Lunchtime

Lunchtime. Watson walks through the piercing Arizona sunshine, a few beads of sweat run down his face. He feels he was made for the sun, and the suns rays for him. Oh, Ms. Carlyle, what brings you here? Bonnie sits alone at a picnic table drinking a soda-water, watermelon.

"Mind if I sit?" He asks the back of her head. She turns to him, her face is glowing for him, but only for a second. The next second the glow fades to grey, and her mask is on. A mask of poise, confidence, status and potency. A mask made of withering petals and spit.

"Okay." Despite her, the sun shines down upon her skin. Beads of sweat ran down her neck and into her tank-top covered chest. Light pink.

Watson sits and opens his lunch. "Alone today?" He asks.

"Oh, have you come just to insult me?" She snapped.

"Woah woah, I've just sat down." He says this in such a tone, a tone so calming and reassuring, that Bonnie's shoulders seem to relax.

She sighs, the tension gone, "Sorry..."

"But you are sitting alone?"

"Sometimes I do. Girls fight sometimes. We piss each other off and eventually come back. But right now, I'm sulking." There is real hurt in Bonnie's words. The mask is slipping.

"Something you've done? Or something done to you?"

"Hm. I don't think done to anyone. Feelings get hurt. It's nobody's fault really." Her petite fuzzy blonde arms cross over her slim stomach. "Why are you here? To torment me?"

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm sorry you're lonely and sad. That sucks. Fighting sucks."

"Thanks..."

"I'm here cause we got off on the wrong foot--of sorts. I don't mean to get between friends. I genuinely just need math tutoring, and Joan's really good at math. Was there some flirting in there sure sure, I’m but a man, but what's harm? I'm surprised she flirted back to be honest."

Bonnie smirks. She liked that he addressed the space between them without making her have to. She feels quite safe. "Yeah... It doesn't make sense sometimes why girls get upset. I don't think we even know why. All we know is that heads gotta ROLL." She joked with a smile.

The first smile from Ms. Carlyle. What a dream. He laughs back; a bond forever furnished. "So, we’re, okay?"

"Yeah... Watson, we're okay." She reached out and touched his shoulder gently.

"Bonnie... What's the Palace?" Her arm rests back at her side.

"Watson... you really shouldn't ask me these things. Not here."

"I don't know what's so spooky about it. You'll forgive me if I'm a little intrigued by the secrecy."

"I know... I suppose if I just told you, it wouldn't be so interesting. It's not--Okay how about this, are you going on the trip this weekend?"

"The camp? Yeah."

"Yeah--okay, come and find me sometime over the weekend and I'll tell you. There's just... Too many people listening here..."

"Bonnie what the fuck are you an intelligence asset?"

.... she sat silently.

"Oh, come the fuck on."

"Watson... My dad gives a lot of money to this school."

"And so?"

"And... so much of my life revolves around the theater department here. The program at AU for theater kinda depends on performances here. Bridget, Joan, Mary, they all have other plans..."

"Bonnie, you're not making any sense."

"I know...Mrs. Keller--she... her and I..."

"Bonnie, it's okay. I don't need to know. I just heard a rumor and was curious."

"How did you hear?"

"To be honest I heard you in the hallway."

"Well fuck me then."

"I mean if you're offering." Bonnie blushes, she looks absolutely adorable.

"Hehe, but no, it seems like a lot of high school girl nonsense. But the way you're being so cagey makes me think it's more. Especially with Ms. Ryan being involved? I mean it's weird."

"Yeah... A lot of things are weird."

"Dude see like that's weird, who would respond like that just now."

"Don't call me dude... I don't like it... I'm not a dude." She seems genuinely offended, but not hurt, just desired to be perceived differently. Perceived by him differently.

"Sorry... habit." Why does he care if he hurts her feelings? Oh no... is he catching something for this creature.

"It's okay...I'll tell you this weekend, promise."

"You don't have to; I shouldn't have pushed."

They sat for a moment. Silent, waiting, the blistering Arizona sun opening their pores.

"Watson, thanks for talking to me normal. I feel like this doesn't happen often to me these days. I can see why Joan likes you."

"She what?" Ah, the truth revealed.

"Just don't tell her I said anything okay. Be gentle with her, like you've been with me. She's hard on the outside, but inside..."

"A big softie?"

"Yeah...like me I guess."

"I was about to say--"

"Alright quiet now." They both smiled and laughed. “So, you and Joan have a date planned then?”

“Wellll, I don’t know so much a date— more of an interview.”

“Interview?”

“I’m going over there Friday so I can interview her to see if she’s good enough to tutor me…”

“Wow. That’s brilliant. Appealing to her intelligence while also making her work for it. Quite conniving.”

“You think?”

“Oh yeah. Seems like you’ve got her right where you want her...”

“Do I detect some jealousy in your tone Ms. Carlyle?” He inches his body closer to hers on the bench.

“I suppose it depends on where you want me, Watson.” She inches forward. Their faces closer now, their chests bouncing heart beats back and forth between.

Watson gently puts his hand on her knee.

Bonnie flinches immediately. She seems to engage in fight or flight response, and picks flight. “No—no, please keep it nice. It’s so nice, keep it right here keep it nice oh please Watson.” Her eyes flash close and her hands cover her face.

“Bonnie woah I’m sorry I didn’t mean anything—”

“AH I have to go—”

She gets up from the table and rushes off somewhere. Watson is left sitting, stunned.