For up to a year, even teachers had been scared after hearing of the ghost in the old science lab.
Even If we were forced to have to use it, no student would. They would often imagine the worst. 'What if the ghost tears us apart?'
'What if the classroom disappears and we do the same?'
'The ghost will put us in a time relapse and then...'
There was nothing that could go wrong with the plan.
Until I found out that the paint actually fell on Katelyn. I was dead if she knew. Fried. Cooked. Grilled. Boiled.
"Who on earth.." she even cussed.
The teachers went to her as she started screaming, pink paint dripping.
And to be honest, it was funny, seeing her looking stupid, as if she looked not stupid for once.
I wanted to laugh, I couldn't help it so I smiled.
I rushed over to her.
"You okay?"
She pushes me away.
"Like you care"
Yeah right, like I care.
She walks away looking like the low budget remake of barbie, it was ridiculous to see some other students trying to hold in their laughs.
"I won't lie, that was..." Carter pops up
"Can you like stop giving me scare jumps".
"Tell me, would that have been me?"
I burp, "ummm, I don't know... don't ask me".
"Just joking, she kinda deserved it for being mean".
"Pot calling kettle black".I roll my eyes.
"What was that for?"
"You think I don't know, you were that brat who splashed dirty water on me, and told me to get another one, you think everyone's rich like you?".
"First, it was my butler, Chris. And second, should it have been clean water instead, third, I said, wash it with fish poop."
He was beginning to annoy me.
"What's the difference, you're so low on IQ".
He smiles sarcastically.
"Pot calling kettle black".
"That is my quote". I pull his ear.
A teacher comes over to separate me from him.
His stupid ears better have been pulled off and they had better not grown back.
Katelyn had to go home, she was going on and on about how the paint made her stink and she would behead the culprit.
For a week, the school was at peace since we didn't have to put up with crazy Katelyn.
But I had to put up with Carter.
He was the worst.
"Did you know that jammy dodgers had jam?"
"I don't eat jammy dodgers".
"When last did you wear black clothes?".
"You got a death wish or something?".
I had to put up with him for a class project.
"He's so dreamy, isn't he?"
"Umm, Ally?". Alice was almost drooling staring at Carter while he was talking. He wasn't even that handsome.
"His eyes are everything, does he have a brother, or cousin?" She squeaks
"Seriously, you both are meant for each other, perfect match." I whisper.
Over the days, I get busy with the parent teacher's meeting even though I don't want to. Even if I had been a bit selfish by deleting the school mails, I just didn't want anyone there.
On the day, I tied an apron round my waist ready to serve snacks and tea round for everyone. It was not my first time but I felt oddly nervous.
I had served snacks millions of times to the people in the playground. Maybe I was too used to them.
The meeting was in a hall, different from others. I was surprised to see Katelyn there but all she did was glue her eyes to her phone. 'So Pretensious'.
I picked up a tray and carefully arranged the croissants on paper plates to the tray. I went out to hand them out. For some reason, I couldn't help feeling like a maid which I giggled at, till Katelyn said.
"Only maids wear aprons and serve guests".
I didn't care if she was talking to me or not. I replied. "And only jobless brats glue their eyes to their phone". I walked away, tripping a bit. I still didn't look back.
I went back to help with the serving of tea and as I went out from the kitchen, walking towards the hall, my life flashed before my face when I saw my mom, it was her, putting on the rainbow gown I told her, truthfully, looked horrible on her. With red fluffy heels.
My grandad followed behind as my legs wobbled and I saw several cups of tea, flying in the air, while I tumbled below. A loud bang!.
I felt everyone staring at me but the last thing I would do is get up, the ground had to swallow me whole.
A tear had slid down my face beneath when suddenly, I felt a jacket cover my face and took me up before we ran away.
We went into the store room and I wanted to give back the jacket and thank them. It was... Carter!
"S'it bad luck or what".
"Ugh, don't I need a thank you". Carter shrugs.
"Yeah, yeah".
"Look, I know we haven't been cool ever since the splash incident but I'm sorry, really".
I was surprised he was apologizing but I still felt angry for no reason.
"Here, your jacket. And thanks, but I still didn't forgive you".
