Elite & Tawdry ✔ [COMPLETE]

Chapter 30

The mood in the classroom was tense for fourth period.

No one said a word as Professor McCurdy gave his lecture.

Even Dylan's tardy song and dance as he entered the room ten minutes late was met with minimal reaction, much to Dylan's chagrin (he always wanted to be the centre of attention).

No, everyone was on edge due to the powder keg that was Elaine and Elizabeth. 

Since Elizabeth sat one desk in front of Elaine, the class was certain that at any moment Elaine would attack Elizabeth out of retaliation for the incident in the hall.

Even now evidence of the brouhaha lay apparent on their faces. Elaine had a black eye and Elizabeth had a large scratch mark along her cheek.

But Elaine remained eerily stoic. In fact, she was filing her nails during class, apparently oblivious to Elizabeth's presence.

Tawny knew why.

She knew that regardless of what had occurred, Elaine would still get her justice. She was determined to end the day on top. And that meant utterly humiliating those below her.

It meant reading Tawny's acrostic poem about McCurdy.

Time ticked away slowly. At last McCurdy stopped writing on the board, put his chalk down and faced the room.

"Right...okay, class," he said, smiling. "We have a little bit of time left. I hope you've all finished your assignment. Let's end the day by listening to some of your poems. Are there any volunteers?"

As Tawny predicted, Elaine's hand shot up immediately.

"Miss Milford...?" though he was still smiling, Tawny could detect a bit of confusion flash in Professor McCurdy eyes. He probably wants to ask why she has that black eye....

"I would like to present my poem first, Professor McCurdy," Elaine said.

McCurdy nodded and gestured to the space in front of him. "The floor is yours," he said.

Elaine got up from her seat and stood by her desk. "Brace yourself, folks," she said. "What I am about to read is the most legendary acrostic poem of all time."

McCurdy leaned against his desk and folded his arms. "Now I'm intrigued..."

"Oh, you'll be more that intrigued, Professor," Elaine said, as she proceeded to open her schoolbag to retrieve the poem. "You'll be shocked. You'll be mystified. You'll most definitely repulsed!"

"Repulsed?" asked Professor McCurdy. "Do pray tell, Miss Milford. You're keeping us all in suspense."

"Just you wait, when I read this poem you're gonna be....you're gonna be..." Elaine's voiced trailed off as she focused her attention on digging frantically through her bag. "Hey....where is it?"

"Everything alright?" asked Professor McCurdy.

"M-my poem...it's gone! Her poem! She wrote it!" Elaine pointed an accusatory finger at Tawny, who put her hands up in defense. "She wrote this sick, thirsty obsessive poem all about you!"

McCurdy was unamused. "Ah," he said, looking down at the floor. "No need to point fingers. Perhaps you left it in your dormitory...?"

"No!" snapped Elaine. "She must have stole it back like the impoverished little thief that she is!" 

"I didn't do anything!" Tawny insisted, turning red. Elaine had just outed her, but without proof, there was still a chance she could get through the embarrassment.

"Miss Matthews," said McCurdy, looking Tawny in the eyes. "Perhaps you may enlighten us about this elusive, acrostic poem?"

Ahh crap. In all her worrying about Elaine reading her first poem, Tawny never got around to creating a new poem (she was convinced it'd be unnecessary seeing as how she was likely to die from embarrassment).