Pacifiers

Chapter 12

A few days later the school was hosting its annual ball. Despite being so stoic and strict, the teachers and authorities did believe in the need to let children let loose and also let themselves loose. Unlike some of the other girls I had no idea that the school conducted any such thing and so I didn't bring any ball gown or evening dress for the occasion. The most formal clothes that I owned at the school was a pair of crisp black pants, a purple shirt and a black jacket to give a formal look for seminars and other formal meetings. This was a crisis - a major one at that and I needed the help of experts.

'Come meet me in the room at 4 pm. Both of you. There's a major crisis!' I texted Melissa and Liberty.

Only two periods were over and I was already feeling languid and fatigued- maybe because of the recurring dreams or perhaps because of Clovis' long, esoteric and endorphic kisses- it was still a mystery to me. I straightened myself up and tried to pay attention to history but my mind was wandering off to other places.

'Ms. Franklin, we would very much like it if you stopped mumbling to yourself and pay attention to the class.' snapped Mrs.Rosemary.

'I'm sorry.' I replied dryly.

'I've always been against these proms and homecoming dances. They cause even the brightest of you to daydream.' she said.

I contemplated whether she was complementing me by indirectly stating that I was bright or whether she was disdaining me by calling me a daydreamer.

'That's not the reason ma'am.'

'Then enlighten us please.' she looked at me with her stern eyes.

'Why can't we go back to studying about Marie Antoinette and her jewels?' I said with an irritation in my voice.

'Detention.' she stated.

I opened my mouth to protest but thought better and didn't say anything. All eyes in the room were on me and a realisation dawned upon me. I never got into trouble. In the few months that we'd been at the school i'd always been the good student that most others hated. (Well, maybe except for the sneaking around with Clovis stealthily on a motley of adventures)

The rest of the day turned out to be a drag- the only subject interesting me was English. Even then we were to write an essay on Dicken's Great Expectations and the only sound that could be heard was of the scratching of pen on paper and I wrote the essay with much difficulty as this was a classic I loathed. The day finally got over and as I was moving out the classroom to go to my dorm for a while before detention, someone stopped me in the pathway.

'Hey there Scarlet.'

'Hey Max. What happened?'

'Nothing...just ...'

'Just what?'

'You're going to the ball?'

'Apparently,yes.'

'Do you have a date?'

'Maybe'

'She likes mysteries...I see.'

'Huh?I'm getting late. See you later.'

'Oh-wait.'

'If you haven't got any date....or are willing to shake it up...I can go with you.'

That left me shocked. Max was not someone who'd ask me to help in homework let alone go to the ball with him. He was our school smart ass- good at karate and good at calculus. He stood a little over 5ft and 11 inches with a strong muscular built-but not too much. His hair stood up on his forehead as if someone had given him a light shock but it did suit him. His smile was both haughty and beautiful. He was a living paradox.