Panem High: Freshman Year

Chapter 27

"Would you believe it's the last week of May already?" a smooth voice asked.

Finch gasped and turned around, dropping her Science and Geography textbooks in surprise. Thresh had snuck up behind her. "Don't do that!" she laughed, swatting his arm as he bent down to pick up her books.

"How was Phys Ed?" he asked.

"It was really good today," she told him. "We started our basketball unit last week, and we were mostly just shooting today, but I hit a bunch of threes, and Mr. E. pulled me aside at the end and told me I'm already at the top of the class for this unit."

He leaned against the locker next to hers and grinned. "Good for you!"

She smiled shyly and pushed her french braid over her shoulder so it was resting against her back. "Thank you."

"It sounds like it's going well then."

"It is."

"What about your big classes?" he asked. "Geo and Bio?"

"Not as well," she admitted, stuffing her books in her huge backpack and closing her locker door. She fiddled with the lock, trying to close it with her arms full of binders.

"How come?" he asked, pushing the lock down for her.

"Thanks," she muttered, straightening herself up and leaning against the locker. "I'm supposed to be good at Science," she huffed.

"Finch, give yourself some credit," he said, clearly trying not to smile. "You're in a grade ten Advanced Placement class. That's gotta be hard."

"It's impossible," she grumbled.

"Can I walk you home?" he asked.

"Please. I don't want to take the bus today."

They set off down the hall, walking closer together than usual.

"Look, I know how much pressure you put on yourself, but I think you can ease up on this one," he said gently. "A week into a grade nine general science class, they switched you into a grade ten Bio class. Three weeks later, they put you in A.P. You're a freshman in an advanced sophomore class."

"Exactly!" she huffed. "I have to prove myself in this class."

"You do realize that an eighty-two is an amazing midterm mark for someone who was only in that class for five out of nine weeks of the first half of the semester?"

"It's not good enough," she said decidedly as they stepped outside. "My god, it's beautiful out today," she said, smiling a bit.

The sun was bright, and there were a few cirrostratus clouds, way high up there, and the sky was cornflower blue. It was hot, probably about 80 degrees, but the air wasn't heavy, and there was a breeze whistling through the massive oak trees at the edge of the school's property. She took a deep breath. The air smelled fresh and clean, like the Cherokee roses, rosa laevigata, growing in the garden in front of the school that she, along with a few other members of the Eco Club, had helped plant.

Finch realized Thresh had fallen behind a few steps. She turned and he was looking at her. "What?" she laughed as he caught up to her.

"Your eyes look like honey in the sun," he observed, and she felt her face heat up a little.

"Really? They're just brown."

"They aren't just brown," he said quietly. "They kinda glow, the way your glasses catch the sunlight."

"Don't even mention the glasses," she sighed.

"I thought you were used to them by now," he said.