Central High School - Cog N Pen Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

Page 17 text:

Finally the bus did come! Mollie looked at her watch. Only five minutes had elapsed! It seemed to her like five hours. She searched her bag for a token, and unconsciously she tried to stick a nickel into the slot machine. Waitsa matter, kid, in love? was the gruff question of the conductor as he winked al the people who were waiting to pay their fare. Mollie woke up from her day-dream, deposited a token, and with burning cheeks slipped into the bus. Jealousy was burning within her! Why hadn't George taken her to school? Each time she tried to make herself believe she would never have been fool enough to go anyway; deep down in her heart, how- ever, she knew she would have gone joyously. Finally the bus drew up to school. With stagger- ing steps she walked into the lockers. She was already late, and this morning she didn't care what her punish- ment would be, either. Mollie didn't give herself that last little finishing touch that morning! She didn't smile at herself in the mirror as she did every morning when she was happy—she always tried to look pretty for everybody—especially for one person. She dreaded to go into her homeroom class. George and Sally both were in it, and worse than that, she sat near them. Besides, her teacher would be more than likely to be sarcastic about her coming in late, and he would cause the class to laugh at his remarks. Worse than that? He might hint that George was the cause of her tardiness, as he sometimes did! Almost everyone knew, that, well — George and Mollie were real good friends— more than real good friends, too! Of course, she always laughed at her teacher's joke most heartily; but this morning it was different! She didn't want her teacher or anybody to say anything concerning George and herself. She just couldn't stand it today! She could just see Sally's spiteful eyes when the class would laugh! She knew she would have to go to her homeroom I wich you'd С. S. (irritated and dancing): get off my feet. S. S. (likewise) : like canal boats. G. S.: Well, must you walk the decks? I can't help it. Your feet are There was to be a long assembly that morning of all morn- class, however; there was no way out of it! ings, and the first period would not begin for a lime yet! With uncertain steps she walked to her class-room, and without looking either right or left, forced herself into it. As she entered, she caught the remark of a class- mate, George's got a new girl friend, and a lump throat. She realized her homeroom teacher was absent. That was even worse, because came to her now she might be questioned by her pals, and above everything, she did not wish to be asked anything. Hello, Mollie, came from all sides. Mollie was loved by all her friends, and this morning they realized immediately that something was very wrong. George pretended not even to see her! Mollie walked to her seat, and without looking at anyone, slumped down in it. She opened one of her books and pretended to read it. Suddenly she heard George and Sally humming “Keep Y our Sunny- side Up. She bit her lips till they were white to keep from crying. She kept up like a soldier, how- ever, till Sally's sweet rippling voice sounded, “Honey, you've got your book upside down; you know you can't very well read that way. Come on, be a good girl and let little Sally tum the book around. This was too much for Mollie! She sprang up from her seat, and with quivering lips ran into the hall! She wondered what George had done! Had she seen how George had risen and had attempted to follow her, but for Sally, she would have felt, oh, — whoops—better! But no, he didn't carc! He was like all the rest! That whole day was spent in misery! Just that morning all her teachers had decided to be more stern than usual, and, oh, well—it was just a cruel world for poor little Mollie! What did you buy? Nothing. I was looking at some dresses. . S.: You don't need any dresses. L. C.: No, of course not, but a lot of girls are wearing them. 13