Frozen Memories

Tipping Scales

Half an hour of brainstorming with Roman Dharke, between his rather random sparks of conversation, granted time to pass by surprisingly quickly. While I assumed that we made conversational progress at some points, Roman Dharke still seemed to flee as soon as the bell rang to release him.

    Instead of dwelling on what was turning out to be a very odd relationship, I headed off to lunch and sat down at the table where I usually took solace for thirty minutes.

    “Hey! So back to our convo!”

    Looking up from my history textbook, Max stood in front of me. “Convo?”

    “This morning? You being on Keyvah Marsh’s hit list?” Max grinned.

    “I did not know that I was on someone’s hitting list?” I said, not even knowing what that meant.

“Being on someone’s ‘hitting list’ as you call it, is when someone specifically does not like you and will probably go out of their way to make your life miserable because of it.” She informed me. 

“Okay. Makes sense.” I said. “Now this hit list-”

“You’re of interest to Roman Dharke-more than that, you actually hold his interest. Even Trisha Morrison can’t do that.” Max  shrugged. 

With a sigh, I thought it over. “I take what you are saying as a feat of some sort?” I questioned, exhausted of the whole situation to be honest.

Max , seeming to catch hint of my frustrations smirked. “And this does not phase you does it?”

“I-well to be honest, I tire of talking about the dislike of a person that I do not know.” I admitted. “A person that I have never even shared a conversation with. I just want to worry about one person’s dislike at a time.” 

To be honest, my mind was still taken by the recent events of the period before now. However, I digressed in that I decided not to tell Max what happened. Not yet anyway. Nonetheless, in thinking such things I could not help glancing around the cafeteria to see if the object of my attention was anywhere around.

“Who are you looking for?” Max questioned, apparently noticing my sifting gaze.

    Reminded that I was still in her presence, I shrugged. “No one.” I lied.

    “Roman Dharke left.” Max suddenly returned. When I looked at her, she smirked. “Yea-I heard he wasn’t feeling too well.”

    I grabbed my banana and started to eat it along with my strawberries. “How do you know of all this?”

    “I know things.” Max nonchalantly replied. “And you really should eat more than just fruit.” She added, as she handed me an extra sandwich. I opened the bread to see what it was. “Tuna fish.” Max introduced. I never tasted it before. I took a bite and quite enjoyed it. When she saw my satisfaction she returned her attention to the subject she mentioned before. “I know you don’t really want to talk about this but I think Nixon might have told Keyvah Marsh and Amorah about what happened earlier.” 

“Why do you suppose that?” I asked.

    Max returned with a shrug. “Makes sense. No other reason she would have to act the way she does toward you without even knowing you.” She suggested. “Unless, she heard what happened between you and her wannabe boyfriend.” She seemed to be thinking about this pretty hard. She stopped talking for a moment. “Sorry, just don’t like when things don’t make sense.” Her lavender gaze switched over to me. “Just trying to figure out why you’re so special, Frost.”

It was when she stood from where she sat that I realized that she wasn’t supposed to be at this lunch. “You are not supposed to be here-are you?”

She shrugged. “The whole point of being a teacher’s aide is to be able to cut class whenever I want.”

A teacher’s aide sounded like a pretty advanced student position. “Very convenient.” I said.

“Exactly.” She grinned. “See ya, later, Frosty. I have aiding to do.”

After Max left, I finished off my sandwich and the rest of my yogurt and strawberries before the bell rang for lunch to end and the next phase to begin. I quickly exited the cafeteria before everyone began to cram themselves through the door and went to my locker.

    Opening the metal door, I placed my books inside with the exception of my history text and headed down the hallway to the last of my classes.

    A signaling whistle caught my attention. “Hey, Frost!” someone called. I paused and turned around. He approached me closer, looking around before he continued. “The name is Frost, right?”

    “Surname, yes.” I said in a low tone, recalling of this guy’s face from the history class I shared with Roman Dharke. He was the one that winked at me. Still, even remembering such things, I was not immensely interested enough to stop and carry a full on conversation, and so proceeded to continue down the hall.

