10Alexis was released from the hospital the next day, with a cast on her wrist and a deep frown on her face. She didn't look happy to go back to her life at all. Well, how could she? So far, her life had been shattered by her father dying in a car accident, her mother drinking heavily every night, getting raped by a desperate lover, and passing a class by allowing a teacher to feel her up.
Oh yes, I knew about that now. It wasn't very hard to figure out. She had been getting a D- in math and wow! All of a sudden, it's a B-. Not an A, so obviously she hadn't slept with him, but enough to get a passing grade. She was so easy to figure out, sometimes I wished she would present me with more a challenge.
Like what was going on with her and Jared. Currently, he was sailing in the Caribbean with his rich parents and abominable 15-year-old sister, Candy. They hadn't been in contact much from what I could see. Perhaps was this relationship coming to a close?
Well, that would make many boys at Fremont High very happy.
XOXODONTXOXOTRYXOXOTOXOXORUNXOXO
It's like they all know, Alexis thought to herself as she traveled quickly through the halls. All around her, people shamelessly pointed and talked to each other in loud whispers.
Is that the girl?
The one who fainted…yeah.
That's pretty crazy.
Tell me about it. All the choir members say she's never done it before.
I wonder what set her off?
Who knows…who knows…?
Quite frankly, Alexis was getting extremely tired of people coming up to her and asking if she was The Girl Who Fainted. The school newspaper even wanted to interview her! It was all crazy and Alexis was sick of it. Who wants to be famous for falling off a stage? Especially when she couldn't give any of them a good answer as to why…
"I don't know why," she said wearily for the umpteenth time to two freshmen. "I just felt really tired all of a sudden."
"Did you break your wrist?"
"Yes."
"Can I see it?"
She held up her right wrist, which was covered by a bright pink cast. Alexis had begged the doctor not to put that color on, but she had anyways.
"Oh!" the two girls squealed. "It's so cute!"
"What? The cast?" Alexis asked irritably.
"Yeah! It's—"
"Pink!" the other girl finished for her friends.
"Can we sign it?"
Alexis had always been popular, in fact she was doubtless the most popular girl in the school, but when the millionth person asked to sign her cast, she was ready to give it all up. Now, you could hardly tell the cast was pink because of all the black permanent ink that covered it.
Well, that's one good thing, Alexis thought as she raced to her fourth block class after being hoarded by about six sophomores near the girl's bathroom. No more wincing every time I look down and see a pink cast. Now it's more of a black cast.
She rushed inside and sat down. Then she realized what class she was in.
Alexis hadn't had time to mentally and emotionally prepare herself before she came to math class. And now, there was her math teacher, Mr. Steve Parker, standing in front of the class and giving her odd smiles. He had always given her that smile, but now he did it more often and with more of a…well, triumphant glint in his eye.
He was around the age of twenty-six, and 6'3". His bright blue eyes were warm and friendly, but lustful. He had darker hair and naturally tanned skin from the last summer which he had spent in Aruba. And he had the most perfect smile.
Needless to say, every girl had had a crush on him once in their school-life.
But he wanted me, Alexis thought bitterly. And I gave him exactly what he wanted.
Well, almost. She hadn't slept with him for all the reasons in the world—all the physical and emotionally attaching aspects—but she had given him a lap dance and let him feel her up.
Does that make me a slut? Alexis wondered to herself. No, wait. Does that make me a whore? I mean, I did it to pass a class…
No, she told herself firmly.
Class began. Mr. Parker lectured and then passed out a test. Alexis couldn't concentrate on the numbers in front of her, she felt very hot. With a pang of commemoration, she realized this was exactly how she had felt while standing on the bleachers at the choir concert. But it was a lot harder to faint while sitting down.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and nearly fainted from shock.
"Do you need help with anything, Alexis?" Mr. Parker whispered in her ear, a hint of a smile in her voice. The hand on her shoulder squeezed gently.
"I need help with a lot of things," Alexis said angrily, shrugging his hand off her shoulder.
"I'd watch your tone," Mr. Parker said straightening up again. "Who knows? I may need a little more convincing that you can pass this class."
Alexis's face burned. Who had heard that? No one was craning their necks to look at her but anyone who thought about it could realize what he had been talking about. She felt so dirty—so used. So stupid.
Was it really worth it to pass this math class, if he still wanted more 'convincing?' Alexis then made a firm promise to herself that she'd rather die than go any farther with him, even if it meant failing the class and getting her secret let out. Why…why had she done it?
Desperate, Alexis thought to herself. I was desperate.
Well she wasn't desperate anymore. And she wasn't giving in. She was going to work hard and pass this class without any help or any 'convincing.'