Ch 2

Ch 2.
We’re eating lunch, seeking out the shade as the heat waves rise slowly off the concrete.
“Ugh. Here comes Yvette,” Mercy moans, sliding possessively closer to me. Mercy thinks Yvette’s got her eye on me, or “wants to sink her claws into me,” as she puts it. I think it’s funny. Well, flattering and funny, to be honest.
“Hey guys! You finished your speech yet, Jim?” Yvette is the salutatorian for this year’s graduation. I think she kind of hates me, because I’m valedictorian, but I don’t really care.
I shrug. “I wrote some dumb thing down about working hard to achieve your goals, yadda, yadda…”
She nods and sits down on the edge of the lunch bench, pushes her glasses up her nose and moans, “I’m totally not inspired.”
Mercy sighs in exasperation and tears an angry bite off her pepperoni pizza.
“Maybe you should start with a quote?” I suggest.
Yvette’s looking at Mercy’s pizza with disapproval. She’s been on this health kick for the last month, “Yeah, I thought about a Faust quote, or maybe some Shakespeare, but I can’t zero in on the right one.”
Mercy chews her pizza quickly, covers her mouth, and says, “Well, why don’t you got to the computer lab and do some last minute research, then? Graduation’s today. Not much time left, is there?’ Her big black eyes are shooting daggers at Yvette.
Yvette looks startled and gets up, “Um, yeah. I guess. You got a point. Whatever. See you in English, Jim?”
I smile and nod, “Sure, Yvette. Good luck.”
She hoists her backpack on her shoulder and walks off, while Mercy continues to stare at her.
“Ugh,” I can’t stand her! And you,” she shoves her palm into my shoulder, “you encourage her. Ugh!!!!”
”I do not. I’m just being nice.”
“Nice…to that pretentious dork? Nice to her is an invitation to…I don’t know. She likes you. I can tell. The way she looks at you and” affecting a high pitched voice “…I’ll see you in English, Jimmy?”
I laugh. “Well, if she does, she’d outta luck. Because I’m not into pretentious dorks. I’m into you.”
She smiles and kisses me on the nose. “You better be.”