Page 22 of Echoes of Us

Ms. Thatcher shrugs, motioning for me to follow her into a room off the main lobby. “Fine by me. Gives me an hour to plan for a performance.” The room is much smaller than the other classes we passed. There is an upright piano against the center of the far wall. There is sheet music everywhere. How can she work or find anything with paper all over the floor, her desk on the opposite wall, and in the two large bookshelves on either side of the piano? “Sit there.” She points to a seat next to one of the bookshelves.

I sit and take out Wuthering Heights for AP Literature. I start to read as Ms. Thatcher looks through the stack of sheet music she brought in from the lobby. She chose one, set it on the piano’s music desk, and began to play. ‘Moonlight Sonata’ by Beethoven fills the room. I roll my eyes and huff as I continue reading. Ms. Thatcher pauses playing and spins to look at me, “Is something amusing to you, Ms. Parker?”

“You choose to play arguably the most recognizable piano piece there is during your planning hour? It is just interesting this amazing school’s piano teacher isn’t into more unique pieces.” I shake my head and look back down to the book.

“Beethoven’s birthday is in December. Each year, my students and the orchestra students put on a concert to celebrate his most famous pieces. I am picking the songs for this year’s concert. Which one are you going to play for us?” she says smoothly.

“I told you I am not playing. This is just study hall for me,” I reply and continue to read.

“Yes, you will.” The Sonata fills the room again and I smile slightly to myself. She may be my favorite teacher at the end of all of this. She doesn’t seem to take shit from anyone.

She stands a little while later and looks at the clock. She cracks her knuckles and says, “I want to know your piece for the concert by November 20th. That gives you almost a month to figure it out. Now let’s get you back to the lockers.”

“I know how to get back.” I stand and leave.

I really regret not taking the backpack this morning. My arms and back hurt from carrying these books around all day and have to take even more back to the house for homework. I get to my locker and set the books on the floor to look at the palm of my hand where I wrote the combination this morning. When I open my locker, I am immediately hit by a horrible stench. It was too late for me to close it before wet and sticky trash comes piling out of my locker all over me, the floor and my books.

First there are gasps of shock, then bursts of laughter. I stare down at my clothes and my feet, totally covered in trash. The smell is absolutely rotten. In my locker, I see the word “TRASH” written across the back in Sharpie. I look down the hall, immediately finding Emmaline’s eyes. She is staring at me blankly while her best friend is laughing so hard, she is bent over holding her stomach. Of course, she did this. I glare at her for a moment longer, tears stinging my eyes and threatening to fall. I won’t let her see me cry. I straighten and make myself as tall as I can. I turn, walking toward the exit as everyone continues to laugh and call me trash.

I wish I could go back to being invisible.

Chapter 24

Emmaline

I am still in shock. I told Mills not to do anything. Why did she give me a thumbs up if she didn’t hear me? Regardless, I didn’t expect something so cruel. The look on that girl’s face so quickly changed from surprise, to pained, to empty.

I turn to Mills. “What the hell did you do? I told you not to do anything to her!” I shout.

Mills stands, eyes widening. “All I heard you say was ‘Teagan’. I figured you were making sure I was still doing something. You never told me anything else today, Em. You literally have been so angry all day. Why would I think differently?” she asks nervously.

Without answering, I look toward the end of the hall to see Teagan has disappeared. I need to go after her. What do I even say? It doesn’t matter. I have to make sure she is okay. I also have to make sure she rides home with me. The last thought is a bit self-serving to avoid getting in trouble, but I know if I can just tell her I had nothing to do with it, I will feel better about this whole thing.

I rush down the hall and push through the double doors at the end. Everywhere I look I see students getting into their cars, talking in groups, and couples kissing goodbye for the day. I don’t see her anywhere. I could text her... shit. I don’t have her number. My mom is going to kill me for showing up at home without her.

Two big arms wrap around my waist and lift me up from behind. “Hey pretty girl, are you still mad at me from this afternoon? Sorry, I was being a tool bag. You know how I can be before practice.” Devan says as he sets me down. “We heard what happened to the new girl in the hall after school. One of the cheerleaders told us as we were leaving the locker room. I bet you loved seeing her face after that!” he says, laughing.

“No. She ran off and I can’t find her. If I don’t take her home my mom is adding a week to my punishment,” I say exasperatedly.

Gabe comes running up. “Dude did you hear what Mills did to the trash panda?? How funny is that shit?? I saw her run past the football field and get into some rusty truck. You guys succeeded in making her bolt!” he says while laughing hysterically.

“What do you mean? She left? What truck? Was it red?” I recall the red, truck that cute guy picked her up in the day she left the church.

“Uhh yeah. How did you know?” Gabe asks.

I stand there in silence. I have no way of reaching her and no idea to even know where to look. I look at my phone. I am five minutes late to get EJ from the elementary building. Without a word to Devan or Gabe, I run toward EJ’s building. This is so bad. So, so bad. I never thought Mills would do something so mean and public. I should have called it off way earlier instead of getting heated over stupid shit. If my parents find out I knew about this, I am screwed.

EJ sees me at the door and runs to meet me. He looks behind me and both ways down the hall. “Where is Teagan? She told me last night she would see me after school today!”

“I don’t know, EJ. She left school.” I say flatly.

His face contorts with anger. “What did you do, Em? I know you did something because you can’t be nice to her. She wouldn’t have just left so I know you did something mean. She told me you don’t like her.”

I ignore him and pull him with me by the elbow. EJ continues to go on about how mean I am and how he is telling Mom, but all I can think about is the look on that girl’s face. I didn’t think I would feel so bad about pranking her, but Mills clearly went too far. Not even that girl deserved to be humiliated so publicly and cruelly.

We get into the car and speed off. EJ has moved on from berating me to the silent treatment. Why can’t I stop seeing her face in my head? I shouldn’t care this much. I want her gone, but now I am reeling about this whole thing. I am just going to have to tell my parents the truth and hope they can figure out how to find her. “EJ, let me tell Mom and Dad what happened please. I promise I will help them find that gi….” I start.

“TEAGAN. Her name is Teagan. Use it,” he yells, crossing his arms and looking out the window.

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