My victory doesn't last long.
After getting away from Ashton and his friends, I happily pipe and stroll into my first class. Mrs. G is the sweetest person in the world, she won't mind me walking ten minutes late for her class.
"Hold on Miss White," says the sweetest voice of Mrs.mG. I dead stop on my track and turn around.
"Yes Mrs. G-Gabriel?"
"You are ten minutes late," she deadpans.
Since when she asks? Maybe I'm really out of luck today. And the first day of the year hasn't even finished yet.
"I know ma'am," I try to say every word as smoothly as possible, trying not to step on the wrong foot.
Mrs. G looks around the class. "For twenty years of my career, I've tolerated each of you's tardiness," she says. I see the boys from the back of the class's jaw fall on the ground. What has gotten into her today? "I hoped by doing so, you all l might start paying attention to my class. But I see I've been wrong. So I've decided to mark each of your actions in my class starting with Miss White today. Detention after school."
Now it's my jaw's turn to hit the ground. "You can't possibly-"
"Another word and that'll be a week." That shuts my mouth and I walk to the back of the class.
How wonderful! Two rules were broken in one day. I definitely need to buy those stickers.
"Congrats on receiving the first-ever detention from Mrs. G," the boy from across the row says. Great, just what I needed. "By the way, great article on Fellan," he continues. "I must say, it's the photo of the year."
The boy in front of me turns around. "Oh yeah, that article. You wrote it, right? Everyone is talking about it all morning."
The photo. The reason behind my first ever punishment after freshman year.
Everyone in the class turns their attention to us."Can you make sure it goes to our yearbook too?" A girl says. "Then I'll get to stare at those fine muscles all day." Some boys gross out at her words but few girls agree. Even thinking of that fine body makes me flustered all over again.
'Kiara! Get your head sorted out!' My brain screams.
Geez girl, go easy on the victim.
"Is there any problem Miss Smith and Mr. Clover?" Mrs. G turns from the blackboard.
"No ma'am, everything is peachy, we're just getting into it." The boy in front of me says. Everyone else follows his suit.
I sigh in relief. Thank you so much Ashton fucking Fellan for the attention, I mentally roll my eyes.
* * * *
To say I'm not popular in school is an understatement. The only reason people know about my existence is because of the newspaper. Or to say Jason's so-called hot look.
Some are still having a hard time processing that he's in the newspaper committee instead of the football team. Or baseball. He would've suited better in baseball. To those, being in the press committee means you're up to a sucker group.
And there's Derek. Well, not much contribution from his side though. Derek himself is a shy person and tries to mind his own business all the time. And because most of the jocks are Ashton's friend, who holds some unspoken grudge against Derek, they're also not a big fan of him either. Still, Derek holds some authority from the pre-Ashton era.
Yet, the attention that the Fellan fiasco is giving me today will last a lifetime. I can hardly make my way to the classes without getting questioned. As for the mighty Fellan himself, I haven't seen him after that encounter in the hallway.
Does he wish for an early grave? But that's not possible. My wildest dream can't come true that easily. Plus I haven't kicked him that hard.
I haven't seen Owen or that Asian friend of his in any of my classes either. Let's just hope things remain that way.
After having a mental debate if I should face my fear or save my sorry ass, I choose the safest option. So instead of going to the cafeteria at lunchtime, I turn the opposite direction, straight to the library. It's not like I'll be missed much.
Not after too long, my phone pings. I look around for the librarian but thankfully she isn't around. I put my fingerprint on the home button and find a text from Miles.
Where are you? Derek is worried, it says.
Oh, shit Derek. With so much on my mind, I almost forgot to tell Derek about my arrangements. I already informed him about the Ashton fiasco in chemistry, leaving out the whole how hot Ashton is part (I doubt he would like to hear that information). Derek said everyone was talking about the fiasco since the morning. So that boy in Mrs. G's class wasn't lying.
I'm in the library, I reply.
A few minutes later, Miles comes to the library with Grace and Derek.
"Others wanted to come too but I told them you might want some space after what happened in the morning," Grace says. She and Miles sit across me.
"Thanks, that was very thoughtful of you," I tell her.
"No prob," Grace waves a hand, her lavender hair highlights in the glooming light.
