"So Ailish, how’s life treating you?"

"Well, pretty neutral. I can’t boast and I can’t whinge, how’s that?"

"I’d have to agree."

"I think that’s the best choice you’ll ever make in your life."

Ailish and Lily were in Art class, mounds of clay in front of them that had to be abstract forms by the time the bell went in half an hour. Ailish’s lump was becoming a foot with daggers and spikes, and swirly things that just added to the abstract-ness she thought it possessed. Lily hadn’t touched hers, saying that she believed it was abstract enough as a blob, when the truth was she wasn’t in the mood for sculpting. Ailish was gradually reducing the size of Lily’s by adding to her creation. Ailish looked up to see Lily staring at her. She looked like she wanted Ailish to ask her something. Anything.

"How’s Tom?"

"It’s Jack."

"Oh, sorry."

"That’s okay. Anyway, he’s fine."

"What about you guys as a partnership?"

"Yeah, we’re fine."

Ailish leaned over so she wouldn’t have to speak loudly. She didn’t need to ask the question, as Lily’s eyes were obviously bloodshot, but she did anyway.

"What’s he got you on, Lil?"

Lily looked back calmly.

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Lily, we all know."

Mr Pieterson walked past the girls and rapped his knuckles on their table.

"Working, girls. Mr Pieterson likes when his students work. Nice foot, Ailish."

Ailish nodded at her teacher and got back to moulding the foot. She gave it seven toes. Lily told Ailish it had two too many toes. Ailish told her to shut up. The bell rang, and Ailish walked over to Mr Pieterson.

"Mine’s done, is it alright if I go? I’m kinda in a hurry."

The teacher nodded and Ailish ran out the door, avoiding Lily’s blurred gaze. Mr Pieterson walked over to Lily and looked at her tiny blob on the table.

"Lily, where’s your sculpture? Half of your clay is missing! Where is it?"

Lily sighed. "It’s probably toes." She turned and walked out.

Ailish managed to beat everyone to the area so she sat in her favourite spot, right where the sun hit the edge of the seats in the morning. She didn’t get to sit there that often ‘cause she usually took her time getting away from class – her teachers always wanted to talk to her about her grades, or something she’d said in class, or get an update on an interest they shared. Like Mrs Norseck, Ailish’s English teacher who was addicted to poetry. She loved Ailish’s work, and they’d often talk about inspirations for writing specific poems and meanings behind them.

But today she didn’t feel like it. She sat down – the seat was warm from the sun – and got out her poetry book. She read through one she’d written the other day when she wasn’t feeling so great. She was writing a lot lately, she thought. A shadow spread across the paper, and she turned around.

"Mr Chambers, hi."

"Hello, Ailish. What’s that you’ve got there?"

"Oh, nothing. I’m sorry I ran into you the other day, I had an appointment and I’d lost track of time and – "

"I thought you said you were doing some HPE training or something."

"Uh, yeah, I don’t do HPE."

"I didn’t think so."

"Heh. Anything in particular you wanted?"

"No, I’m on duty. Would you mind picking up that wrapper under the table?"

"No problems."

"Excellent. See you later."

"I’m sure I will, sir."

The teacher walked off and Ailish breathed out. She though she was going to be reprimanded or something like that; she’d taken the wind out of him when she’d knocked into him. Oh well, he seemed civil enough. Ailish had never really spoken to him for any particular reason before. There were too many teachers at the school for her to bother with that.

Felix walked up the stairs. He looked over at Ailish and then averted his eyes. He turned and saw Dakota at the bottom of the stairs, so he waited for him and then they walked over to the table together. All three nodded at each other as the boys sat down and got out their lunch. Savannah skipped over.

"I’ve gotta go down to the canteen. Ailish, come with?" She smiled at her pleadingly.

Ailish sighed. "Only if you don’t slap the butts of all your guy friends, I don’t like being associated with butt slaps."

Savannah giggled and nodded her head. "Okaaaaaaaaaay."

Ailish got up and took her wallet from her bag, just in case she felt like eating. On their way, Ewan came up behind them and joined the procession. Once at the canteen, the three split up to get different things. Ailish went to the drinks counter, getting herself a Solo and Ewan a Sarsaparilla. Savannah got Ewan and Ailish salad rolls from the ‘good food’ counter and Ewan got Savannah and himself donuts from the ‘junk’ counter. Threes were good at the canteen, it made things a lot faster. Ailish was proud of their routines.

The two girls met up with Ewan as he came out of the junk line and they traded their purchases, complaining about other’s choices.

"Ewan, I don’t know how you can drink Sars."

"At least I’m not drinking that lemon crap."

"Hey! Yeah, well both of you are stuffing your faces with… I dunno, bad stuff in donuts, there’s gotta be something bad with donuts!!"

Savannah looked a little shocked.

"Donuts are bad? But they’ve got flour in them, or something."

Ewan scoffed. "Savvie, what are donuts cooked in?" The girl looked confused. "You know, starts with ‘oil’? Ends in ‘and fat’?"

Savannah shook her head. "No, they taste so good!"

"Sav, why are they in the ‘junk’ line?"

Savannah looked really worried now. "Because… they’re junk?"

The other two applauded. "Good girl!"

She looked extremely distraught. "I can’t eat this! Here Ai, you have it." She passed it to Ailish, who passed it to Ewan.

"Have two, Ewan. Extra oily, fatty goodness."

"Thanks, Ailish."

"Any time."

of playing

…