TEACHER TEACHER! [re-uploaded due technical issues with first upload]

Chapter 7- Party Plans

"We need to be busy today", said Eloise. "If we talk about hanging out today, Mr. Patel will probably just decide to give us the day off from the mission, so he'll stay at the school for longer.
Then we'll have more time to go to his."

"So we pretend to hang out together?", asked Elliott.

Eloise shook her head.
"No, it's gotta be a well-known event, I think."

"My friend Jake is having a party at his today", suggested another classmate. "You can chill there for a bit."

"Really?
He won't mind?", questioned Rowan.

The boy shrugged.
"He won't notice.
He'll be too busy entertaining the other guests."

"Thanks, Ellis", said Eloise.

Before anyone could continue the conversation, a tired and dejected Aahan entered the classroom.

He didn't walk with the same sense of purpose and determination he did last week, but he also didn't look like the students hoped he looked—riddled with guilt.
So they didn't feel sorry for him.

"Morning, class.
Today, we're going to finish off painting the community centre", he said.

"Wait, Sir... can't we do it tomorrow?", asked Eloise.
"We've kind of got invites to a party today."

Aahan's eyes widened, as if someone had just told him they gave birth to a unicorn.
He held Eloise's gaze for just a few seconds longer, looking away when she didn't break.

"What, all of you?", he questioned.

He looked at Rowan.
"Gotta admit, a party doesn't really seem like your thing."

"He's actually quite popular", said Eloise.

"Rowan?", he asked.

Eloise nodded.
"This isn't like the movies, Sir. Sometimes popular people are just nice, friendly people you like to hang out with."

Rowan smiled at Eloise's kind words. Aahan was right though.
Rowan had never been to a party.
He had been invited to a few, but his anxiety always got the better of him, and he decided it was best to stay home.

"What about you, Zee?", asked Aahan.

Zee scowled.
"What's that supposed to mean?"

Aahan took a step back and held his hands up.
He shook his head.
"Nothing, nothing."

What?
Zee was scary.

Aahan threw his arms up in the air.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?"

"You could mark the essays we had to write for homework?", suggested Elliott. "You know, the one's we were supposed to do in class?"

Aahan groaned.
"Ugh, not marking."

"Isn't teaching ninety percent marking?", asked Irene.