Study Notes
Three hours late. I can already feel the crushing weight of my dad’s fury if he finds out.
Heart pounding, I hurried through the school doors, my footsteps frantic as I dropped my bag into the locker, desperation rising with every second.
I steal a quick glance at my phone, praying for a miracle, terrified of what’s to come.
Savannah: Girl where are you?
Savannah: I cannot believe you aren’t coming to pick me up.
Savannah: Anna, seriously you were my ride to school.
Savannah: Alright I am calling Kimmy, I hope whatever happened last night was worth ditching me.
Savannah: Seriously you aren’t even showing for school?
Savannah: You missed a great fight. That new girl punched Jake in the face.
Savannah: Are you alive?
Savannah: Hellooooo
Savannah: Earth to Annabelle
Savannah: Do I need to skip?
She and I started typing at the same time.
Me: Sorry. I overslept. Here now.
Savannah: Thank god you responded, I was about to send Search and Rescue for you.
Me: Yeah… I’ll see you at lunch.
I slammed my locker shut with a force that echoed through the hallway, fear and adrenaline pounding in my chest as I hurried towards the nearest classroom, desperate to escape the looming threat of detention for sneaking into school so late.
“Mrs. Jacobs, you’re not supposed to be in this class.” I saw Mr. Waters glanced up just as the door closed behind me, and a surge of panic hit my chest.
“Yeah, Mrs. Wright said I could come in here since they were talking about HIVs and I get queasy fast.” I hastily lied, feeling my heart race.
He nodded slowly. “Alright, take a seat,” he said, and I hurriedly slid into the first empty spot I saw, clutching a fragile hope that I wouldn’t be outed or judged.
Suddenly, a hand touched my shoulder, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I looked up to find Charlie staring at me with a mixture of concern and curiosity.
“You don’t have AP chem,” she whispered softly, worry lingering in her eyes.
“Yeah but it was the closest class to my locker.” I groaned, feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment and frustration.
She reached into her bag and handed me her notebook from earlier social studies class. “Here,” she whispered. “ I managed to take double the notes, since you like to sleep in it anyway. Our project’s due after the break, so I think we should get together soon—collaborate, you know?”
“What?... uh sure.” I mumbled, eyeing her detailed notes filled with little cartoon drawings of the founding fathers.
I looked at her, but she was totally absorbed in the lecture about mixing hydrogen properly and ending up in some reactive state.
I spent the rest of that period doodling in Charlie’s notebook, my mind racing, my nerves jittery, jumping at every small noise that broke the silence—feeling both overwhelmed and secretly grateful for her kindness.
Lunch raced past me in a whirlwind, a frantic blur of motion that made me feel completely detached—like I was there, but somehow not truly present, trapped in this strange, out-of-body sensation.
I can’t even bring myself to recall the sound of the final bell ringing, as if those moments slipped away before I could grasp them.
“Hey Anna, could you give me a ride?” Charlie’s voice suddenly reached into my chest, and I felt my heart tighten with urgency.
“Oh yeah, where are you headed?” I hurriedly unlocked my car door, my mind racing.
“Oh, I thought you knew—your dad invited me over. Something about a therapy tradition, I think.” Her words made my stomach twist with a mix of worry and hope.
“Oh shoot, I completely forgot about that! Yeah, come on, we’ve got to go now before Dad decides to cook—he’s terrible at it, and I’d rather not risk that!” I laughed nervously, trying to hide the unease fluttering inside me as I slid into the car.
“Same here,” she chuckled softly, a small smile giving me a flicker of comfort.
She climbed into my car, and we drove in a thick, tense silence toward my home. Every mile felt heavy, but through it all, I couldn’t shake the overwhelming relief that Charlie was there with me—someone so kind, someone real—rather than that creepy stalker lurking in the shadows.
“You nervous?” Charlie asked softly.
For a fleeting moment, I completely forgot about the message painted on my nails. I forgot about the figure lurking outside my window. I even forgot about the handprint around my ankle.
“No,” I lied, though my heart pounded a little faster.
Charlie smiled gently, and I couldn't help but be struck by her beauty—the way her raven hair poured over her shoulders, illuminating her face with that warm, glowing smile.
“Good,” she replied, her voice reassuring yet tinged with unseen concern.
I pulled into the driveway, killing the engine. My mind raced as I gathered the last fragments of courage to face whatever was waiting.