    “Richard Dawson.” He introduced; couldn’t quite remember whether he had earlier or not. Or maybe I just didn’t care. He looked me over in silence for what seemed to be a minute or two before he spoke again. “So, I noticed you seemed to have somewhat of a problem with being partnered up with Roman.” As he steadied his pace beside me, he shrugged. “Still not too late to switch up.”

    I thought he was only teasing and chuckled nervously. “That would be quite underhanded.”

    “So.” He said stopping me midway down the hall, his hand to my arm. It was then that I noticed his smile was not as broad as I saw it to be before.

    “Well, I just do not think that it would be right to-”

    “I saw what he did with your desk.” He said, cutting me off. “You and him have a thing or something?”

    I looked at Richard Dawson with subtle confusion as to his choice of words. “A-thing?”

    “You know, like are you two together or something-”

    “No! No, no of course not.” I quickly assured, remembering how Max informed that ‘being together’ was another form of inquiring whether we were more than likely sexually involved.

    “Well then switch partners.” He retorted.

    I shook my head. “I assure you I’m fine.” I returned as I did not understand why us being a ‘thing’ should have been a deciding factor in whether Roman Dharke and I should remain project partners. I started off again but it did not deter Richard Dawson’s stride next to me.

    “Well at least let me walk you to class.”

    “Oh.” I glanced his way and gave a steady smile before continuing down the hall. “That is kind of you, but no thank you.”

    “You know-” Richard Dawson grabbed my arm again, irritation beginning to take the place of my patience. “You are being very difficult.” I heard Richard Dawson say as he grabbed my arm and pushed us both against a locker and out of the way of the students hustling to get to their last period of the day.

    I watched him, feelings similar to that of the night before taking over as I watched this boy corner me. He wasn’t as threatening to me, however. His expression was similar, though, as he bit his bottom lip and looked me over. I looked into his eyes and watched as that same speck of blue began to show in his light brown green eyes.

    “Is there a problem here?”

    Both Richard Dawson and I turned to see Nixon Grey along with Amorah Lane standing there against the locker in front of us.

    “What’s up, Nix?” he grinned before returning his gaze to me. “Just trying to get a little cozy with Wilhelmina here.”

    “Well I don’t think she’s interested.” Nixon returned. “So, maybe you should just leave her alone.” He smiled.

    Richard Dawson scoffed, cutting his eyes away from Nixon and Amorah Lane and back to me. “What, Mina-you got something going on with Nixon too?”

    I glanced Nixon Grey’s way curiously before looking at Richard Dawson again, wondering what was happening with him. I knew that his comment was sarcasm-a way to get a rise out of me.

“I do not have to be interested in someone as a reason not to be interested in you.” I answered.

He grimaced, but he didn’t back off. “Look, all I’m saying is-all this loving that the Greys get-” He moved closer. It caught me off guard as another spark of blue showed up in his eye. “I was just thinking you could show me some of tha-”

“Hey, back off.” Amorah Lane stood in front of me suddenly. 

“Amorah Lane, you really do  not have to-” I started to say, when I was cut off by Richard Dawson.

“Morah, this really doesn’t concern you.” He grinned. “Though, we could make this a threesome if you-”

“Whoa! Whoa!” Nixon interceded. “You-are really crossing a line, Richie.” He returned. Frankly, I found it surprising that out of all of this attention being gradually gained, that a teacher had not yet decided to break this quarrel apart.

    “Look, this has nothing to do with you, Nix!”

    I noticed Amorah Lane start to move when she had apparently thought better of it and glanced Nixon Grey’s way. “You should really run along.” Nixon Grey cautioned. His seemingly usual easy going demeanor defensive now.

    “Really,” Amorah Lane grinned. “You should.”

    Richard Dawson was about to say another word when Nixon moved in front of Amorah Lane and past me to face him. His hand took his collar and aggressively shoved him back. “You are about to get hurt in a real bad way, Richie.” Nixon Grey threatened. “Walk away. Now.”

    Richard Dawson hesitated when Amorah Lane moved affront Nixon Grey. “Trust me-you do not want to tangle with a Grey. You should really run along.”

    As if a switch clicked in his mind, Richard Dawson, looked at the three of us and continued down the hallway.

    No sooner he left, Amorah Lane looked at me with a perfect smile. “See you around, Wilhelmina.”

