Country Mile

INTERROGATING EYES

September quickly fell into October as summer fell into autumn. New schedules were learned, new friends were made, and new loves were blossoming. Logan had asked Delilah to be his girlfriend and she agreed without hesitation. After their almost kiss in the woods, Genna and Archer decided it was a good thing they were interrupted, otherwise things would have been moving way too fast. They chose to grow closer over time, and though they hadn't claimed to be anything official, everyone noticed the flirtatious remarks and smiles. In fact, their romance was budding under very watchful eyes...

The final bell rang throughout the halls, indicating the start to the weekend they all had been waiting for. Logan was having a Halloween party monitored by his older brother Brad while their parents were away, and it was a well known fact that the Summers boys threw the best parties in town.

Eager to get to her locker and meet up with Delilah, Genna quickly gathered her things. She rose from her seat, but was stopped when her algebra teacher, Ms. Cutler, called out to her.

"Miss Henderson. Sit down and stay a moment, please."

The woman's unnecessarily sharp tone made Genna's stomach flutter, but it wasn't from nerves. It was her body's way of protesting anything the ugly hag had to say. Genna had hated the red headed woman from the first time she called upon her to solve an equation written on the board. After many failed attempts to do so correctly, the unprofessional approach Ms. Cutler chose to take was to ridicule her in front of the class. From that moment on, she was an enemy in Genna's eyes.

Refusing to sit, Genna continued to shove her belongings into her backpack. Irritation clearly shown on her face and in every thrusted item. Ms. Cutler gave a warm smile to the last student exiting, and slowly closed the door. When she turned to face Genna, all facades and her smile, had dropped. Neither female liked the one standing rigidly before them, and they both knew it.

She motioned to Genna's chair, "Take a seat, Genevieve."

Letting out an audible huff and not even attempting to hide the exaggerated roll of her eyes, Genna sat down.

Ms. Cutler's nostrils flared and her lips pursed monetarily before she asked, "Did you give your father the note I sent home with you yesterday?"

"Yep," Genna nonchalantly lied to the woman.

"And?"

"And what?"

"And do you have the note from him to give to me?"

Genna shrugged. "Must have forgot it."

"I see. Then I suppose I'll just have to call him myself."

Trying not to let the thought of that bother her, Genna shrugged again. "I suppose so."

"Young lady, you don't seem to be very concerned with the fact that your poor attitude and even poorer grade will lead to you failing my class."

"You don't seem to be very concerned with the fact that you've failed to learn how to apply lipstick without getting it on your teeth. Everyone has their struggles Ms. Cutler." Genna bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning as the woman barely restrained herself from running her tongue over her teeth.

Ms. Cutler furrowed her eyebrows and headed toward Genna. Heels clicking in rhythm with Genna's quickening heartbeat as she approached.

"Yes, well, my struggles won't keep me from graduating unlike yours." She placed her hands on Genna's desk and leaned over her, "I could ruin you."

"I'm a straight A student in every other class, Ms. Cutler." Never one to take a threat sitting down, Genna stood so that her face was within inches of the red head's. "You can't ruin shit."