A familliar noise around the room hushing outside, I could see the heavy wooden door was tightly closed, I paused and hesitated, as l knew opening the door would cause a commotion.
*Knowing Mr.Jake, Im probably screwed anyway.* I thought.
I opened slowly the door. And everyone turned their heads. The whole class fell silent and glance over my position —I felt like a criminal that escaped in prison.
Mr.Jake shouted "You're late Mr.Ashe!" His arms crossed.
Mentioning my history teacher, Mr.Jake Dallstorm is a middle-aged person with silver-haired with almost bald hair, silver-tounge, thin scarecrow of a man with a poochy stomach. Everyone fear him because he like to disgrace others. Think of Abraham Lincoln with no beard and blue toupee instead of a top hat and you get the picture. He also look like he's hundred years old. At least.
Mr.Jake frowned "Have you lost some of your brain cells after suspension, or literally you're brain-dead…" Everyone laughed.
That was the other thing about Mr.Jake—he liked to ask questions that he already knew would harass me.
I replied at low tone. "At least I don't lose my hair when teaching history."
Few of the class heard the words and chuckled, the room was filled with muttering joy.
Mr.Jake's eyes narrowed "You'd better learn some poise Mr.Ashe. You'll never know what Im capable of", He paused for a moment and everyone fell silent.
*Shit. He heard me.*
I smiled, hiding a grin "My apologies sir, It won't happen again."
"This is the last time, Mr.Ashe", he stared Mark for a moment. "Go and take your seat."
"Yes sir." I replied.
History, my first class of the day, as I walked into my seat, I noticed my friend Claire Howland staring at me. I ignored her gaze and sat down.
Claire Howland is a top notcher in my class and one of the prettiest girl at campus. Heck, she's one of the prettiest girl in any high school in anywhere in the world.
She has a face that could be on a cover of beauty magazine, long, light black hair and big brown eyes like the color of maple syrup. Since I'm being complete honest here, I'll admit that I had crush on her from the second I first saw her two years ago. So did everyone else.
Claire always teases me. At first I hoped she was cheeky because she liked me, but really she's just one of those people who is nice to everyone. Nice or not, it didn't matter. She was way out of my league. Like a thousand miles out of my league. Besides Claire is my only friend, confessing halfwit would be a huge stalemate to social interaction I only have.
Claire leaned over my direction "You never changed do you? Are you planning on visiting Mr.Julius again right after suspension?"
I just ignored him, she stared and planned to changed the topic. Im a bit surprise that she really knew how to deal the coversation with me.
"You overslept again?" she said. "Im sure you've thinking something dirty about me last night."
I was dumbstruck "Wh-wh-what?! Are you…talking about?!", I sighed "If someone heard you, they might lead it to something."
She smirked "So, did you…?"
I replied hysterically "of course not! What I mean is…" I was blushing and looked sideways to avoid eye contact.
Claire covered his mouth and giggled. "Haha! You're face is all red."
I crossed my arms. "If you think all men are obsessive skirt chasers. Then you're hugely mistaken, Claire Howland…" I said.
"Then why you're such in a foul mood today?" she asked.
I sighed "Im just way off today," I suddenly lean forward, putting my arms and chin on the table. "I met those punks earlier...guess I should hide after school to avoid fray."
"Do you want to walk home together? She asked eagerly "If im around, they must let us be."
I grinned "I highly doubt that, besides don't you have stuffs to do or something?"
It was rare for Claire herself to ask to go home together. She was always busy with piano lessons or either she was escorted by her parents in their fancy limo car.
"Only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And Fridays if there's to perform. I thought you know that?" She pouted.
"I do?" I stroked my chin "But I don't remember. I thought it was held everyday."
"Geez, you can be really an airhead sometimes."
"Your parents won't come and get you?"
"Dad, said He'll be busy these week."
"Man, it must be nice being part of a middle-class family, having so much money is everyone's dream."
Claire stared at me for a moment, she glanced over me then asked.
"Then what would you dream, if your rich like my dad?"
