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Nothing to worry about
Around and around and around
Until the day I flushed him
Around and around and around
Until he disappeared from my life
Around and around and around”
I giggled once he bobbed his head, a light blush in his cheeks. His smile was huge and contagious.
“Please tell me that wasn’t the song you sang.”
“It was my first ever composed song. Beautiful, wasn’t it?”
I chuckled and shook my head. “I can see why she called you out. You should have done a play on how their lives are brief but impactful.”
“Oh.” Toby’s smile widened. “I like that. Maybe I’ll rewrite it for class.”
Paxon lightly hit him on the head. “Don’t fail music class. It’s the only thing you got going for you.”
“Hey! I take offense to that.”
We laughed, though mine was forced, and I went back to quickly finishing off the last physics question with the help of Paxon. He even explained it in a way for me to easily understand.
When the bell rang, we all got up and headed off to our classes, Justin and Toby following me to study hall in the library.
Justin and I worked on our British literature homework together, silently. I refused to meet his eyes because I knew he was suspicious of something. I just didn’t know what, and I felt bad for some reason every time I looked at him. Guilty. With how he’d been acting today, he had to know something about what happened in the nurse’s office. My stomach roiled at that thought.
“Hey, after school we’re all going to go over to Seth’s. Can you come?” Toby asked, definitely trying to procrastinate on his song.
“Maybe. Depends on how much work I have to do.”
“Great. Calvin will be there too. Paxon has babysitting duty today while their dad does some overtime, and Calvin won’t shut up about seeing you again. Something about getting more music off of you or something.”
“Where’s his mom?” I asked.
Toby’s expression went sad, and I was mentally hitting myself for poking my nose where it didn’t belong. “She left.”
I nodded because that was all he needed to say. I understood. My dad left me, after all.
~*~
The rest of the day passed by quickly. Lillian talked to me at the beginning of physics class and when class was over, waved enthusiastically before running out the door. The guys thought it was as weird as I did.
After PE ended, I said bye to the boys as I got into my car and drove home. I thought about all the work I was able to finish up, forcing myself to stay up until the early morning. I only caught about three hours of sleep, and I felt the weight of it on my body already, but I was good at pushing through it.
I know I managed to get a lot done last night. I could spare a few hours to hang out with everyone and check on Calvin. Make sure he was doing okay. Maybe give Bebe some good doggy pats.
I ran into the house, dumped my bag into my room, and quickly changed into more comfortable clothes. I went to the music room and checked over everything to make sure I didn’t overlook anything.
My eyes landed on an invitation I got a few weeks ago and a different heaviness settled over me. It was for Saturday evening for an event put on by Hope’s Embrace Foundation against child abuse. I started performing for them a few years back as one of Lindie’s sick jokes. I hated and loved doing it each year, and they always asked me to come back. Must be because they could feel the sincerity of my performances. I mean, who better to perform at a child abuse awareness charity event other than someone who lived that kind of nightmare.
My heart tightened. I really did hate going. I hated putting on fake smiles. The only time I ever felt two-faced was at this event and for some reason this year felt especially hard. I glared at the invitation and my fingers twitched, wanting to pick up the phone and cancel my performance. But I couldn’t. This was the only time I could reach out to the others, to let them know they weren’t alone in the world. There were people out there to help them before it was too late. Before they ended up like me.
Or worse.
