le hand shaking my should
way Rachel's hand. "No
Pave is at
snappe
your turn
Rachel, who smiled apologetically. She gestured to the window to he
they continued to talk carelessly with each ot
walked, I drew the eyes of my fellow classmates and they h
lent. Miss Pave was probably the youngest teacher in our school, and her youth and agility was probably one of t
sually showed up late to class. Just...through the wind
oothed out her blonde hair. I just gave her a tired grin before slipping back into my sea
kids behind us started to exchange their bet
as gone. I glanced down at my own and grimaced at the puddle of drool in the corner. I wiped most of
n The Odessy?" She set the worksheets down at her desk before
ks place!" Someone called out
class giggled. "Thank you, Jay,
t. "Miss Pave? If I may, we left off with Odysseus and his men approaching Circe's island." Rachel said, sitti
aningful look back in Jay's direction and the class giggled again. She powered up th
e all stiffened. Mr. Newman filled the door frame in all his mighty p
are to show up, Miss
! Can I - How can I help you?" She casually leaned against her desk. I
s and reached back out the door out of view. "If you can't learn to arrive on time, Miss Pave, " he s
eapt to their feet. They hesitated, however, at a cutting look from Miss Pave. I seized the edges of my
hting again in th
stood, Mr. Newman." She muttered. Mr. Newman nodded gruffly before turning to leave. But Miss. Pave wasn't finished. "Mr. Newman?" She narrowed her eyes. "D
ve with a venomous glare. Without a word, he turned
rist, " Rachel breathed, clutching at her chest. I cast her a thin smile before glancing back at Noah. He slowly peeled himself from the
bably was on all of our hit lists - had just surprised all of us by throwing a student into a desk. He yeeted Noah, I couldn't hel
brandishing a piece of paper through the air. "Sign u
ve was still focused on Noah. She spoke to him gently, her brow furrowed in concern. He brushed her off with a shake of his head. "I'm fi
iss Pave urged. "Get an ice
ping to the door, he slipped from the
esk. Crawling back to my seat, I clambered up and smoothed out my hair.
she whirled to face the class and beamed. "Alright!" She chirp
shrugged and hugged my binder closer against me. We weaved our way thr
air back over her shoulder. "I mean, he n
nts that had taken place the class period before, and his audience listened with gaping mouths.
er, maybe?
y shoulder. "Be
t Noah took crap from no one. The only teacher he seemed to listen
s her?" I shrugged. "I mean,
as Calvin Baker wormed his way between us,
er, " I scowl
tered to his lips. "You girls this Friday, if y
ed. "Not interested, "
s and I rolled my eyes towards the ceiling. Dear Lord up in
tic smile. "We're not interested." So for th
ed around us, not bothering to urge us on as Calvin practically stopped in the middle of the hallway.
nced from Calvin to me, her ey
nna
lvin staggered and crashed into Noah and h
shi
hell?" He spat. Oh man, I internally san
eached out to brush off Noah's jacket. Noah knoc
rds where Calvin had toppled from. I tensed as his eyes
question took me by
rdo
ed again, giving Calvin a little shake. Compared to Noah, Calvin looked like a scrawny freshman.
ger eyes. They wanted drama. They wanted gossip. Some were already recor
nted Noah to pummel him to a pulp and leave his remains out on the burning sidewalk for the ants. But the last thin
scrambled away into the crowd like a frightened rabbit and the hallway was zapped
en us. Another tally on our list. Another name to look out for. Another "he said/s
ted
y! Ra
eyes. Rachel grinned as we beheld our idiotic f
aving his arms in the air like
shit about Calvin. Together, we broke into a spr
cried, throwing her
toppling us to the floor. "Don't ever le
d us away. "Jesus, I
"Never, ever, ever leave us again." H
. The table was a small circle in the far corner of the cafeteria, giving us a feeling of privacy from
I asked, digging around in
nd I unpack our lunches with hungry eyes. His grey hoodie was dirty and rumpled
l wail and started hunting for food. I just chuckled. I doubted he had much time to ea
rderly, and most importantly, everyone kept their distance. Sometimes, the circular lunch tables reminded me of tiny islands in a vast ocean. Each island had their own tribe, and even tho
ed. Everyone just befriended whoever their parents told them too
ed just as isolated as we were. They sat huddled together, only talki
ugh his black hair as he laughed at something Jay said. Jay was the class clown, or tried his best to be, at least.
. He furrowed his brow in a silent question, probably wondering why the heck
some sort of fan girl. The corner of Noah's lips
were now having a mini food fight and I rolled my eyes. No