Please make sure you stop by the attendance office to put in your ballets for winter formal queen and king. Voting ends this Friday so if you want to help your friend out, there is only two days left!
"That's all for announcements." The teach handed back homework reports in which Elowen of course got an outstanding grade despite being unable to concentrate half the time. Philip looked over to her desk and sucked his teeth before crumbling his report up in his hands.
She looked over at him and winced when he threw it at the side of Joey's head. "You haven't been here for how long and you think you can just magically get a good grade?" Joey questioned. "Get a grip."
"You said you were gonna help me, Elo. 'Cause I obviously don't know any of this shit." She smiled at him softly. "Good looks doesn't give me an A."
"Summer school will." Her snarky reply caused Joey to chuckle in is hand. Philip didn't think it was funny. "Does he know?" She whispered. He shook his head slowly. "You should tell them."
He brushed a hand at her before looking forward. "Don't tell me what to do. Just vote Joey for winter formal king. He'll like that."
Joey jumped out of his seat trying to defend himself. "No, I won't! She's a sophomore too so she can't even vote." Philip gave him the side eye. "You're going to sneak her in aren't you?" He smiled wide since Joey guessed the obvious. "You guys are jazzy," he winked.
The bell rang and Joey was the first one to take off. Elowen waited for Philip who was being lectured by the teacher. All she could hear was the words "attendance" and "failing". Once the conversation was over, Philip left the class mad as usual.
"I know I fucked up but if everyone is going to keep reminding me of it then I oughta go out and lay one on 'em!" Philip started fighting the air which made Elowen roll her eyes. "If I pass this last exam then maybe my old man won't ship me off to die. Although that's what he truly wants."
Elowen massaged one of his shoulders since her other hand had a textbook in it. "He doesn't want you to die. He wants to teach you a lesson. I see these in the movies all the time. They tell their son their going off to the military and he comes back a whole new person."
He slapped her hand off his shoulder then turned to face her. "Elowen, are you a ditz? This isn't just some training camp. This is actual war! People are actually dying!" He yelled.
Students gave them stares as they pass. Elowen seemed to be embarrassed but Philip was heated. "Yeah, you right." She started walking towards her next class without saying another word.
Philip caught up with her then pulled her to a stop by her shoulder sleeve. "Look, I'm sorry, Elo. I'm just nervous is all. I can't shoot a gun and I've never been out of the country. You have to understand why I'm nervous."
"Well, they'll teach you all that stuff." She said while looking around for anyone to ditch him for.
"But I might not catch on. What if I slip?"
Elowen frowned. "It's all about you ain't it?" His mouth dropped. "You used to ask me about my day. There were times when you knew I wasn't alright and we'd just talk about it. Now you're all about yourself and you act like I'm not worried too."
"Elowen, I still do care about you. I just have more important things on my plate. I'm going off to war and you're going to be going on your junior year. So oh wow, let's all slop around because little Elowen is growing up."
She pushed his shoulder hoping he'd back away from her but he didn't even nudge. "You're an asshole, Philip. You're an ungrateful asshole and that's why your father is sending you off. Joey is right. Get a grip."
"Don't fucking agree with Joey when you're dating me."
"When did I ever say we got back together? I said I'd be your date to formal."
He looked around before lowering himself to her height. "And you act like I didn't say how much I love you the other day. In the cold and the snow. I love you, Elowen," he whispered.
"Well, you don't show it everyday. I have to get to class. You figure out a grade on your own."
He let her go because he didn't have a choice. He had a class to get to too. Elowen wanted to turn around and apologize for being so rude, but she figured if Philip wouldn't do it for her then she shouldn't do it either.
Elowen sat next to Kellie on the waxed floor. Their uniform were red shorts and it didn't make the cold room any better.
"Why the hell do we have to wear these and the boys get to prance around in track pants? I swear the advisories just love seeing the girls dress like they don't have any morals."
Kellie went on and on while Elowen just listened. She complained about their gym uniforms everyday and it started when she got floor burn during volleyball.
"It's just one year, Kellie," she groaned to her out of breath friend. Elowen's attitude caused Kellie to close her mouth.
Kellie looked at her friend sideways then frowned. "Philip?" Elowen nodded. "What did that white piece of trash do now?"
Philip's new name made Elowen much happier to be alive. "He invited me to be his date to winter formal, but he isn't the Philip I would have wanted to invite me. He's completely different ever since he went on his homeless adventure."
"Maybe he has some internal struggles that you have to understand."
"If he can't understand my struggles as a black woman in Oklahoma then I for one can not understand his struggles as a white male. And who is to say he has any because I know he doesn't." Kellie nodded as if she was a bit undefeated. "Its just... miserable now."
"Winter formal isn't miserable. Just because you have a terrible date doesn't mean you have to make it bad." Kellie winked. "We'll go get a dress after school today. Shopping makes everyone happy. And who knows, afterward you guys will be tired and people are always honest when they're tired."
She didn't want to say that she and Philip have been arguing for the past everyday since he came home. Elowen realized the stress of her relationship had nothing to do with Kellie. She didn't want to drag her friends into everything especially since they've been hearing it for months.
"Yeah. I guess," she agreed sheepishly.
Just then, Marcus sat down right next to them although the coach told them to get in their attendance lines. "You know your friends Joey and Cindy?" Elowen nodded eagerly. "Just got caught in the boys locker room... doing it."
"You're fucking lying!" Elowen slapped his arm which made him laugh. "Marcus. Tell me you're lying."
Elowen's serious face didn't change the truth. "I'm foreal. The coach was wondering why he wouldn't leave a stall and he made up some excuse about his stomach hurt. So in front of everyone the coach gave him ten seconds or a zero. He came out with a girl and they were forced to give their names."
"How do you know it's my Cindy?"
"You showed me her once and I was in love!" He cooed while falling into Kellie's shoulder. She forced him off her then called him a pig. "Chill!"
"Attendance groups!"
"So you're just going to ignore me the whole ride?" Elowen stared out the window as she waited for the mall sign to pop up. She told Kellie that philip wanted to drop her off although it was a miserable idea to even tell him. "You're going to look cute, baby. Wearing my necklace and a nice dress. Beautiful."
Elowen reached over to turn the radio up and stare back out the window. When Philip parked in front of the mall, he locked the doors so she couldn't get out. "Come on, Philip and quit messing around!"
"Kiss me. I won't let you out of the car until you kiss me." Elowen frowned when he softly held her chin and forced her to look at him.
Elowen could be mad at him until the sun exploded but the way he looked at her would always break that barrier. She fought the smile forming on her face as he seductively licked his lips. She smiled as they leaned in to share a kiss, he pressed his credit card against her lips instead.
"This will get you something nicer."