It was hard for me to focus in Mrs. Natsume’s class after my little argument with Cocoa.

 

I’ve already decided… I’m going to be going with Aurora.

 

That phrase was stuck in my head the entire class, distracting me from a lot of the material she was teaching us. Nothing she said really stuck to me and I couldn’t get interested in it, which was odd. AI was my favorite subject and I loved learning all I could from past practices to apply to future applications. But today I could only think about Cocoa, and now Cody, who I was now officially going to be joining in one of the stalls with. What surprised me most though was that Aurora was nowhere to be found in class today, like she was trying to piss me off by proving she was better than me and didn’t need the AI class after giving up the stall. It made me so angry that I couldn’t help blurting out in class, “I hate that woman.”

 

I had already made my mistake before I realized the whole class staring at me. Mrs. Natsume could clearly tell I wasn’t paying attention and now the entire class knew I wasn’t. Mrs. Natsume gave me a look of I know you’re smarter than this, Random. I could swear my ears were burning red as I slid back into my seat, hopefully able to meld with my seat and just disappear. I hated being the center of attention if I looked like an idiot.

 

“Well,Random,” Mrs. Natsume says slyly. “Since you seem to want to be the center of attention, would you like to answer this question?”

 

Just my luck. I hadn’t been paying attention this entire time, so I had no idea what the question or subject was and now I was expected to answer it. If I’d been paying attention, it’d be no problem. But my mind didn’t want to work for me today.

 

“What was the question?” I ask sheepishly.

 

She shook her head and looked at me like I was in a whole other world.

 

“Random, if you’re not able to focus in class, how can I expect you to get things done outside of class? I was talking about AI used on various devices, such as an Ipad or a cellphone to allow for easier use for the less experienced. We’re already slowly incorporating it into most machines and most companies are taking in interest on how far it’s developing. As a teacher, it’s my job to get that across to you students for a better future.” She turned back toward the board.“Now, let’s continue, and you all better be paying attention.”

 

Even after she returned to the white board I still felt the odd stare of some of the class. Not everyone returned to listening to Mrs. Natsume and I could pick up small whispers here and there of them gossiping about me.

 

“Isn’t she the smartest in this class? Why is she zoning out?” one girl whispers.

 

“I heard Mrs. Natsume talked to her often after class, usually on nothing about our projects or assignments,” another boy whispers.

 

“I heard she got into a fight just before class with her friend, right outside her locker!” a popular girl whispered to another.

 

I just tried to shut it all out. Better to block out a band wagon then try to stir with it on a keychain. I didn’t want to admit it, but I was slightly jealous of Aurora. She won over Cocoa’s friendship without trying and I almost pushed her away, like everyone else, when we first met yet we still ended up best friends. Now everyone was starting to spread rumors about me and no doubt Cocoa. All I could do was sit in that class for the next 30 minutes, waiting for the lesson to be over, hoping the flow of reality would return to what it was. However, that wasn’t going to happen.

The longer I sat there the more time seemed to have slowed, like someone didn’t want me leaving at a decent time. So I sat there and waited out the class, often ignoring anything said, from the classroom or Mrs. Natsume, still trying to shut out all the gossip, wishing I could just press F5 and refresh it all and hope something else would take its place.

 

It felt like an eternity passed when class was finally dismissed. Right on cue Mrs. Natsume told the class what most of the stalls were, including AI, business and a lot of the miscellaneous ones. I was the last one out of the classroom, but not because I wanted to be. Everyone was in a hurry for some bizarre reason and was leaving like the room was on fire. As I took my time to gather up my things, and hope I wouldn’t run into anyone on my way to the next classes, Mrs. Natsume took a seat in the desk behind me. I could only guess where this was going.

 

“Random, are you feeling okay?” she asks with concern in her voice.“I don’t like scolding you in class, I hope you know that. But lately you seem to be a little less focused, like your head is in the clouds more than in the inner workings of a machine. Why not have a seat and tell me about it?”