It's Grace's tradition. Every year a week before school starts, Grace gets herself a new hair color with her forever pixie cut. She has been doing this for the last four years. Till now, she colored her hair Carrot Orange, Neon Pink, Apple Green, and lavender this year.
It's Grace's way to show the middle finger towards the whole popular society of the school. How and for whatever reason, she never told anyone.
"Hey babe, hiding out from Fellan?" Derek kisses the side of my mouth and slips in beside me.
I groan hearing his name. "One more word about Fellan and I'll chuck all of your heads and make soup with them selling them to the cheerleaders."
They start laughing at my outburst.
Miles raises a hand. "Not even about that photograph?"
"No, we should definitely talk about that photograph," I glare at him. "It was you, wasn't it? You published it using my name."
"No, didn't do it! I just," Miles pauses, looking at Grace.
"Guys?" I eye between the two of them. "What's going on?"
Grace looks bewildered and turns to Miles who nudges her. Grace rolls her eyes and turns to me. "So," she clears her throat. "This idiot here might or might not have done what you told him to do and brought that photo back with him. He showed it to me at Micheal's party last August."
I gasp and look at Miles, who doesn't meet my gaze. "Then what?"
"It went missing after that night?" He shrugs. "I thought mom had thrown it away when she came to clean my room. I can't believe someone actually stole it from me."
He gives me a pointed look. "You sure it wasn't you?"
"Of course not!" I cry. "Why would I dig my own grave?"
Both Miles and Grace shrug this time. I anxiously whirl the four-leaf clover with my index. I always carry with me. For good luck.
"If someone stole the photo from you," I continue. "That means someone else knows about it. Did you tell anyone else about that photo?"
"Apart from Grace?" Miles says. "No one that I remember."
We all turn to Derek. I told him about that unfortunate occurrence right after we came back from Uganda.
"Don't ask me. I'm hardly a part of it," he says and continues eating his food.
Derek has been quieter than usual the whole time. And he shows no interest in joining our conversation.
"Who else can it be beside the four of us?" Grace wonders.
"Can we really not talk about him right now?" Derek sighs. "I've already had enough of him all day," he says. "The only god knows how much more I've to hear of it at practice today after school."
I look at him with surprise. It's true Ashton isn't a big fan of him, but I never saw Derek this annoyed about him.
Maybe it has to do something with all the Fellan fiasco talk.
"Speaking of after school, I got a detention," I say. All three of them freezes.
Grace turns her head. "You, Kiara Olivia White, got detention?" She says in a dramatic tone.
Miles splits out his milkshake. "Was it just me or Kia really said she received detention?" He cups his ears.
I roll my eyes. Leave it to my best friends to make things looking more dramatic. I turn to my side and find Derek staring at me with wide eyes, at least he doesn't make a comment.
"It's not like this is my first punishment. I got a few in freshman year."
"But none of them was the detention and that was when you-"
That is where I drew a line to Miles. But of course, he just can't help himself but keeps bringing that up.
I sigh and explain what happened in Mrs. G's class.
"Wow, my girlfriend landed on detention in the first class of her senior year," Derek gasps.
"Are you saying that makes me a bad girlfriend?" I narrow my eyes.
Derek turns a bit flustered. "I- well I didn't-" I kiss him on the cheek to put a stop to his torture.
"It's okay, I was just messing with you." I grin.
"Okay kids, we'll give you lovebirds a few minutes alone. Miles and I are leaving," Grace stands up. Miles follows her.
"Yeah, I don't want to throw up the little food I got to eat." I throw Derek's leftovers at him, which hits him on the face. Bullseye!
The bell rings and we all get out of the library, just when the librarian walks in. Thank gosh she wasn't there to see our mini food fight.
Derek walks me to my next class.
"Don't wait up for me after school," I tell him when we are in front of my next class.
"What? Why?" He looks confused. Like I'm dumping him. "Our practice ends almost at the same time the detention ends."
I chuckle. "No silly, I've to talk to Jason about the Ashton fiasco after my detention ends," I say emphasizing 'detention'.
Derek's mouth turns into an 'O' shape.
His feature softens and he gives a nervous laugh. "Well then, good luck with your first ever detention. At least one of us attained that record."
"Jerk," I flip the bird and stick my tongue out.
"Only for you," he winks before setting off towards his next class.
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What'd you think of the cover?^^^