Read Online Tessa (From Fear to Faith) by Melissa Wiltrout - Free Book Online
Authors: Melissa Wiltrout
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notebook. Then I turned to the new chapter and tried to look attentive as Mr. Stone presented the first unit.
When the bell rang, signaling lunch time, I closed my book in relief and joined the general surge toward the door. All of a sudden, I felt the books shift under my arm. I glanced down. My notebook was missing.
What in… I turned in disbelief. A few paces back stood Gary, holding my notebook by the spine. He shook it, and my test and several loose papers slid out into his hand.
I flew at him in a fury. “Give that back!” I demanded, yanking at the papers. With a sharp ripping sound, they tore. Gary laughed and waved his portion over his head as he sauntered off toward the cafeteria.
I lingered in the hall as long as I dared, trying to calm my rage. It’s only Gary. Who cares what he thinks, anyway. I fingered the mostly empty pack of cigarettes in my pocket as I took my place at the end of the lunch line. If things got unbearable, I could always slip off and have one. But I’d have to be careful.
Shame crept over me as I recalled what had happened a few days before. Unknown to me, Janet had been in the restroom when I sneaked in to smoke, and she had caught me in the act. Janet hadn’t said a word, but the look of surprise and hurt on her face had been harder to take than Walter’s worst scolding. I had been avoiding her ever since.
I forced the memory aside as I picked up the last ham sandwich, added a scoop of peas and carrots, and started toward the table by the window where Sandy and Lois always sat. At least they still liked me.
Halfway across the room, I felt a rough shove from behind. Laughter erupted as my lunch tray crashed to the floor. Food scattered everywhere. Turning, I came face to face with Gary’s infuriating grin.
“You pushed me,” I sputtered.
He was still laughing. “You’re so cute when you get mad.”
I was so angry I couldn’t see straight. He is not going to treat me like this! I was about to smash a fist into his mocking face when someone grabbed my arm. I jerked free, then realized it was Heather.
“Go sit down,” she said. “I’ll take care of this mess. You can have some of my food.”
I stared at her, certain I had not heard right. But she was serious.
“Go on,” she said, giving me a little push.
Still seething, but aware that arguing would only cause further embarrassment, I complied. Heather scooped the worst of the mess onto the tray and tipped it into the trash can. I watched in bewilderment. I didn’t even know Heather beyond Janet’s introduction a few weeks ago. Yet here she was, smiling as she offered me a generous portion of her lunch. I managed a sincere thank-you.
My friends didn’t know what to make of it. “She seems to be some kind of do-gooder,” Sandy commented, as Heather walked away, “but she’s nice, too. She sure didn’t have to do that.”
“That Gary is so cruel,” said Lois. Then she began to laugh. “Man, but you should’ve seen the look on your face. Like you were gonna kill him or something. I wish I had a picture. He pushed you, didn’t he?”
Her amusement touched off another flare of anger. “Of course he pushed me. He’s always trying to make me look like a fool. If he touches me again, I’ll bust his head!”
Sandy put a hand on my arm. “Hey girl, settle down. If you hit him, you know he’d just turn it around and get you in trouble. You’d best just forget it and stay away from him.”
I didn’t answer. She was right, I knew, but revenge would be so sweet!
Lois finished eating first. “I’m going to go ask Heather why she did it,” she announced.
She returned a short while later, her eyes gleaming.
“Well?” Sandy asked.
“She’s weird. She claims the Bibletold her to do it.”
Sandy laughed. “Really? The Bible told her?”
“Yup. That’s what she says.”
I shrugged. “Well, it sure was nice of her, whatever her reason. I don’t know about the Bible; I’ve never read
When the bell rang, signaling lunch time, I closed my book in relief and joined the general surge toward the door. All of a sudden, I felt the books shift under my arm. I glanced down. My notebook was missing.
What in… I turned in disbelief. A few paces back stood Gary, holding my notebook by the spine. He shook it, and my test and several loose papers slid out into his hand.
I flew at him in a fury. “Give that back!” I demanded, yanking at the papers. With a sharp ripping sound, they tore. Gary laughed and waved his portion over his head as he sauntered off toward the cafeteria.
I lingered in the hall as long as I dared, trying to calm my rage. It’s only Gary. Who cares what he thinks, anyway. I fingered the mostly empty pack of cigarettes in my pocket as I took my place at the end of the lunch line. If things got unbearable, I could always slip off and have one. But I’d have to be careful.
Shame crept over me as I recalled what had happened a few days before. Unknown to me, Janet had been in the restroom when I sneaked in to smoke, and she had caught me in the act. Janet hadn’t said a word, but the look of surprise and hurt on her face had been harder to take than Walter’s worst scolding. I had been avoiding her ever since.
I forced the memory aside as I picked up the last ham sandwich, added a scoop of peas and carrots, and started toward the table by the window where Sandy and Lois always sat. At least they still liked me.
Halfway across the room, I felt a rough shove from behind. Laughter erupted as my lunch tray crashed to the floor. Food scattered everywhere. Turning, I came face to face with Gary’s infuriating grin.
“You pushed me,” I sputtered.
He was still laughing. “You’re so cute when you get mad.”
I was so angry I couldn’t see straight. He is not going to treat me like this! I was about to smash a fist into his mocking face when someone grabbed my arm. I jerked free, then realized it was Heather.
“Go sit down,” she said. “I’ll take care of this mess. You can have some of my food.”
I stared at her, certain I had not heard right. But she was serious.
“Go on,” she said, giving me a little push.
Still seething, but aware that arguing would only cause further embarrassment, I complied. Heather scooped the worst of the mess onto the tray and tipped it into the trash can. I watched in bewilderment. I didn’t even know Heather beyond Janet’s introduction a few weeks ago. Yet here she was, smiling as she offered me a generous portion of her lunch. I managed a sincere thank-you.
My friends didn’t know what to make of it. “She seems to be some kind of do-gooder,” Sandy commented, as Heather walked away, “but she’s nice, too. She sure didn’t have to do that.”
“That Gary is so cruel,” said Lois. Then she began to laugh. “Man, but you should’ve seen the look on your face. Like you were gonna kill him or something. I wish I had a picture. He pushed you, didn’t he?”
Her amusement touched off another flare of anger. “Of course he pushed me. He’s always trying to make me look like a fool. If he touches me again, I’ll bust his head!”
Sandy put a hand on my arm. “Hey girl, settle down. If you hit him, you know he’d just turn it around and get you in trouble. You’d best just forget it and stay away from him.”
I didn’t answer. She was right, I knew, but revenge would be so sweet!
Lois finished eating first. “I’m going to go ask Heather why she did it,” she announced.
She returned a short while later, her eyes gleaming.
“Well?” Sandy asked.
“She’s weird. She claims the Bibletold her to do it.”
Sandy laughed. “Really? The Bible told her?”
“Yup. That’s what she says.”
I shrugged. “Well, it sure was nice of her, whatever her reason. I don’t know about the Bible; I’ve never read
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