Tonight

Short story about a typical high schooler

Physics and pre-calc are finished for the day, except for the hours of homework I’ll have to complete tonight. Now, AP psychology is the only thing on my mind. Pun intended. In this class, we don’t use desks, “...because they disrupt the natural flow of blood to areas of the body”. (Which I really don’t believe, but it’s an easy A, so I don’t complain...too much.) We also aren’t allowed to use red pen because of it’s use in “...modern society to degrade students work in the physical, paper form.” It is unclear, actually, why Ms Schlesinger, I mean Alice, was hired to work in a high school, one of the most hostile environments on this planet. She really could do much better in an Indian Ashram, meditating her days away in her flowing, patchwork skirts and dreadlocked hair.

We sit on throw pillows strewn about the classroom, meditating on the purpose of perception and how that affects our daily lives. I feel my phone buzz in my back pocket, I half-open one eye to check if Alice was still in “deep thought”, and she was, her skinny legs crossed over each other, her head rocking back and forth from shoulder to shoulder. Half the people in the class already had their phones out, participating in who knows what nonsense. I typically meditate on the subjects Alice gives us, but this, however, was important because the message was from Lorena, who was sitting across the room from me, her legs tucked under herself. I knew that if I didn't respond immediately, I’d receive about four thousand more texts in the space of about two minutes from her. I looked up, and she pointed excitedly at her phone.  I checked the text, “Gurl have I got us a plan for toniiiiiiight ;) ” I set my phone down on the woven rug in front of me and inhaled a nice long breath before responding, “Rly? What does that involve exactly?” She gave me a wink from across the room, as if the one in her text wasn’t enough hint already.

A brief word about Lorena: This girl, this tiny, big haired, blonde bombshell could easily win the world’s most deceivingly innocent award. All figures of authority, ranging from parents to Senators (Don’t ask me. It’s a long story) adore and worship her. When the sane people are asleep, and the overachievers are studying, Lorena hits the dancefloor, clubbing all over the District of Columbia like she’s a college student at Georgetown, and she is, according to her fake ID card. We all have them, fake ID’s I mean. Lorena “knows a guy” So it’s no mystery why I’m concerned for what she has planned for tonight.

I waited patiently, albeit nervously, for a reply from across the room. Her facial expressions changed wildly from concerned to excited and back again as she typed wildy, thumbs flying. I bit my painted nails. A flake of blue nail polish came off in my mouth. I flicked it away.

My phone vibrated and I read the message,  “OMG U LIKE AREN'T GONNA BELIEVE WHAT IT IS OK R U READY??”

No, I was not.

“We’re gonna go partayin tonight, and we’re gonna take my ride, and we’re gonna let loose. U been studying 2 much. Let. freaking. loose.”

With a grade point average of about 3.0 (and I’m being generous), Lorena is not the most studious person. She isn’t very school smart, but she’s really street smart. She can get around New York better than some New Yorkers She’s a great person to gossip with, when you’re in that kind of mood, and she’s a great pick me-up. I suppose that makes me kind of a user, in a sense, but who doesn’t have at least one of those good-to-have-around-when-convenient friends in high school? Also, her “ride” is a run-down sky blue minivan with one working slide out door, which makes for some very interesting moments whenever more than 3 people choose to use that car as a mode of transportation. She kind of reminds me of a combination of a poodle and cocaine.

I wrote back, “Are you sure? I do have a physics project I need to get started on, and maybe u should get started on it too? Just saying.”

She replied immediately, jokingly glaring at me hard while she typed. “OMFG dude. It is Friday nite. Do u ever get out if I don’t make u?”

“No.” I typed, flashing a pretty convincing smile at her.

“Come on, man, ur going out tonight ;)” She smiled back, though her’s was sincere.  

“If you say so.” I’d probably make some last minute excuse for not going, but for now I just wanted her to be quiet for a little bit.

“K!!!! :)”

Going out with girls like Lorena gave me something to do, and it satisfied Lorena, but it never really made me happy, and always made me feel a little empty afterwards.

Author's Note

I feel like this is really weak. please be critical.