Billionaires Don’t Fall For Awkward Girls by Emma Dalton

Chapter Eighteen

Chemistry, not my favorite subject but it’s bearable. Unlike psychology that’s still kicking my butt.

Mr. Okoro drones on and on and most kids’ heads are drooping. I’m so tired from dance practice and work that all I want to do is lower my head on the table and snooze the day away.

The teacher calls on random kids to answer his questions, maybe to keep them awake. He points at me and I’m one of the only students to answer correctly, which seems to make his day.

As he asks me the next question, a bell rings. All heads snap up. That wasn’t the bell signaling the end of class.

“Fire drill. Come on, guys.” Mr. Okoro says as he motions for the kids to get up and leave the room. Most kids reluctantly pull themselves up and drag themselves over to the door.

The hallway is packed with students and teachers pushing their way out of the building, most muttering how annoying this is. Some are glad to get out of class.

“It’s not a drill!” a guy a few feet away yells, “It’s a real fire!”

There’s complete chaos as everyone screams and tries to shove themselves out of the building. I’m swept away with everyone, my heart hammering in my chest. A real fire?! Here?

I glance around frantically for my friends, but can’t find them in the throngs of people. I hope they make it out okay.

It feels like forever until I’m finally out of the building and take in a huge gulp of air. I hadn’t realized I was holding in my breath.

Many kids are huddled in different groups, hugging their friends, or trying to figure out what’s going on. I spot Easton standing off to the side, hands in his pockets as he watches the kids dashing out of the building.

VP Nakamura raises her hands, trying to calm everyone down, but no one is listening to her.

“Dani!” a voice calls in the distance. Turning around, I catch Kara, Charlie, and Ally standing there, looking worried.

I rush over to them. “Does anyone know what’s going on? I heard it’s a real fire.”

Kara frowns. “I heard some kids were messing around with the electricity and started a fire or something.”

Charlie shakes her head. “I heard it’s a rumor and there’s no real fire.”

I scan around, my eyes widening. “Guys, where’s my mom?”

They look around as well, giving me helpless looks when they can’t find her. A part of me reassures myself that she must have gotten out of the building with the rest of the kitchen staff. But why isn’t she outside with everyone else?

“It started in the kitchen!” someone shouts. “Heard it was a massive fire and some people got hurt!”

My heart leaps out of my throat. “The kitchen? My mom!”

I run to a group of faculty members. “Where’s the kitchen staff? Are they still in there?”

They give me apologetic looks. “Sorry, we don’t know.”

I ask as many people as I can, including the vice principal, but no one seems to know where they are. Tears prick my eyes. I wish I had my phone to contact Mom, but I stuffed it in my locker before class.

All three of my friends wrap their arms around me.

“Guys, if something happens to her…” I start, then swallow the rest of my sentence.

Kara squeezes me. “Don’t go there. Think happy, positive thoughts.”

I try, but when I hear sirens in the distance, I completely lose it and the tears splash down my cheeks. She still hasn’t made it out. What if she’s hurt…or…

My body shakes so hard I’m not sure my legs can support me. My friends hold me close as the firefighters rush inside.

It doesn’t seem like the fire spread through the whole school, but that doesn’t mean my mom wasn’t caught in it. Oh, gosh. What would I do if she…if I lost her?

Ally rubs my back, Kara utters soothing words, and Charlie keeps updating us on whatever she sees or hears. No news about Mom.

“Dani?” a voice shouts in the distance.

I lift my head from Ally’s shoulder and spot my mom running toward me, her eyes frantic with worry.

“Mom? Mom!”

Like the speed of light, I launch myself into her arms, squeezing her tight. Her arms come around me, squeezing me just as tightly. “I thought something might have happened to you,” I say, drawing back to look into her eyes with relieved tears raining down my cheeks. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She strokes my hair. “You?”

I bury my face in her shoulder. “Yeah, now that you’re here.” I don’t let go of her once.

My friends tell her how happy they are that she’s okay, and she smiles appreciatively at them.

Murmurs, whispers, and laughter sound all around us. Mom loosens her arms from me and scans the area. I follow her gaze and catch each and every student gawking at us.

Why are they….? Then it hits me. They just discovered the lunch lady is my mother.

Mom looks from them to me, seeming unsure of what to do or say. I pull her close again, holding her tight and not caring that they know.

Mom’s a little stiff in my arms, but her body slowly relaxes as we continue hugging each other.

“Vivian, I’m so glad you’re okay,” a deep voice says. Mom and I turn around to find Easton standing there, a relieved smile on his face.

Mom grins back. “Thank you, Easton.”

His eyes move from Mom to me. He nods and walks away.

I turn to Mom. “Was there a real fire?”

“Several fryers caught fire and the kitchen got a little burned, but no one was hurt. And we managed to put out the fire.”

The firefighters leave the building and confirm that it was indeed a small fire and that classes should resume as usual. A few kids grumble as they slowly make their way back inside. VP Nakamura tries to make order.

“Mom, my heart is still pounding. I was so scared something happened to you.”

Mom tucks some hair behind my ear. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetie.”

I hug her. “I’ll see you later.”

“Good luck on your math test.”

My friends wait as I hug Mom a few more times, and then we all enter the building together, then separate to our classes. The next period has already started and I rush to math so I’ll have enough time for the test.

As I sit in the classroom, I take in my fellow students. Other than a few of them giving me curious looks, no one is making a big deal about my mom being the lunch lady. I knew Mom was freaking out over nothing. Most kids couldn’t care less.

I smile as I start the test, feeling adrenaline pumping through me. All is right in the world. Mom is okay, the students know the secret and aren’t giving me or Mom crap, I qualified for the dance finals. Yep. Things are looking bright.