Rachel sat down in her Lit. class. She began to play with the edge of her folder as she saw Brandon take the seat next to her. She bit back a smile. He opened his mouth the say something but the bell rang interrupting him, and their teacher, Mr. Gallegar, entered the room.
"Good morning class. I know all of you are antsy and aching to get out of here to go home for Thanksgiving, but even though this is the last day, you STILL are in school! We have a lot to do. I have an assignment for over the break, so open your planners!" Mr. Gallegar said sternly.
The class groaned and opened their notebooks.
"I want a ten page term paper on the "Surreal movement in the 1920's". It is to be hand written and in black or blue ink. It will be worth 250 points, so I suggest you do not blow it off!" Mr. Gallegar started.
Rachel didn't even listen to the rest. Her holiday was already crushed. She had looked forward to this class because it was the last before she got on her plane to Orlando to see her family, friends, and Justin. With this new assignment, she surely wouldn't be able to attend the flight. There was no way she could do the assignment with distractions like Justin wandering around. But she hadn't seen him in almost a month. He would be so dissappointed. Rachel walked with heavy legs back to her dorm room.
"All ready?" Nikki asked the second Rachel burst through the door.
Rachel held her head low, "I'm not going."
"WHAT?" Nikki stared at her in shock.
"Gallegar just assigned a ten page term paper. I have to stay here to do it!" Rachel whined.
Nikki let out a deep breath, "This sucks!"
"Yeah I know!" Rachel said angrily.
"Have you told your parents?" Nikki asked.
Rachel nodded.
"What did they say?" Nikki wondered.
"They said they will be very upset not to have me, but they know school comes first!" Rachel said recalling the speech.
"Have you told Justin?" Nikki asked more softly.
Rachel shook her head.
Nikki handed her their cordless phone and urged her to call him.
'Has to be sooner or later, may as well be sooner' Rachel thought and quickly dialed the number.
"Hello?" Justin answered.
"Justin?" Rachel asked even though she knew it was him.
"Rachel?" His voice immeadiatly brightened.
"It's me," Rachel said with a smile.
"I can't wait to see you baby!" Justin said smiling as he thought of it.
"That's why I called," Rachel started. "I can't come."
"WHAT?" Justin blurted out.
"I know, I know. This totally bites," Rachel said as if to ease his pain. "The teacher assigned this huge paper that is due when we start back. I know I'd never be able to write it back home. I need to resourses we have here and everything."
"Rach, come on! Don't do this to me!" Justin begged. "You can use our library, and I'll help you!"
Rachel shook her head, "Justin, I can't. Please try to understand!" Rachel pleaded softly.
"Rachel! Damnit! I haven't seen my girlfriend for a month! This was suppossed to be our two weeks together!" Justin yelled starting to get angry. Lance walked in the room and walked back out.
"Justin! Don't do this to me!" Rachel yelled back.
"Do what?" Justin demanded.
"Yell at me! It's not my fault! He gave us an assingnment! There's nothing I can do about it! I have to do it! I have to pass college! I can't blow it off Justin! I can't slack, then make up for it like you!" Rachel screamed. Nikki looked up from a book with a worried face.
"Are you saying I slack?" Justin asked bewildered.
"Well," Rachel fumbled because she was so angry. "I'm not saying that! All I'm saying is that if you were a supportive boyfriend you would back me up! Not attack me like this for something I can't control!" Rachel yelled again.
"Fuck you! Happy Thanksgiving!" Justin yelled and threw down the phone into it's reciever.
Rachel started to cry and Nikki immeadiatly jumped to her side, "I'm sorry sweetie!"
Rachel shook her head, "Nikki, we never fight! We're fighting again! Why? Why is everything going so downhill!"
Nikki tried to smile, "I don't know baby, but you don't deserve it! Just let him cool off and he'll call and apologize! I wish I could stay here but I have to go. My flight leaves very soon!"
Rachel nodded and gave her a hug, "Call me some!"
Nikki nodded, "You bet!" With that she turned and walked out the dorm.
Justin fell back into his bed in anger. Lance walked in the room.
"What's up?" Lance asked.
Justin ran his fingers through his curls and across his face, "Rachel and I had a huge fight. She's not coming Thanksgiving because she got a huge assignment and I sort of yelled at her."
"What for? It's not her fault," Lance reasoned.
"I know," Justin said sadly, "I was just mad. I'll call her and apologize after she cools off."
"Well, then we'd better go," Lance said.
"Yeah," Justin picked up his bags, "Let's go home!"
