Mia

All

"Good morning everyone. Welcome to your new history class. Look around because this is where you will be sitting for the rest of the year, unless it becomes a problem." She seems to look over heads to eye some particularly rowdy boys. "I am Mrs. Stanley and just for today, we'll be doing an ice breaker activity that has to do with your summer break." Her voice is monotone but her face isn't as frustrated as it was a few minutes ago. "You'll be writing down an overview of what you did this summer and see who of your fellow classmates did the same things. Then we can read aloud the most interesting ones at the end of class, if we have time." Her long windedness makes my lungs feel empty. I start thinking about what I should write down.

I'm did a lot of things over the summer. A lot of it was with Dad, but most of it was by myself. Dad doesn't get a ton of vacation time, and when he does we go tent camping. Every summer we've spent together has been spent swimming or rock climbing or hiking or grilling for just the two of us, and sometimes Jerry and Charles. When I was younger I would go to a summer camp so Dad could work and I could be supervised and make friends. But now that I'm older, I spend time at home or at the station even though I actually shouldn't be there.

People started getting out of their seats and gravitating towards people they already know. Talking started, and laughter sometimes erupted as they reminisced over memories from their summers.
All of a sudden I felt someone looking over my shoulder.

"Wow! You did some cool things compared to me. I mostly stayed home and babysat my little sister." You can hear her perky attitude in her voice. High pitched but not annoying. She has mousy brown hair in a braid over her shoulder.

"Oh." I look to my paper, rereading what I've written. "It's just a normal summer. Last year my dad's friend was in a cult case that lasted for the entire year." I don't consider myself a show off, but why have some of the coolest friends in the world if you can't brag about them a little?

"Wow! The one I saw on the news? About the... umm... what was it?" Her face scrunched in on itself trying to remember new broadcasts from last year.

"Gary Hinderson. Indoctrinated thousands trying to become a god or something. He's clinically crazy."

"Right!" She snaps her fingers a few times. "I remember my dad talking a lot about that... wait, so your dad's friend worked on it?" She squinted her eyes to look very interested. It took me as funny, I don't know why.

"Worked on it? He lead it. His name is Charles. He is technically the only "detective" that my dad is friends with, but they all consider themselves qualified."

"Who's "they"?"

"My dad, Charles, and Jerry. They work at the police station near by. That's why I decided to come here instead of my local high school."

"Your local high school?" She questioned like she's never heard of anywhere outside of Vonore.

"I live in Tellico Village, you know, the next town over. It's a bit of a drive, but the old man comes here anyways so why not tag along?" She giggles at this comment about my father.

"All right everyone!" The voice is unexpected to be that loud, or even be there at all. A considerable amount of time had past unnoticed by all the students, even the slightly wary ones. Mrs. Stanley gestured for everyone standing to take their seats once again. Hesitantly, the girl that stood beside me headed to the back of the class where she had come from.

"We have about ten minutes left before the bell rings so does anyone want to share anything in particular?" She looked around the room like she'd have to pick someone, but a hand shot up from the middle right of the class.

"Alright Haley, introduced yourself and tell us something you did."

"Hi everyone! My name is Haley and this summer I when to Japan! My father was on a business trip and asked me to come." She sat back down, basking in all the eyes on her. Her blond hair shining and her skin glowing, I will be seeing her a lot this year.

"Wow Haley!"

"What was it like, Haley?"

"Did you visit any hot springs, Haley?"

Yeah.

"Does anyone else have anything to share?"

I rose from my chair and cleared my throat. "This summer me and Detective Stephenson solved a string of serial killings in Lenoir City. You may have heard it on the news last month. They obviously didn't state my name but if you don't believe me, Detective Stephenson works right down the street at the police station. Or even better," I pull my phone from the skirt pocket and start to dial a number.

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Stanley sounded confused and slightly angry.

"Oh, I'm calling Detective Stephenson, I do still have a few questions about the exact kind of knife technique he used. Gale Homer, the murder that is. Quite a clever guy, but not nearly enough." I continue to dial the number.

"Young lady! Sit down you are in class!" Her voice was getting angrier.

"Of course I'm in cla— yes! Hello Barry, I was wondering exactly what kind of technique Gale Homer had used on his victims....mmm....mhm. Oh yes! I do remember that, thank you so much. I'll stop in a say hi on my lunch break. Yeah. Today's my first day. I'm right down the street from the station. Mhm... yes, I'll see you then. Goodbye."

I really didn't mean to,  I swear. And I meant it when I said I am not a show off but something about this girl's trip to Japan made my impulses twitch.

My hand with the phone in it dropped to my side when I realized I was too cool for school. Again. I quickly take my seat but it's already too late.

"Mia Simmons, is it?" Mrs. Stanley is angrier than we'll ever see her be again, but her voice is so low it hurts. "I think you'll be too busy on your lunch break to see "Detective Stephenson" because you'll be in detention." Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. Fuck.

The class is completely silent and it stays that way until the bell rings and everyone gathers together at the door.