    “Wait!” I called after them. They stopped and turned around. “You did not have to do that.” I returned.

    “Hmph” Nixon Grey laughed. “Usually at this point in the situation is where the victim says thank you.”

    “Victim?” I asked. Somehow, his use of the term offended me, however I did not want to seem ungrateful as I didn’t know how I would have responded had the situation continued further. I sighed. “I’m sorry, I jus-” before I could finish my sentence, Amorah Lane placed her hand up and shook her head, shoving Nixon Grey playfully before approaching me.

“You are not a victim, Wilhelmina.” She said. “Nixon saw you in trouble and said he owed you.” 

I looked at him curiously. “If you’re talking about the football, it’s twice.” I said to which he smirked in what seemed amusement. I then turned back to a chuckling Amorah Lane. “Really though, I do not want anyone getting into trouble on my account.”

Yet again, the breathtaking Amorah chuckled that whimsical chuckle. “There is no trouble where we’re involved.”

    “Yeah, you’re the one causing all the trouble.” Nixon Grey said.

    Amorah Lane nudged her friend. “Ignore him.”

    Further thinking on his point of view, he was right. I had been quite a bit the cause of trouble; not only around school-not even just the home. It even tried to followe me home the evening before. I looked at them, cognizant of this now.

    “You’re right.” I said. “Thank you for defending me.” I said.

    Amorah took my hand. “Mina, don’t listen to Nixon. You’re new, you’re gorgeous. Guys are going to give you trouble. It happens.”

    I nodded. “Thank you for the advice.”

    “No worries.” She smiled. “See you around, Wilhelmina of the Frost.” She winked and then off she went with Nixon Grey.

    “Yeah-till next time trouble maker.” Nixon Grey called as he walked off.

    I watched them walk away, taking in-or at least trying to take in everything that had just happened. Especially, what happened with Richard Dawson’s eyes. I wanted to believe that his eyes were already like that; never having been close enough to see the full detail of them before that moment. However, how could that make sense when I saw that one speck show up spontaneously? 

    Seeing that coupled with his sudden aggression made me feel as though I may have been the cause. Yet, a counter that made me think otherwise was the fact that this did not happen to everyone or male that I would come into contact with. Or maybe I just never noticed when it did. Maybe I never paid much attention. I was so confused-so befuddled.

    “What-in the world happened?” 

    Max interceded my thoughts just as the bell rang. “What do you mean?” I asked absentmindedly, part of my mind is still trying to process things.

    “What is this I hear about Nixon and Amorah defending you against Richie Dawson?”

    I shrugged. “I do not know what it is that you hear.” I returned. “Richard Dawson attempted aggression and they intervened.”

    Max watched me, disbelief on her oddly perfect features. “And that does not strike you as weird.”

    Yet again, I hunched my shoulders and continued to class. “Why would it?” I returned. “Surely, they would have done the same for another.”

    “No-they wouldn’t.” Max pointed out. “They would have kept it moving just like every other student that saw you being assaulted. In fact, they probably would not have even acknowledged your existence.” Max spat.

    “Surely, Amorah Lane would not allow such a thing.” 

A harsh chuckle escaped Max as she rolled her eyes. “You really think too highly of miss Lane.” Max said. “She may be the nicest but that’s about it.”

I truly found this hard to believe. However, if this was true it was quite disappointing to hear. I would have thought, she of all people would not stand for something so low as bullying.

“It doesn’t make sense.” She said. “Your being here-” she scoffed. “It’s really tipping scales around here.” she said.

We proceeded to class, I thinking of what Max said of what I assumed to be an illusory tipping scale. And even in her discomfort of the whole notion, I could not help feeling that even if some balance were being tipped because of my elusive and very confusing potential friendship with the mysterious Greys and their beautiful comrades-or more accurately put, comrade, I preferred comradery to enemies. Especially, if their importance was as great as it was massively emphasized.

    However, even with bearing this in mind, it did not belittle my point of view on bullying if what Max said were true concerning their passive attitude concerning other students that had gone through similar situations such as mine. This, I would not allow no  matter how high anyone was on this fabricated tipped scale-that included the Greys and their comrades. Roman Dharke indefinitely included.