 

She was right. First the whole fiasco with Aurora, then Dizzy, then Cocoa; I felt like everything I’ve built with this town and this school was falling apart. I could barely even focus in Mrs. Natsume’s class, and that was one of my favorite classes this year so far. So with Mrs. Natsume sitting between me and the exit, I sigh, turn around, and take my seat again, setting my backpack on the desk.

 

The first thing I start off with is Cocoa and how she’s been hanging around Aurora more and more lately and that it was making me jealous. “Cocoa was my best friend and yet it felt like she wanted nothing to do with me,” I told her. This didn’t seem to surprise her too much though, almost like she’d experienced the same thing once before.

I then moved on to Cody and how we started dating, although why I was telling a teacher this I couldn’t understand. This set a sly yet caring smile along her face, but I could tell she wanted more detail than that but refrained from asking, which I was thankful for.

Following this I mentioned how Dizzy was now staying with me and how annoying she’s been. She chuckled at the idea that I could be outclassed by someone like her, but I couldn’t help smile myself. I hadn’t yet realized it, but talking to Mrs. Natsume was helping to take away a lot of the stress and annoyance I was suffering from for a while.

 

“Well it seems you’ve got a lot to think about,” she says after I finished. “With the stalls coming out next week maybe it’s good you’ll get down time from Cocoa. Everyone needs their personal space every now and then, Random. And now with the AI stall out someone, you could easily fill that role.”

 

She was right. With Aurora now helping Cocoa, I could take that position. But then I thought about Cody and my expression changed.

 

“You don’t want control of it?” she asked, obviously noticing my saddened expression.

 

I stared down at my desk. I wanted it, I really did to maybe try and show up Aurora, but I couldn’t leave Cody like that or force him into something where he was no good at. Then I began to think. Instead of turning it into something we can do, I’ll turn it into a weeklong of us spending time together, to try and calm down about Aurora and Cocoa and spend some real time together.

 

“I do, but no.” I stood and grabbed my backpack. “I’m not participating in any of them. I’ll be spending my time elsewhere. Thanks, Mrs. Natsume.”

 

With one final wave, I left, watching Mrs. Natsume smile the whole time.

Talking with her took the whole lunch hour, but I didn’t mind too much. I ended up going to my other classes and actually enjoying them after talking to her, Aurora or not. It did make me wonder if I would see Cocoa outside my locker after class or not. However, she was rather mad at me and I wanted to apologize, but I somehow doubted I’d get the chance.

 

When I got to my locker my prediction came true and I didn’t find Cocoa at all. Who I did find was Cody, leaning against my locker with wide smile across his face.

 

“So are we still on for those stalls next week?”

 

I opened my locker and decided to ponder what to tell him. I knew I didn’t want to tell him that I wasn’t doing anything, as he was looking forward to it, but I couldn’t sit there staring into my locker saying nothing. So after I gave it some more thought, I closed my locker and turned toward him.

 

“About that, I’m not going to be doing anything.” I paused to wait to see his reaction, which if he had one, he hid it well.

 

“I kinda figured you say that.” He leaned against the locker.“My two picks, cooking and metal works, were pushed aside and non-existent, respectively of course. So what did you have in mind?”

 

Looking at him standing against the locker, bright, white smile and all, my mind went blank. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, but I couldn’t find the voice in my throat. What also surprised me was how he asked if I had something else in mind, like he knew it wasn’t going to happen.

 

“Well, if you weren’t busy, would you want to turn next week into a l-long…”

 

The last part hung in my throat. We were dating, but I could never bring myself to say it allowed. It made me feel sort of embarrassed. I never thought I’d find myself in this situation to where I’d need to use the word “date”, but here I was, standing in front of the single, best looking guy in school. I couldn’t just turn him away, especially since I did want to spend a week with him and get to know him more. I also was blowing him off quite a bit, so I wanted to amend that.

 

“Date?” he says, like he’s been practicing it his whole life. I snap back to reality and nod.

