Somewhere In The Woods

Chapter Six - Lunchroom Activities Such as Espionage

This time flakes of the ceiling rained down over the class, landing in hair and in water bottles, bookmarking pages and smearing across the floor. "Okay, that was just an aftershock," Mrs. Jordan reasoned.

"Aren't aftershocks supposed to be smaller than the first quake?" A boy in the back wondered, silencing the room.

"Not unless the first was a foreshock." Eliza breathed, holding onto her chair with white knuckles. "Which means this one could be a foreshock too."

The intercom beeped twice, and then a flow of instructions was thrown out in a hurry. "Please remain in your classrooms, the town of Salem is enforcing an earthquake watch, during which students and faculty are asked to remain indoors in a safe location." There was another long beep. "Marley," the name came through the speaker like a growl, right before the end of the second beep.

Annie and I looked at each other, finding the rest of the class to be staring at us as well. "That's the twin's last name, isn't it?" A girl in the corner asked. "Marley?"

"So?" Another asked.

"Well, the quakes have gotten worse," a third offered, "and only after they arrived in town."

I turned on them. "Ah yes, I forgot to mention my magical ability to create seismic waves deep in the earth. Annie here can make hurricanes." I said dryly. "How would we have anything to do with earthquakes?"

"Ease up, Maggie," Annie warned, "everyone's just scared."

I was tired of this whole charade I'd found myself in. "Yes, and they've turned it on us. I'm not going to ease up." Somehow the kids at West Salem weren't afraid of me like they should be. I guess it was up to me to show them why their principal wanted me gone so badly. "People don't get a free pass just because they're scared."

"And I guess you're exempt to that rule?" A voice asked. I turned to see a boy near the back of the classroom with his feet up on his desk. He reminded me of Boris, relying on his angry looks to convince people he was scary. "You're scared and now you're refusing to ease up, just like them."

The laugh that left me wasn't planned but it seemed to startle him. "I'm not here to make friends. I'm being a bitch because that's who I am as a person, not because I'm scared." I smiled at him. "Unlike you, I don't need to pretend to be scary."

He smiled at me. "I can see why you caught Boris Quin's eye. He likes the bitchy type, the ones who don't know when to shut their mouths."

"If that were true, he'd be dating you." I winked at him.

"Maggie," Annie warned.

The boy in the back just wouldn't relent. "You think you're funny, huh? That's cute. I bet you just hate yourself and so you think being a bitch is attractive."

"No, I hate everyone else, that's why I'm a bitch. I don't care if it's attractive," I shrugged. "But you've had your turn to act like you know who I am, so now it's my turn to scrutinize you." I was curious why Mrs. Jordan hadn't intervened yet.

"Give it your best shot." He said spreading his arms out, welcoming it.

I smiled at him, knowing for a fact I would destroy him. "Judging by your expensive clothes and bad boy persona, I'd say that you're a mommy's boy, living off daddy's money. Assuming from the amount of product in your hair, you spend an average of forty to fifty minutes in front of a mirror, trying so hard to make it look like you don't try." His arms began to lower slowly as my words found the truth. "Your white teeth say you've never drunk or smoked before, but I see a half-used pack of cigarettes in your bag, so the image is very important to you."