Once we were all ready we started on our way the first of the year all school chapel. With much deliberation we decided to walk. It took us 20 minutes when it once only took us 3. We decided that if we attended a normal university that this would be the average time it would take to classes. We had been spoiled by a smaller campus. When we finally set foot on to the campus [p1] we saw the familiar faces. Brandon was the first to greet us.
“Well, well. I see the entourage is back into full swing.” He smiled and bowed out of our way as we all smiled but didn’t counter with words as we had all previously agreed to. Jo’s pace slowed down though and she began to radiate heat. I grabbed Jo’s elbow and Nissa wrapped her thin arm around Jo’s waist. Pearl slid her arm around Nissa’s waist and I reached for Rose’s elbow. I glared at Brandon with a smile as we steered Jo away from a conversation.
When we reached the Gym doors we Nissa floated in toward her English professor and Pearl went to find her jail bait from the year before. I didn’t see where Rose walked off too. I was looking for her when Jo grabbed my hand and tightly squeezed.
“Timmarie! Mom sent me some things to give to you. I didn’t know if I would see you so I gave them to Issica. “Alex spoke to me without stopping or even looking at me. He walked on past as if he didn’t have the breath to spare.
“YOU COULD HAVE JUST BROUGHT THEM TO ME!” I faked yelled. Jo stomped on my foot a reminder that Alex didn’t know where I lived now and it was best if he never knew. She then tugged at my arm and pulled me toward our regular seat, only to find percolating freshman girls.
“You have got to be kidding me!”I groaned out my whisper to Jo. We went to the bleachers on their side of the gym and climbed up and sat.
“Beg pardon my query but why have we relocated?” Nissa asked as she made her way up to where we were sitting.
“Because our normal spot is infested with carbonated estrogen.” I pointed to the row of freshman girls bouncing in our seats. Giggling and teasing one another.
“Oh. Maybe we should start using place setting tags with our proper names etched upon them.” Even though Nissa was teasing us with her words I could see the gears turn and soon she pulled her leather bound sketch pad out. Some of her papers flopped to the floor and she scooped them back up.
I loved Nissa’s sketch book. Nissa refused to eat any meat or animal by product but she claimed she loved the smell of leather. The leather cover of her book she said was humanly killed. I don’t know the whole story but she did the design on the cover and stitched it together. She also makes the paper she places in her little book. I love looking at her book. Flipping through the pages you can see the world through her eyes. She draws people and their imperfections in a way that makes them beautiful. My favorite is of a woman from her drawing class. She was supposed to draw the nude model that stood in front of her. Nissa did draw the whole woman but she focuses so much upon the woman’s face. Every line was so tenderly sketched onto the paper, her wrinkles and blemishes beautiful. The woman’s sad peaceful face radiated softness. When no one watched I was smell the paper always expecting to smell a sweet scent of sweat and tears.
“Jo, you think you can get my stuff from Issica?” I asked Her. Hoping she would say yes. I didn’t have the energy to deal with Jo’s best friend.
“Sure I am supposed to have lunch with her after chapel.”
The lights of the gym began to darken and music started to fill the thick stuffy air. Pearl yelled for us and found us sitting in our new spot. She pointed and remained on the gym floor with a few girls she attended church with. Rose made her way toward us dragging along her friend, Martha, Mary or something like that. I leaned back into the gym bleacher pulling out my journal ready to write. The praise music started to swell as the chosen speaker welcomed all the students to another year of school. When the singing began Dr. Black found her way to our little cove of friends and laid her coat on the seat that Nissa always saved for her at chapel and other mandated school events. She stood next to me and leaned over to Nissa and asked her why we weren’t on the floor in our regular spot. As the two ladies talked over me I started to search for Alex. Instead my eyes were automatically drawn towards Pearl who was jumping and spinning about. If only Alex was as easy to find. I stood and traded places with Dr. Black. With the extra height of the bleacher beneath me I saw him standing near the make shift stage. One arm raised above his head the other on his heart and his eyes closed. I sat back down and jammed my pencil into my journal venting my anger in a letter to God.
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