Chasing After Infinity (5 page)

It’s all I need. I push myself off the wall and covering my grin, I head to class with my head down. While Mr. Corsairs talk about aqueous solutions, I keep on replaying that moment again and again in my mind. It’s not about revenge; it’s about retribution.

And I want to see how long I can fight fire with fire until it burns me.

One of Adrian’s worst cases was a girl who was in my pre-calculus class, Emily Innings. They started dating the first few weeks into December. While we did math problems, she’d gush about how hot and funny he was and how he made her feel like the only one in the world who took her seriously. She was heads-over-heels over him. It wasn’t until the third week that she declared that she was in love.

He took her out on his ride, spun her around until she was dizzy, and exhilarated. Then one day, all of it disappeared.

She called me to tell me that he’d stopped calling her for a week. She didn’t know what to do. I told her to give it another week; maybe he was busy that time because it was finals season after all. But the second week came and there were no phone calls or text messages. And by the third, the news was out. Huntington was dating another girl, Jennifer
Kelson
, the captain of the swim team.

Emily completely broke down. She cried when she came over and I didn’t know how many tissues I had to give her because it was dumpster-tonnes. And all I thought then was: How stupid to cry over a guy like that.
One that didn’t even tell you that you were just another snotty tissue to throw away before he uses another one.

In English, Adrian doesn’t seem fazed at all by the murmurs and hidden laughter. I feel glad that he’s now deciding to ignore me. He barely looks my way and I can’t help the smug look on my face as I take the notes on the board.

After class, he corners me on my way to biology. “Nice little prank,” he says casually, his eyes flickering. I try to go around him but he pushes me into the wall, holding me there. His hands are between me, trapping me on the set of lockers. He leans over me, face resting close to mine threateningly.

“Come off it,” I retort and wrench him away from me, gathering my books and going to class. All the while I’m walking down the hall, even though there are a bunch of other students, I can only feel a pair of green eyes burning my back.

All through the afternoon, there’s this precautious feeling in me because I know something’s going to happen. But I just don’t know how to prepare for it.

“I still can’t believe you were the one who did the tampon thing.” Hayden walks beside me, shaking his head. Today he’s wearing a faded old 80’s shirt and his standard torn blue jeans. He can’t help but laugh at my description of Adrian’s bewildered expression.

“That boy has got it coming for him,” I reply.

“Oh, Ave.”
He sticks his hands into his pockets, blinking away strands of his platinum hair. “I don’t know why you always go looking
for trouble. I get it that your mom died and your dad’s MIA but do you have to--”

“Don’t say it.” I turn to face him, my voice crisp. “Don’t remind me of it.”

His eyes turn downcast uncomfortably. “I’m sorry. All I’m saying is that you’re harming yourself by getting involved in his little game.”

I clutch him by his shirt collar and something about the way he awkwardly shoves his hands into his pockets makes me kiss him on the cheek softly. “I know.”

Hayden yanks me off and stalks ahead of me, obviously disgruntled. I catch the sleeve of his shirt, ready to say more.

I’m so engrossed in letting him hear me explain that I don’t hear the shout. I glance up, taken aback and see a huge vase poised on the windowsill two stories above me.

My heart stops.
“
Avena
!”
Hayden yells, turning, eyes wide.

It is pushed and all I see is the big
canopic
vase fall, almost hypnotically. Everything goes in slow-motion. In a split second, I half-turn and freeze in place, unable to move.

Time slows to a halt as if someone pressed the pause button. And in a rush of pure adrenaline, I duck and the vase just nearly misses my head, landing on the cement with loud crack just centimetres from where I was standing. The clear glass shatters instantly, bringing up a waterfall of sharp remnants.

Exhaling sharply, I look up and see a flash of haughty eyes up on the balcony and an array of hair. Then he’s gone.

I stare at the broken vase. It could’ve cracked my head open or worse. Without hesitating, I race through the courtyard, into the school
and up the stairways where I immediately find Adrian and his friends at the second floor, laughing.

I storm over toward them, all the blood rushing to my head as Adrian looks up and sees me. I jab a finger at his chest. “What the
hell
were you thinking,
dipwad
?” I snarl. My teeth grits together. I’ve been mad before but this intense feeling just eats away at me. I actually see red drifting in my field of vision and my arm itches to fulfill my promise to beat him up.

His buddies exchange a look. “What are you talking about, young lady?” Adrian says with a bit of amusement in his voice.

“I’ve had enough of your shit, Adrian. Tell me, did you or did you not throw a vase at my head.”

He looks a bit caught off guard then he’s laughing.
“A
vase
?
I’m a polished person. If I were to hurt you, I’d chuck something at you much more than just a vase.”

Adrian infuriates me so much I fear I’m going to explode.
“You jackass!”
I scream as I run to him, swinging my fists. He bypasses me easily and grabs me from behind, before lowering his head and letting his lips brush my face.

“What a delicate temper,” he says softly in my ear.

“Get off of me,” I growl, twisting out of his arms. I strike at him roughly but he quickly dodges me again. His cypress green eyes laugh down at me.

I try to control my anger as I shoot him my most hateful look and stalk away, knowing I couldn’t get him to admit it.

