Bickering Ever After

Just a random story. ;)

“Who was not called?”

“Me. Nat.”

“Primitive? You, Nat. Me, Lex.”

He shot a grim look at me before proceeding to the teacher’s table. Hey, not that it was my fault you sounded, primitive dude.

Placing his class card in front of Mrs. Stern (yes, that’s her name), a group of girls giggled as he perched his elbow smugly on the table. I rolled my eyes at their show of affection. Fan girls much? 

When Mrs. Stern was through scribbling his name, he went back to his seat which was just in front of mine.

“Got a problem with my name, dude?” he mumbled, just so I was the only one who could hear him. 

My eyebrows shot up lazily. “None at all.” 

“So we’re good then. You said you’re Lex?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. Pretty good memory there but something’s a bit off. I nodded dismissively. 

“Today we’re gonna talk about Sternberg’s theory of love.”

Love? This early in the semester? Okay, Social Psychology is getting lamer by the minute. 

The fan girls in front made the same annoying sound. One more giggle and my notebook’s flying their way. 

Turning the page of my notebook, a piece of paper suddenly slipped on top of it. I followed the hand from which it came from and I found Prim (I gave him the nickname just seconds ago) retracting his hand and facing front, as if he was interested in the lesson. 

“Hey, Prim. Your paper,” I handed him back the slip. 

He dramatically glared at me for the second time that morning alone. Was Prim such a bad nick? 

 “Alexis, you could do your small talk with Nathan after the class.”

My head snapped toward Mrs. Stern and then I realized the whole class already had their eyes at me. 

I shrugged, reaching over and placing the paper on Prim’s desk. Slouching even lower in my seat, I nodded at Mrs. Stern, saying that I was now ready for her marvelous lesson.

“This theory is represented in a triangle…” 

And I tuned out.

I felt Prim scuttle in his seat but I was too bored to even give him a look. My eyes felt like they’d give in any minute. 

Perching my feet on the back of his seat, I tried to find the most comfortable position so I could finally grant my drooping eyes’ wish. 

I was about to let my eyes have their way when I felt a sharp poke on my ankle. 

“Ow!”

“One more distraction from you, Alexis and detention is what you’ll gain from this period.”

I coughed awkwardly before shoving Prim’s seat as I pretended to stretch. He was getting into my nerves this early.

“What’s with you?” I demanded, not bothering to hide the disgust in my voice. I scooted over close to him. 

“If only you’d read the note earlier, stupid.”

Note? What note? I really didn’t care. 

Mrs. Stern got on with her lesson and I pretended to listen while ignoring all forms of communication from Prim. As the bell rang, I heaved my belongings inside my bag, hurrying before he could engage me in conversation again. I was doing a good job when suddenly the fan girls blocked my way as I turned to leave. 

Their glares were tangible but I really didn’t care.  Shoving them out of my way, a grip on my elbow stopped me short. 

“What would a boyish and unstylish girl like you have that would interest Nathan?” 

I barely heard her, since it was not my concern what they thought of me. I freed my elbow from her grip and brushed the area she held. 

“Three seconds to the door. Loser pays lunch.” Prim said from my side. He really was impossible to brush off.

“Make that two.” I bolted ahead.

Lunch was on him til we graduated from high school. 

~

“That was it?” Natalie stretched from where she sat on my lap. Xander looked at his twin lazily. “As if you haven’t heard of that story before.”

“Xander, that’s not how you talk to your sister.” Nat scolded him, and scooped him from behind. “What do you say?”

Xander chewed on his lip, clearly stalling. “Sorry.” He muttered and buried his face on his Dad’s shoulder.

“Good boy. Now let’s get you to bed.”

I scooped up Natalie in my arms too, as she smiled at me knowingly. I know, you had your way, little girl. 

Of all the good traits Nat had, why did they have to inherit my mischief? 

“You haven’t ended the story yet!” she exclaimed as I tucked her in bed. 

“Oh yes. And they lived bickering ever after.”

MVJLO 05.10.13