any other teacher would do. Instead, she said “See me after class, Anthony,” and moved on to the other team’s piece.

Their bust came out wonderful and I was a little jealous of their sculpting skills. I bet if Anthony wasn’t already pissed, he would have been so at how theirs came out so well while ours looked like what first graders made during Arts and Craft.

“Hey, what happened?” I asked him as soon as he was done talking with Clara after class. He had a frown on his face when he came out, but on sighting me, his frown disappeared and his face tinged with pink.

“I’ve been made to clean up after every pottery class for the rest of the year.”

“I’m talking about at home. Why were you so upset this morning and...last night?”

For some weird reason, I wanted to get his view on what happened between us last night. But it seemed like the topic made him uncomfortable and embarrassed because his shade deepened and he lost his ability to maintain eye contact.

“Just...family stuff. I...my dad...”

“Babe!” Both our heads snapped in the direction of Crystal’s voice. I immediately noticed the change in the atmosphere when she arrived. Anthony’s look became sour again and my girlfriend looked like she did when she stepped on something nasty at the park. They both didn’t look at each other.

“What was that about?” I asked as soon as Anthony left. He didn’t even say goodbye or anything, but just spun around on his sneakered feet and walked away, his face stuck in a scowl.

“I have no idea,” she responded with a shrug.

We got to the parking lot. Anthony was nowhere in sight, but his best friend was standing by a silver prius, looking as frustrated as the first day I met him in tenth grade.

“Hey Anderson. You have a little problem?” I asked. He turned to face me and sighed in relief.

“I don't know why this thing won’t start. I have tried everything I know how to do and it wouldn’t budge.”

“By everything, you mean?”

He sighed as if admitting defeat and said, “I kicked the tires and yelled at it, then I kept turning the key in the ignition hoping it would start.”

“Pop the hood, Anderson.”

I heard Crystal audibly sigh as I moved over to the front of his car. She had wanted me to take her to the mall today to pick out her carpet, wallpaper and other things needed for her new room. She said the designer my mom brought didn’t get her and so she was going to get her decor herself. I could understand how this minor setback brought a frown on her face.

“When last did you have the oil changed?” I asked, looking at the dark, greasy stain on the dipstick.

“I’m supposed to change the oil?” he asked incredulously.

“Yikes. You are a terrible car owner. And I bet your ‘check engine’ light has been on this whole time.” He bent his head in shame and turned a bright shade of pink. His behaviour reminded me of Anthony. No wonder they were both friends.

“This is just me taking a wild guess, but considering the fact that your car won’t start and your oil is as black as darkness itself, I believe some parts of the engine have been compromised. Probably the cylinders or crankshaft. If you don't change your oil regularly, it can cause increased friction which will damage said parts.” I closed the hood and rubbed my hands together in an attempt to get rid of the dirt.

“With that being said, you need a tow truck Anderson. This car’s going no where.”

“Aw, man, now I have to take the bus to school every morning. And it’s gonna cost me a fortune to fix.” He looked like his life was falling apart, and it didn’t seem to have started with this one incident. I had a feeling that other things have occurred and this was just the last straw for him.

I knew that Anderson worked at least two jobs after school. Sometimes, he even had to take some days off school to go to work. His stolen camera must have caused him a great deal of pain, both physically and financially and now there was this issue with his car. I felt bad for him, so I did the only thing I could do.

“Why don't I take you home today? I know a great mechanic who can help you out. He’s a bit pricey, but I’m sure I can talk to him to and work out something.”

His face lit up instantly when I said that.

“You’ll do that?”

“Why not?” I felt my chest swell with pride. Just a few weeks ago I used to bully this guy and I was mean to him, but now I was putting a smile on his face. Being an asshole sucked for real. I just wish I could tell Luke that and that he’d understand.

“Babe, we have to go to the mall now. We have so much to do.” I remembered my girlfriend was just a few feet away and face palmed myself internally. Offering to drop Anderson home might have been me doing a good deed, but I pissed off Crystal which I was doing a lot of lately.

“We can go after I drop him off. I’m sure the mall will still be open in thirty minutes.” She looked like she wanted to protest, but even she had a heart. Besides, he was her brother’s best friend. She wasn’t going to leave him stranded regardless of what was going on between them.

“Your car is so awesome,” he said excitedly as he got in the backseat.

“Thank you.”

“I can totally understand why Anthony was so excited when he was telling me about it. I’ve never been in a Mercedes before.” I was pleased to know that Athony spoke about me, even though it was about how amazing my car was. My girlfriend, however, did not find that as appealing as I did.

“You give Anthony rides?” She said it so accusatorily like I was caught cheating with another girl in my car.

“No, I do not give Anthony rides. In case you’ve forgotten, he has a boyfriend who does that now. I haven’t seen his car leave your driveway in ages.”

Ugh! Thinking about Michael and Anthony now irritated me. I was comforted though by the thought that I kissed his boyfriend...

“Babe, you look a little flushed. You alright?”

I caught myself and shook that thought away before I got deeper into it. The kiss meant nothing. It was one friend helping out another. Thats all. No big deal.

“Everything’s fine. You know your brother drove my car the night of the Halloween party, right?”

That seemed to calm her down a bit. I knew for sure then that something happened between them. There was no need for her to act like her brother was the enemy if she wasn’t mad at him about something.

“It’s right upfront,” Anderson said after about ten minutes, pointing at the little cottage-like house two houses away. I pulled over by the side of the house and parked.

“Thank you so much, Blake. You’re a lot nicer than I imagined you’d be. Oh, before I forget, Anthony left his biology textbook here the other day. Mind if I get it so you can give it to him? He needs it for the assignment we were given and I forgot to take it to school today.”

“Sure, no problem. Bring it out.”

“God, this is taking forever!” Crystal moaned a few seconds after he left. I turned to face her and look in those beautiful blue eyes of hers.

“Tell me, sweetie, what’s wrong? What’s got you in such a mood today?” She knew I knew something was wrong, but she still tried to deny it.

Shaking her head fervently, she responded, “Nothing. I’m just...I just really want to go to the mall.”

“And the thing with your brother? Is that just in my head or did you two actually have an argument?”

She exhaled sharply and tucked her strawberry blonde hair behind her hair. She was avoiding eye contact with me at all cost.

“He was just being an annoying older brother. Nothing serious.”

Anderson arrived with Anthony’s textbook before I could further investigate it.

“Please make sure Tony gets this. I’d hate for someone else to hold on to it when there’s very important information in there.”

I waved the book at him and said, “Okay,” and a few seconds later, I was driving out of the area he lived in towards the County Mall so my girlfriend could purchase pink fur.