"Hmm…I won't go to school, eat all the stuffs I want, and buy tons of games and gadgets. I would live my whole life in bliss"
"So your dream is to become a NEET."
"It's better than not having any dream at all. You just won't get us low-class people."
"You'll die early if your always holed up in your room," She smiled. "You'd better lift sometimes. We girls love healthy looking guys, you know."
"Look who's talking. I bet you're also a wimp for a being pianist.
"Im taking my dog for a walk every morning, so that counted as an exercise."
We are not done talking until Mr.Jake began walking up and down the row of desk, handling out our test.
*This is great… I didn't even bother to hit the books.* I thought.
"Class, today's test compromise twenty-precent of your final grade, so you don't want to rush it. I want complete silence. N'er a word. You all know the penalty for cheating, so I won't elaborate, exept to remind you that it's an automatic F and unpleasant visit to Mr.Julius office." Mr.Jake walked to the front of classroom. "When your done, bring them to me, then go back quietly."
I pulled out my pencil and began.
*Not my lucky day.*
1.Who was the king of Babylon from about 1792 to 1750 BCE.?
A.Shalmaneser
B.Argon
C.Hammurabi
D.Nebuchadnezzar
2.Who was the first female pharaoh?
A.Hatshepsut
B.Thutmose II
C.Ramesses the Great
D.King Tut
3.What group of people created the first alphabet?
A.Chaldeans
B.Assyrians
C.Israelites
D.Phoenicians
"Crap, this is bad." Biting the pencil as I struggle. I read a few questions and think of the best answer I could manage. But I can't even guess, it's hopeless, nothing comes to my mind...
Minutes had already passed, I was already squirming and mulling over my asnwers. I looked up at Mr.Jake, who was at his desk reading a book, then a scrambled piece of paper landed on my desk. I glance around to see who had thrown it. Claire was looking; smirking like a lunatic.
I unfolded it. A note is written on it
--You owe me a favor.
1.C
2.A
3. …
I was startled and didn't look further. I immediately close the note and glance to Claire.
*What were you thinking?!*, I wrote back.
She threw the note back. Within seconds the note was on my desk again.
*Come on, you were out for days, right?*
I sent her another note.
*I can manage. None of your concern.*
Claire wrote back. "Don't be shy, besides im doing this for a favor."
I was writing another denial when I hear Mr.Villanueva clear his throat. I looked up. He was standing at the top of my row, staring at me.
"Mr.Ashe. Those notes wouldn't have something to do with the test we're working on?"
I swallowed. "No, Sir."
"Then you picked up the wrong time to share your feelings with Miss Howland."
I blushed while everyone laughed. He walked toward me. I was trembling like crazy.
"I think I was quite explicit about the rules. Don't you think Mr.Ashe? Hand me that note."
I looked down at the paper. I couldn't give it to him. My mom will be furious if I got another detention, Luckily if I'll have one again...Truth to be told, I even thinked of eating the note for a second, but thank god my sanity was still intact, besides it won't change the situation right now.
"Wait," Claire said. "He didn't do anything. I was the one passing notes."
He looked at Claire and his expression changed from disciplinarian to gentle educator. "What did you say, Miss Howland?"
"I wrote the notes, not Mark"
Mr.Jake looked at Claire at disbelief. She was a model student, incapable of such shameful act. Then, while she was looking at her, Claire did the strangest thing. She smiled at Mr.Jake with confident smile, then cocked her head one side and narrowed her eyes which is glowing—like green lime in my vision. Suddenly Claired dropped like a doll to her desk in somewhat weird manner but what's more surprising is Mr.Villanueva, who looked confused, like a man who had just been awakened from a nap. He blinked several times, then looked at me and smirked like a lunatic.
Mr.Jake rubbed his forhead. "Everyone keep at it, you have fifty minutes left." He walked back to his desk while everyone in our class looked back and forth at each other in confusment.
Few moments Claire woke from her desk and my eyes-flash froze back at her in stare.
"We're going to talk." I mouthed.