Don't Look At Me [3a/?]
anonymous
May 30 2010, 03:09:26 UTC
Chapter the third: In which Lovino is called to the nurse's office, and some close calls occur
It had been a few days before the call occurred, and Lovino had almost forgotten about it before the last day of the week -- Friday. It was good, she mused as she exited her last class -- Science with Mr. V (his last name was so long that he didn't let anyone call him anything other than Mr. V). It was actually a smart idea to have school start on a Wednesday -- that way kids could start school without feeling too pressured or exhausted.
The loudspeaker sounded.
"Lovino Vargas, will you come to the nurse's office please? Lovino Vargas, to the nurse's office please."
Lovino froze. Shit. She had forgotten all about that visit, the one that came every year, the visit to the lovely and solemn Mrs. Karpusi.
Scowling, she started the walk across campus from Mr. V's room to the nurse's office. No happy weekend for her. Mrs. Karpusi would try to convince her to tell the truth again and she would have to refuse again and tell that stupid old woman that yes, she was happy being a girl, and no, she did not want to try to tell her grandfather the "truth."
Truth, Lovino knew, was a matter of perception. The best truth for everyone now was that she was a boy. Once she went off to college, she would be able to do whatever she wanted. For now, though, there were things to be taken care of, like her grandfather.
As she walked over, she heard a sunshine laugh behind her and felt her fingers twitch in an urge to strangle the laugher. That idiotic boy.... Antonio had taken an apparent liking to her, and now he talked to her every chance he got. It didn't help that he was such a ladies' man. All of her friends were now also his friends. And no, they couldn't just "get along." The boy was annoying. Infuriating!
Just as expected, she heard footsteps trotting behind her. Even his steps sounded cheerful! Preparing a scowl on her face to scare him away, she turned to say something harsh to him, but he was instead talking with Sofia, the lovely Belgian girl.
Sofia was the first to notice her and smiled. "Lovino! Nice to see you! Where're you going?"
Immediately Lovino's entire demeanor changed. She smiled, showing even white teeth in perhaps the first smile Antonio must have seen her give since he arrived, and her voice changed -- became warmer, throatier somehow. "Sofia," she said, extending her arms for a hug, "how are you, cara? I haven't seen you around much since school started. How's being a senior treating you?"
Sofia laughed and hugged the more petite girl back. Lovino fought back the hysterical laughter that came every time she got jealous looks from boys for being so close to girls. She turned, expecting to see some dark emotion -- anger, jealousy, possessiveness -- on Antonio's face. All she got was a wide smile as he advanced closer.
Before he could hug her, she punched him in the stomach. As he doubled over, wheezing for breath, she turned back to Sofia, whose facial expression had changed from cheerful to something akin to laughter and concern. "So, cara, how are you?"
Sofia patted her hair. "I'm fine. Classes are good, I suppose. Being a senior is great. Such little work... I love it! How's your grandfather? I know he's getting worse..."
Lovino stiffened and crossed her arms over her chest. "He's fine. He's completely fine."
Sofia opened her mouth to say something more, but she was interrupted by Antonio's whine of, "Why did you do that, Lovi?"
Sofia looked at him. "It's not personal, I think. Lovino has something against boys."
Lovino's face twisted into a scowl. Of course she had something against boys! But what came out was, "It's because you're such a fucking idiot."
Sofia raised her eyebrows. "Is it that way, Lovino? Very well... I'll leave you two to your own devices, whatever those may be."
Lovino waved at the other girl as she left in the opposite direction, then scowled at the Spaniard who stood next to her still. "Go wherever you need to go, asshole," she snapped. "Don't follow me around."
She started walking in the direction she had originally been going. Antonio followed her.
It had been a few days before the call occurred, and Lovino had almost forgotten about it before the last day of the week -- Friday. It was good, she mused as she exited her last class -- Science with Mr. V (his last name was so long that he didn't let anyone call him anything other than Mr. V). It was actually a smart idea to have school start on a Wednesday -- that way kids could start school without feeling too pressured or exhausted.
The loudspeaker sounded.
"Lovino Vargas, will you come to the nurse's office please? Lovino Vargas, to the nurse's office please."
Lovino froze. Shit. She had forgotten all about that visit, the one that came every year, the visit to the lovely and solemn Mrs. Karpusi.
Scowling, she started the walk across campus from Mr. V's room to the nurse's office. No happy weekend for her. Mrs. Karpusi would try to convince her to tell the truth again and she would have to refuse again and tell that stupid old woman that yes, she was happy being a girl, and no, she did not want to try to tell her grandfather the "truth."
Truth, Lovino knew, was a matter of perception. The best truth for everyone now was that she was a boy. Once she went off to college, she would be able to do whatever she wanted. For now, though, there were things to be taken care of, like her grandfather.
As she walked over, she heard a sunshine laugh behind her and felt her fingers twitch in an urge to strangle the laugher. That idiotic boy.... Antonio had taken an apparent liking to her, and now he talked to her every chance he got. It didn't help that he was such a ladies' man. All of her friends were now also his friends. And no, they couldn't just "get along." The boy was annoying. Infuriating!
Just as expected, she heard footsteps trotting behind her. Even his steps sounded cheerful! Preparing a scowl on her face to scare him away, she turned to say something harsh to him, but he was instead talking with Sofia, the lovely Belgian girl.
Sofia was the first to notice her and smiled. "Lovino! Nice to see you! Where're you going?"
Immediately Lovino's entire demeanor changed. She smiled, showing even white teeth in perhaps the first smile Antonio must have seen her give since he arrived, and her voice changed -- became warmer, throatier somehow. "Sofia," she said, extending her arms for a hug, "how are you, cara? I haven't seen you around much since school started. How's being a senior treating you?"
Sofia laughed and hugged the more petite girl back. Lovino fought back the hysterical laughter that came every time she got jealous looks from boys for being so close to girls. She turned, expecting to see some dark emotion -- anger, jealousy, possessiveness -- on Antonio's face. All she got was a wide smile as he advanced closer.
Before he could hug her, she punched him in the stomach. As he doubled over, wheezing for breath, she turned back to Sofia, whose facial expression had changed from cheerful to something akin to laughter and concern. "So, cara, how are you?"
Sofia patted her hair. "I'm fine. Classes are good, I suppose. Being a senior is great. Such little work... I love it! How's your grandfather? I know he's getting worse..."
Lovino stiffened and crossed her arms over her chest. "He's fine. He's completely fine."
Sofia opened her mouth to say something more, but she was interrupted by Antonio's whine of, "Why did you do that, Lovi?"
Sofia looked at him. "It's not personal, I think. Lovino has something against boys."
Lovino's face twisted into a scowl. Of course she had something against boys! But what came out was, "It's because you're such a fucking idiot."
Sofia raised her eyebrows. "Is it that way, Lovino? Very well... I'll leave you two to your own devices, whatever those may be."
Lovino waved at the other girl as she left in the opposite direction, then scowled at the Spaniard who stood next to her still. "Go wherever you need to go, asshole," she snapped. "Don't follow me around."
She started walking in the direction she had originally been going. Antonio followed her.
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