Holiday Lessons Pt 3

"Chad!!"

Glomp! I hugged Chad and he slammed into the wall.

"Ow!" He exclaimed. "You ok, Maria?"

It was Tuesday, the fifthteenth of Decemeber, and a school day. We were preparing for the eighth

grade Christmas Dance, a once in a lifetime chance for students at the middle school.

"But of course." I replied, sure of myself. "But you haven't been staying after school to work on the

Christmas Dance!"

"I have to? I'm providing the music, dude. I have to do everything else?"

"No, but--"

"But nothin'." Replied Chad.  "I think I want to work on some stuff with the younger kids." He

then walked stiffly away. I watched him go.

"Hey!" Jayson zipped up behind me. "What are you doing?"

"Watching Chad desert me." I answered, curious, and now more motivated than ever.

"Huh? Maria, talk to me."

"No, YOU follow ME." I demanded, plainly and directed. "I need to find out something."

"From who, may I ask?" Jayson was wary, and he should be. I was really fired up now, so I wouldn't

stop now.

"Chad. He's hiding something." I placed my index finger over his mouth to shush him.

He tried to stand up straighter, which was something of a challenge to him, since he's not much taller

than me, and has yet to hit a growth spurt. Pushing my hand away, he begged to speak with his eyes.

"You think everybody is hiding something. Can't you learn to stop jumping in?"

"Dude, not now. Later, when we all go to prep, we could probably sneak out of Service to speak with

Chad, or at least spy on him." I tried to put on a wicked sneer.

"Dude, vampire fangs?" Jayson pointed out.

"Whatever. Anywya, let's get on with this."

Jayson tried to speak, then the bell rang. He closed his mouth, gave me an annoyed expression, and

sauntered off to homeroom with me.
****~~~~****~~~~****
"Hi, Jayse!" I waved.

Now that it was prep, I was free to move from my class and hang with Jayson. Though, I wasn't

leaving to help him practice with his violin, and neither was he with my flute. We were on a mission.

"Chad practices his instrument later today. I bet we can catch him in the gym." I told Jayson. I

looked down the hall, and there it was. A few feet from where the carpeting ended, the gym's squeaking

floors lay. I could hear some voices, though I couldn't make out who.

"Move out, troops!" We skidded down the hall and opened the gyms doors. We didn't call much

attention, and those whose attention we did catch didn't bother to cause more commotion.

I grabbed the shoulder of a sixth grade boy. "Hey, 'scuse me little boy, but have you seen a tall eighth

grader with dark green eyes, curly brown hair, and glasses?"

He nodded. "He's here, but I don't know where he went now."

Now? He went off somewhere? I glanced at Jayson. He gave me a "what?!" look back. I looked

down at the little kid. Our shadows casted upon the shrimp, who was so small that even we looked

immense. He didn't seem fazed though,because he probably knew neither of use were that tall either.

"Ok." I replied. "Thank you."

"No prob." Then he went off on his own little journey to God knows where.

"Hey." Jayson started. "That's him over there."

I immediately averted my gaze to where Jayson directed. And sure enough, there was Chad, with a

seventh grader, a guy. There was also a sixth grade girl, but I ruled her out as unimprtant since Chad

wasn't interacting with her in any formal way.

"What are they saying?"

"God knows!" Jayson hissed back. We then went back to listening and watching intensely.

"Hey, thanks for keeping this a secret. You're awesome."

"No prob." The seventh grade boy looked up (literally, Chad was standing on a ladder) and gave him

some tissue paper. He was an alright kid, with glasses and somewhat tall for his age. He had piercing

brown eyes, they looked red in the light, and were taking everything in, especially Chad.

"If my friends knew, I don't know what."

"Hey, relax. I'm sure they'll be fine. It's not like one of them is always trying to secretly foil plans or

anything."

"Actually," Chad began. "There is. A really close friend always is getting in my way and never knows

when to stop."

This was my cue. "Jayson, we need OUT."

"He's sorta nosy?"

"SHE can be, but she does it cuz she, y'know, is my friend."

"You like her?"

"As a friend." And Chad dropped it there.

What was he planning, I wonder?