i'm a flower, you're my bee
October, 1996
“Carol! Carol!” Carol jerks out of her daydream upon hearing her name. She glances around a bit before finding the source of the whispers. Maria is turned in her seat towards Carol, her eyes wide and questioning.
“What’s up?” Carol says, oblivious to her classmates pairing up around them.
“Girl, do you ever pay attention in class? We’re getting in partners to analyze Chapter 5, or at least that’s what Mrs. Kazinsky said to do. Where’s your head at?” Carol loves the near-Southern drawl of Maria’s voice, and the question barely registers in her saturated brain.
“In the clouds.” She replies after a moment. Maria snorts, “Per usual.” The brunette opens her copy of The Scarlet Letter, and Carol supposes she should do the same.
“So what, um, what kind of symbol has Hester become in Chapter 5?” Maria asks, reading off of the study guide.
Carol blows out a breath, cheeks puffing. She actually does read the chapters, much to everyone’s surprise, and she likes The Scarlet Letter. What can Carol say, she’s a sucker for a good feminist novel.
“Hester has become a symbol of… she’s become a symbol of a woman’s weakness, and her sinful passion. She represents resilience and strength, while being able to own her identity at the same time.” Carol finishes her explanation, and grins when she sees Maria looking at her with wide eyes.
“Yeah, um, I basically thought the same thing, and she also represents, um, the ability to overcome what everyone believes about her?” Maria cringes at what she wrote, but Carol nods animatedly.
“Yeah, like individuality? Definitely a symbol of individuality.” Maria’s face lights up in a proud grin, and the sun is coming in through the blinds, illuminating the dust in the air, and it’s almost unreal how ethereal she looks, Carol thinks.
She clears her throat and looks back down at her study guide, a crease appearing between her eyebrows.
“So, your turn. How do the people in town treat Hester? The women, the children, and the clergy?” Carol asks.
“Ugh, they treat her awfully. Like, okay, they can wear the dresses she makes, but then they can’t even speak to her! They hate her until they can benefit from her, and then when they get what they want, they hate her again! I mean, how could anybody be so cruel?” Maria brings her hand down on her denim-clad thigh, and Carol marvels at her passion on the subject.
They go over a few more questions, and ask Mrs. Kavinsky a couple questions, and Carol doesn’t think she’s ever been this productive in class. They’re too busy discussing Chapter 6, because of course they both read ahead, when the bell rings. Carol starts to load her books into her bag when Maria puts a hand on her arm.
“Hey, do you- would you want to come over to my house this Friday? It’s just, my parents are bugging me about meeting my friends, and-” Carol puts her hand over Maria’s.
“Dude, chill. I’d like that, just let me ask my dad, and I’ll call you tonight, okay?” Carol smiles at Maria, patting her hand. She lifts her backpack strap over her shoulder, and motions to Maria, who’s frozen in place.
“You gonna walk me to Physics, or make me go alone?” Carol teases.
“Sorry, sorry.” Maria shakes her head, shoving her pencils in her bag hastily.
“A little hustle, Rambeau!”
“I’m coming, gosh, gimme a sec!” Maria slings her bag on her back, and knocks shoulders with Carol.
“Let’s rock and roll.”