Thursday, 08:13am, Evans High.
"Now that we're done with everything concerning finite and non finite verbs, let's proceed to the next topic 'Phrases and Clauses' " Mr Wilson says with a hand in his pant pocket and the other holding a textbook. He's the English language teacher for the senior grade.
"Good morning, Mr Wilson" The admin walks in, interrupting the class of majorly uninterested students.
MR WILSON: Good morning, sir.
"This is a general class, right?"
MR WILSON: Yeah, English Language.
"Good, that means everyone's present in class"
ADRIAN: Uhm, not everyone sir.
"Tell me, class rep, who's not here?"
ADRIAN: Two girls. Matilda and Prudencia.
"I'm not surprised. Are they in school?"
ADRIAN: Yes sir.
"So why aren't they here?"
ADRIAN: I dunno. They probably stayed back in their homeroom or they're slacking out somewhere.
"Can you go fetch them for me? They're the reason why I'm here"
Shortly...
MATILDA: Heard you're looking for me. (Walking into the English class with Prudencia and Adrian)
"First, I'd like to know why you two absented yourselves from class"
MATILDA: Err... it's not like we actually...
"Save it. There's no point asking when you're just gonna lie. The principal would like to have a chitchat with you two"
MATILDA: Us?
"To his office, shall we?" He points to the door, signaling them to move.
PRUDENCIA: S-sir... any problem? (Her lips quiver and she's drowned in fear due to guilty conscience)
Matilda glances at Bella, giving her this 'So you finally did your worst' kind of look. She then glances at Anderson before leaving.
Escorted by the admin, the two girls walk into the principal's office and Matilda stops for a moment, somewhat surprised.
MATILDA: What's he doing here? (She whispers to Prudencia, seeing Bob in the office)
PRINCIPAL GAISFORD: A horrible report came to my table yesterday concerning you two, especially you. (Glancing at Matilda) This young lad seated right here claims that you both have been using him to do terrible things... what's funny? (Noticing Matilda's silent laughter)
MATILDA: It's amusing how someone could have the principal fooled so easily.
PRINCIPAL GAISFORD: What are you talking about?
BOB: Don't listen to her, sir. She's only trying to drag me into the mess she created...
PRINCIPAL GAISFORD: Aren't you in this mess already?
BOB: Yeah. But I've told you the truth. She helped me in the past and for that, she said that I owe her. So she threatened to make my life in school miserable if I didn't do whatever she asked. She's popular and rich, I feared that she wasn't making empty threats. That's how I got involved in all these. Believe me.
PRINCIPAL GAISFORD: I'm not really convinced but...
PRUDENCIA: He's lying!
PRINCIPAL GAISFORD: Hold it right there, miss. Whether I believe him or not, there are strong evidences which confirm that the report is true. So you two actually made this innocent lad break into my office, huh? Just to achieve what? Allowing a freshman go on suspension... what's his name again?
"Tyler Holmes"
MATILDA: You're a traitor, Bob. You're a goddamned traitor. I'll make you pay. (She gives a sinister smile)
BOB: You can see she's threatening me.
PRINCIPAL GAISFORD: Not a word from you again. You both are suspended for the rest of the session. Leave my office...
MATILDA: You can't do that.
PRINCIPAL GAISFORD: ...and leave my school premises.
PRUDENCIA: Please, sir. Give us a chance...
PRINCIPAL GAISFORD: NOW!!! (He slams his desk with his fist, cutting off Prudencia who's trying to plead. Matilda walks out, cursing and threatening)
Recess.
Matilda marches to the courtyard, raging and yelling Bill's name. He comes out to meet her. In seconds, there's a crowd of students gathered around to see what's going on.
MATILDA: You've got a whole lot to explain to me. You told me that you snatched the incriminating pictures from Adrian and burnt them, so how the fuck did principal Gaisford find out? Tell me! (Fuming, dragging him by his jacket collar)
BILL: I... Err... I gotta confess, I lied. I was about getting the pictures from him when Anderson and his friend showed up and attacked me. I had to flee, else, they'd have beaten the shit out of me. (choking)
MATILDA: I don't fucking care if you were beaten up, you had one job! (Her body vibrates, still squeezing his collar tightly, creating a scene and attracting more crowd)
BILL: You know what? I just realized the kinda person you are.
MATILDA: You don't say? Okay. So what kinda person am I?
BILL: You don't give a fuck about any damn person, you only care about your fucking stupid self. I'm glad you got kicked outta school because I'm done fucking with you! (Forcefully freeing himself from her grip)
MATILDA: I wasn't kicked out, you fucktard! It's just a long term suspension.
BILL: Yeah. Suspension for a whole fucking session, heard about it.
MATILDA: Wow, I see people are already gossiping.
BILL: Who gets a long term suspension in 12th grade? That's basically repeating senior year. I hope you add this to your yearbook.
MATILDA: Fuck you! (She yells, hurt by his words, slapping him hard)
BILL: Fuck you too! (He yells back at her, leaving the scene and wiping blood off his cheek resulting from the scratch of her fingernails)
At a comer of the courtyard.
DYLAN: Whoa, too many F words. This is surely gonna go viral. I'm uploading it ASAP.
Dylan, as well as many others have been watching the scene throughout. He slides his phone into his back pocket after recording.
At another corner of the courtyard.
BOB: Jeez! She's so enraged. Sooner or later she'd come for me because I betrayed her. I'd better hide myself till after school hours. If she finds me, I'm dead. (He soliloquizes after watching the scene from a distance).