"Tell me, how'd you fall there?" He grins.
"Not funny."
"Everyone was staring at you, you know."
I was embarrassed about that, but I gave a one second smile.
"Talk about a ruined meeting. Why do these exist anyway?". I frown.
"I thought you were okay with it." He asks.
"Not until my mom showed up in a skimpy rainbow gown and granddad, in a Juckrus catsuit."
He started laughing and I didn't realize when tears streamed down my face and he stopped.
I look down.
"My whole family's messed up."
Carter sighs.
"You're lucky, you know."
I look at him.
"How?"
"I never see my parents, I lost my mum when I was 3, dad remarried and the lady's a total witch. I don't even know when I last saw him but I left their house for them".
"Oh, I'm so sorry".
Somehow, I felt like he was just being pretensious but a part of me felt like he's going through a lot. I'm here trying to avoid my family. While someone's out there who doesn't even remember when last he saw them.
I wiped my tears with my jacket when the door creaked open, I looked behind when suddenly, a hand grabbed my waist and pulled me behind a cupboard. I wanted to scream when my mouth got covered.
"Shhh"
I felt Carter's breath on me, we were inches away and I might have blushed.
"Is anyone in there, anyone?" A voice calls.
Another one totally different says "it's probably just a rat or something, let's leave."
My heart beats faster, Carter checks if they're still there, then pulls me out.
"Watch it."
"You'd stammer to death if they caught you". He says.
"Bye." I turn away.
"Wait, truce?". He smiles
I turn and hand over his jacket.
"I saw you using it, no thanks".
I walk away this time and couldn't help but shout to him "Truce!"
I walk towards the hall thinking about how embarrassed what I did was. Miss Francais, a substitute teacher taps me. She was with my family.
"Amara's been super helpful and kind, I must say, I never saw a kid like her."
She looks at my mum from head to toe.
"I hope I didn't create trouble from the fall?" I ask.
"What do you mean? Anyways."
She looks at my mum.
"Nice outfit, I suppose, if her dad could make it here, he'd put on a blackpink's printed hoodie eh." She asks sarcastically
That was the last straw. She was a plain old witch whose every act was hypocrite. No one liked her. She'd keep calling people sweet cringy names. She never revealed her age, saying she was young and all but a year eight literally asked what year she was born and she stupidly answered 'in the 1970's. I hope wrinkles continue eating her face.
Well, truth be told, I wouldn't mind a dad who likes blackpink, I do too.
And that Carter, he lied to me about everyone seeing me when they didn't. I reply to Miss Francais. "At least, he's young in acts."
Mum interferes "Oh, umm, Mi amor, why don't you go play and we'll call you when we're ready to leave" Grandad smiles. I also swear I saw grandma smile but she just knits away time.
I go back to the school building when I saw Katelyn flirting with Carter, an atom of, I promise it was anything but jealousy swiped past me. He lied to me either ways.
"You know I'm the most popular girl in school and boys fall at my feet but your the first I fell for." Katelyn reads.
Wow, what a line to read to your stupid crush. I go out of the classroom when someone tells me to tell Carter that he's needed at the library.
I go into the class quick to tell Carter, Katelyn looks at me like she's about to eat me but I just fold my hands. He'll walk with me this time.
"I get a feeling of deja vu and I hope a bucket of fish isn't waiting for me this time."
For some reason, I feel like his eyes are on me. "Just don't say something stupid".
"It's not!" he squeaks
I smile at his cuteness.
"You smiled!, how about I become stupid everyday?" He grins
"Oh my gosh, Carter."
"It's Kevin, actually."
I get home and mum tells me about how she got the job. We celebrate before I realize I lost my chain.
"Check the bin, you must have taken it from the table along with the food wrappers, if you don't find it, it's fine, we'll get you a new one."
I could not get a new one, it was special to me, I go the bin, put on gloves, then I start rummaging through the waste.
Carefully separating the properly searched wastes. I see a newspaper. It didn't look that dirty and we hardly had newspapers except one or two time grandad came over and he said it was inauspicious to throw away what you just got information from, you'd lose it.
I looked at the headline, the name was familiar and if it was truly, the headlines took me off.