Then when I’m walking away, his voice rings in the distance. “Did you see her try to hit me?” I can hear him chortling with the others.

My ability to think flies out of my mind. That’s
it
. I’m going to kill him.

I turn jerkily and rush for him wildly, my face murderous. “Easy there!” Adrian says, laughing to himself and putting his hands up sardonically. “I’m not stupid enough to get hit a second time.” I try to punch him again but my aim is a little bit off and he pushes me away, smirking and turning to his amused friends. I stagger back, adrenaline racing through my veins. Just as his back is turned to me, I jump onto his back, wrapping around him like a koala bear.

Then I hit him with my fists and he tries to turn fully to get me off but I clamp on tightly to him.
“Fucking monkey!”
Adrian curses, trying to deflect my blows. “Let go!”

“Never!”
I keep on hanging on to him until he disentangles himself, yanks my hands off, and shoves me to the ground.

I fall to the grass, my back stinging. Getting up slowly, I glare at him.

Jabbing a finger at his chest, I growl, “You’re going to pay for this one day.”

Then I turn, walking away from his howling friends with as much dignity as I can muster.

 
Ψ
Ψ
Ψ
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Are you
Avena
?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Surprised, I look up from my book and see the girl that has been with Adrian on the day that he humiliated me in front of the entire school. The library is mostly secluded and I wanted some time alone to catch up on Macbeth but I nod. “Yeah, what’s up?”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The girl smiles subtly, her fringed blue eyes warm as she takes the seat opposite of me. “I was right then. There was something familiar about you.” She examines me and I feel like I need to step back. “So you’re the girl that stood up to Adrian the other day, huh?”

My mouth is dry as I look at her. “Yes,” I say slowly, drawing it out as a question.

A grin breaks her face. “You’re probably the most interesting girl I’ve met around here.” She shrugs. “I’m just glad there’s someone out there who doesn’t walk the same ground as Adrian and kiss the path he’d walked on.”

I squint at her. I can’t figure out if she’s mocking me or something. She looks like a human Barbie doll with her straw blond hair and flawless skin.
Must be part of his social circle.
“Are you Huntington’s present girlfriend or something?”

She laughs and shakes her head. “No, I’ve known him since we were in diapers. He’s like my pseudo brother.” When I don’t respond, she sighs and extends her hand to me. I stare at it as if it were some alien form of life. “I’m Valerie Penning.”

I hesitantly shake her hand. “Um, cool.
Avena
.
Avena
Rivers.”

She languidly leans forward to as if engage in some girl talk.
“So…is there something going on between you two?”

I cringe.
“Ugh, no!
No, no. There is
nothing
between us.”

“So what
is
your relationship with him?” Valerie says after a pause, looking genuinely curious.

I sniff. “Let’s just say that for Adrian, there’s the population who totally loves him. On the other hand, there’s that small percentage of people who want to rip out his intestines and feed them to the dogs.”

She seems amused. “And you? Which category will you be in?”

“I’ve always hated him and will forever kick his ass,” I say.

“So I take it that you’re not dating him.” Valerie arches a brow.

I shake my head.

She looks thoughtful. “You’re right. Adrian doesn’t
date
girls.”

“He uses them and throws them out like last week’s trash?” I suggest imploringly.

Valerie smiles a little. “Well, he wasn’t always like that.”

I wait for her to go on, skeptical. “I have to admit that he is an asshole at times,” she continues. “But under that exterior, he protects the people he cares about. He just has some problems to deal with.”

Not saying anymore, she quirks an eyebrow and gets up, pushing the chair into the table. “But if he’s giving you more trouble, you know where to find me.”

The bell rings and she gives me a smile before moving off. I gather up my books and head out of the school library.
So much for my study period.
I walk down the stairs to my next class, pushing her words aside, trying to clear my head.

It’s in calculus class when my name is being called on the announcement system. I’m in middle of doing a worksheet when I hear it. “May Miss. Rivers please head down to the main
office.
Miss. Rivers.”
The class snickers and eyes me as I get out of my seat awkwardly, murmurs of apprehension rising. Mr. Leone nods for me to go and I grab the hall pass on my way to the door.
Unbelievable.
It’s not even the second week of school yet and already I’m getting in trouble. I march down the hall to the office, cursing under my breath. I pull open the
heavy wooden doors and find myself bumping into Adrian, our heads bonking together. I rub my forehead, glaring up at him.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Watch it, monkey,” He drawls, flicking his eyes over me. It’s hard to think of him caring towards others as Valerie had said when he’s like this.

“Next time, put your stupid huge head elsewhere,” I retort.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Sit down, both of you.” Mrs. Sharman’s serious voice drifts to us and we turn to face her simultaneously. I take the cushion chair in front of her chestnut desk farthest from Adrian’s just so I don’t have to look at his dumbass face anymore. “I think we need to address this issue that you two seem to have. Several students today had reported that you, Mr. Huntington had thrown a heavy pot down the second floor of the western wing and it had almost caused a huge debacle with the students below.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Adrian gives her a wide look; one that I know all too well. “I had nothing to do with it. I was just there when it happened but I’m not sure who would’ve done such a thing. Why would I want to harm this charming lady right here?” He flashes me a dopey smile and I grit my teeth.