Pre-Algebra

"Thank god, I made it to class on time." said Griffin

Griffin is in his homeroom class, at Liberty High. He is a freshman in high school, a young fourteen year old kid in pre-algebra class.

"Ok, I know what you are thinking, what the hell is he doing in high school? And a freshman?Th-"

"Griffin, would you please stop mumbling to yourself and pay attention upfront," said Mrs. Taylor, Griffin's homeroom teacher.

"I will have to explain the situation a little later. I am a complicated person, as you might have already figured out. But one thing is for sure, I am way past my pubescent days. Before you get any crazy thoughts-"

"Would you shut up already and who are you talking to? Are you on the phone?" The voice came from directly behind Griffin. Griffin knows the voice all too well, it's actually a good friend.

"Be quiet, shhh. Ok I will be quiet, yes I was on the phone but that is none of your business Lily," replied Griffin.

"Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of bed, again. Do you always sleep on the wrong side, I feel like you are always cranky in the morning. Is it not enough sleep? Is there something you need to open up to us about Lily?" Cole says interrupting their conversation. Cole turning around to face Griffin, Lily seats directly behind Griffin.

"Cole, nobody is talking to you so stay out of this, Griffin always comes in class late every morning creating so much noise. I just wish for once, he would come in silently. Like everyone else," said Lily.

Before the three even realized it, Mrs. Taylor was hovering over them, listening in on their pointless banter. She demanded them to stay quiet for the rest of the class. She walked back to the front of the class and continued her lesson.

"Ok class, break up into groups of three and work on the worksheet being passed around. You can start on it now and make sure you finish it for homework. There is about five minutes left of class, so make sure you do as much as you can," stated Mrs. Taylor.

The three of them turn their desks towards each other creating a triangle.

"So, I'm pretty sure the answer for number one is negative three," said Cole.

"Were you even paying attention, you have to flip the signs so it's positive three," replied Lily.

"Hey, do any of you have a pencil I can borrow?" Griffin asked the group. He was completely ignored, he tries to get their attention by waving his hands in front of their faces. Still nothing, he asks them the same question again.

"Not for you," they both said at the same time.

"Ok guys, enough of this, are we going to do this every time, stop playing around and let me borrow a pencil. I might have asked for pencils a lot in the past, but please this is the last time I ask for a pencil," Griffin pleads. With the most sincere look he could ever pull off, staring at the two like they were his only hope. Glaring at them like they had the cure to his illness, dangling it right in front of his eyes.

"No dude, I have lost probably twenty pencils because of you. No not lost, you have stolen twenty pencils from me, how do you never have a single pencil? Even for your birthday, I bought you a thirty pack of mechanical pencils. They even came in multiple different colors, it was cute(introducing Griffin's inner thoughts, this will happen a lot throughout the story's progression- I have interrupted because my thoughts must be heard for now on. Why the hell does it matter if the pencils came in different colors? What is this girls problem with giving me a damn pencil? Ok maybe I have lost or stolen or whatever a couple of her pencils, so what? What are friends for if not being able to hand a desperate friend a pencil? Does she not care about me? She is heartless, and cold hearted! Ok I am done for now... no I'm not what kind of birthday gift is pencils? I am still infuriated by that terrible gift.) and it even came with extra erasures. So no, I will not give you a pencil. Cole give him one of your ugly sticks you call a pencil." She is referring to the basic default number two pencil. No, not the basic one, Cole still uses the big and fat looking number two pencil that preschool children use.

"Don't call it ugly, this is a perfectly normal pencil," replied Cole.

"Yeah, normal for a baby to use, do you still have trouble staying in the lines when coloring? I wonder do you still ride a tricycle?" Griffin teases him.

"It is NOT a baby pencil! Babies can't even write, therefore it is not a baby pencil. I already told you guys that I hate when you say that, also I ride a bike better than you Griffin!" Cole's face is getting red with embarrassment and rage.( That is not true whatsoever) Griffin shows a face of disbelief.

"Shut up and give him a dam pencil, you big baby. That is true. Griff, why are you making that face?" said Lily.

"No, you freaking psycho" Cole already knew that potentially his life might be over. See the thing is, Griffin and Cole call Lily a psycho all the time. Of course, they never say it to her face or even if she is potentially in ear shot. They would always do it, whether they are kicking a soccer ball around or playing video games. They would refer to her as a psycho. It's almost like a reflex now, like catching a slightly oversize ball. Wait even easier, like sitting down in a chair. Lily's face darkened, she even completely stopped breathing. Eyes popping out, her eye color might have actually tired red.

"Wow, how rude of you Cole, to call Lily that word. There's no chance you kiss your mother with that mouth," said Griffin. Griffin is actually the one who taught Cole the meaning of the word, also he is the first one to refer to Lily as a psycho.

"I will break your balls," said lily in a sinister voice, while getting up from her desk, slowly approaching Cole.( Lily hates being called a psycho, it's hilarious.) Griffin tries his absolute best to not show how much he is enjoying himself. He might have accidentally released a chuckle or two.

"I'm sorry Lily, please don't... I will buy you pencils and for a month I will lend Griffin one of my baby pencils," Cole offered in a low and scared tone, with his hands up in protest. While also crossing his legs as a defense for his sacred balls. (Did he just admit that they are baby pencils? Hey, I am a responsible adult...ahem I mean fourteen year old.) Lily went silent, calmly returning to her desk.

"Ok... deal. I get to choose what pack of pencils I buy," Lily responded.(I'm a bit worried about how much she loves mechanical pencils.) Lily lifts up her face with a devious smile, almost like this was a part of her plan. Laying a trap, waiting for the rat to take the bait. It worked flawlessly.

"Here, stupid" Cole shoots out his arm in Griffin's direction holding a baby pencil in hand. The damage has already been done, even better he got Cole to admit that they were indeed baby pencils. Now It was time for him to get the homework done. Griffin was grateful to have someone like Lily in his life.

"So guys, what was the answer to the first question? Was it negative three or positive three? I heard something about making sure to not flip the signs. I'm not sure, I wasn't paying attention. I was too busy dealing with not having a pencil, you guys understand, right?"

"Shut up," Lily and Cole said simultaneously with a cold stone voice.

The bell rang. Class was over. Lily and Cole both pack their belongings and proceed to exit the class.

"Hey. Guys, what's up with the frozen and mean attitudes? At least tell me the answer, wait better yet one of you can do the homework then send me the answers, Kay?" Griffin said, it was an embarrassing attempt to save and seize the opportunity. The two of them turned around together. Lily took off her backpack and got on one knee, opening her book bag. Griffin sighed with relief. She stuck her hand in, rummaged around, looking for something. Took out her hand, one finger raised.

"Go to hell," replied Lily