 

“Sounds good. So when it begins next week, I’ll be looking for you at the school entrance. These only last a few hours a day and we don’t have to stay long each day if you don’t want to. But right now I’ve got to go; family needs me to cook dinner tonight. I’ll see you next week.”

 

Part of me wanted to stop him, just have him stand there a little longer, maybe even hold me and not make my life suck so much. But I had other things that needed my attention. I felt kind of sad that he couldn’t join in something he wanted to so I didn’t want to join in even though I had access to it.

 

After I left school I remembered I told Dizzy she could head to the junkyard to get spare parts or something to work on her own machines. Before I left the house though she said it was easy for me to go because I wasn’t so short. So I decided to stop by myself and see what I could pick up, to try and be nice.

 

When I got to the junk yard I was right and didn’t see Dizzy anywhere, but she could have already come and gone, so I didn’t let it bother me. I walked along the piles and piles of broken machine parts and electronic equipment trying to think what Dizzy would want to work on and thought about her machines she had back home, the flying saucers and her security turrets. Those were made of metals I’ve never seen before. I didn’t think about it then, but I wonder if she was working with Aurora on the same thing, seeing as how Aurora was also always looking for specific materials.

 

The thought died when I saw Aurora come through the gate, but she wasn’t alone. Cocoa followed her so close it was like she was at her heels. Whenever I saw them together it made me upset.

 

“I need a few things, so it won’t take long,” she told Cocoa.

 

Even though I was a fair distance away, I could hear what they were saying.

 

“You sure you don’t want me to just go home?” Cocoa asked, sounding like she was here without permission.

 

“Of course, were friends, right?” she replied, waving her hand dismissively while digging through some old computers. “Besides, extra help is fun, right? Can you hold this?”

 

She handed her something that looked like an old monitor. Why she needed it was unclear.

 

“Thanks again for helping me with the business stall,” Cocoa said as she tried to balance the monitor. “I had no idea you were that good. Whenever I explained something to Random she’d get flustered.”

 

While Cocoa continued to talk, Aurora climbed up and down the same junk pile over and over, almost as if she was looking for something specific buried deep within it. After taking several loops around it, she gave up and climbed down, mumbling something I couldn’t hear.

 

“What’s not?” Cocoa asks, confirming what Aurora had said, which should have been along the lines of, it’s not here.

 

“It’s nothing.” She takes the monitor from Cocoa. “This’ll be good enough.”

 

Cocoa stared at her as if wanting to ask a question, but for some reason restrained herself. It was unlike her, as she was usually open with just about anyone who would listen. And if Aurora was a friend to her, why couldn’t she speak up?

 

“Um, Aurora…” she said, although it was very quiet I still managed to hear it, but barely. “About Random…”

 

“Don’t you worry about anything,” Aurora says joyfully, almost as if she was having fun taunting Cocoa. “She’ll be fine, so don’t worry about her. Just stick with me, understand?”

 

Cocoa began fidgeting with her hands. Was Aurora threatening her? It looked like she was sweating, even though there was cool summer breeze. Was she scared?

 

“Random knows where her place is. I gave up that stall because I didn’t need it, and you needed help, right? That’s what friends are for. Random could have helped you and she didn’t, you see?”

 

She continued to fumble like each word Aurora said pierced a whole in her heart. She was twisting Cocoa’s very way of thinking. I would have gladly helped in the business stall, even if it was behind the scenes work. I wasn’t saying no, we never even finished debating what to do before Aurora came along. I would have gladly helped.

 

“Look, I’m going to be a little busy over the next two days, so I’ll see you on Monday.”

 

After adjusting the monitor in her arms, she stalked off toward the entrance.

I wanted to approach Cocoa and apologize, but I didn’t want to let her know I was listening. So much was going through my head from their conversation. Now it made since why she was her friend. She was using her and obviously held something over her head that didn’t allow her to speak to me about it.
So I debated against it and waited till she left then headed home myself, pondering what Aurora had been looking for, as well as questioning what relationship her and Aurora really had.