Case Reopened

Two Worlds

Let's be honest, high school Carter and Mason hits different.

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Carter forced her way through the crowded hallway, uncaring about who received the sharp end of her elbow or the piercing point of her gaze. A few victims yelled at her but she didn't acknowledge them, only one thought lived in her mind at that moment: get out of this at all costs.

When Carter strode into her history classroom, Mrs. Wilkes raised her head, expression calm.

"I'm here to ask that I be able to complete the project alone," Carter said.

Mrs. Wilkes smiled softly but there was a command in her body language that Carter read before she even spoke.

"No," she said. "It's a partner project."

Carter struggled against balling her fists. If she didn't come off rebellious then maybe she could convince Mrs. Wilkes to shift a little. Anything would be better than the present situation. Doing the whole project and adding someone's name along with hers would be preferable.

"Then I want to request a change in partners," Carter said.

"Carter," Mrs. Wilkes said, sitting back in her chair. "Do you know who got the second-highest grade on the last project?"

Carter took a breath, knowing that fighting this change in topic would not help her in the long run. She needed to keep a clear head, she needed to get out of this. That meant staying calm and not letting her frustration get the better of her.

"I don't know," she lied.

She knew exactly who got the second highest grade like she knew who got the highest. She also knew those names had been reversed in the previous project as well. Though she might hate it, she already saw the layout of the coming argument for Mrs. Wilkes's decision.

"Mason for the second highest," Mrs. Wilkes said. "You got the highest. Before that, it was Mason first and you second. You see, when paired together you both challenge each other to do your best."

No, what took place was Carter's need to knock Mason down a notch, nothing more. There was nothing about Mason that inspired her to achieve greatness in grades, she merely didn't want to give him ammunition to hold something over her.

Also, he needed to know he wasn't as smart as he thought he was. If Carter had to be the one to prove that then she'd do it. He didn't challenge her, he was the constant annoyance in her life that she wished would transfer schools.

"That is why I put you together," Mrs. Wilkes said. "He helps you push yourself like you push him."

Carter wanted to push Mason off a cliff.

"Is there any way I can change your mind?" Carter asked.

Again Mrs. Wilkes smiled in a way that was both kind and unbending.

"No."

Without saying anything else, Carter spun away and exited the classroom. She didn't go far before she stopped and pressed her forehead into a locker. Slowly, she began to hit her head against the wood.

Pointless, it had been pointless to talk to Mrs. Wilkes, it always was. It didn't matter that at one point Mason might kill Carter, or Carter kill Mason, their teachers would put them together. She didn't understand how they didn't see the eventual outcome.

"Don't stop, Owens," Mason said. "If you do it hard enough you might give yourself brain damage and I wouldn't be paired with you anymore."

Carter looked at Mason. "You understand the reverse works as well, I could bang your head against the locker hard enough to do damage."