For the past year, 18 year old Camille has been getting away with four hours of sleep, a nine hour school day and an eight hour work day overnight. That is until her three teachers and a mystery guy walk into her diner one night.
NOTE: THIS IS A 'W...
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Waking up this morning felt different.
It's like a weight had been lifted off my chest.
And replaced by butterflies in my stomach.
I pull myself out of the warm comfort of my bed and force myself into the shower. I decide to curl my hair today and wear some makeup. I end up picking out a pair of blue mom jeans and a black bodysuit. I add a black bow to my hair and lace up my converse. Looking in the mirror and happy with my outfit for the day, I walk downstairs.
The stench of booze hits me as soon as I walk into the living room. I look around and see empty beer bottles all around the room. They may as well be a permanent decoration at this point. I collect a few to recycle and take them into the kitchen.
Somehow, my idiot brothers haven't left without me yet so I have chance to make a coffee to go and even get a lift to school on time.
As soon as I reach the school building, I know I need to find Zoe immediately. She needs to know about the fact our teachers are visiting me at work. I walk over to our lockers and see her there on her phone.
"Hey girl," I snatch her phone. She glares at me and tries to get it back. I give it to her and she smiles at me before texting again.
"Who's texting you?" I ask her, trying to sneak a peek.
"Not telling," she sticks her tongue out at me.
"Fine. Then I'm not telling you my gossip." She will crumble in a second.
"No please, tell me. I NEED to know," she gives me puppy eyes. I roll my eyes at her and drag her to the assembly to meet the new principal. We take a seat on the sports stand and I roll my eyes at the sight of my brothers and their insufferable girlfriends below us.
The lights dim slightly, signalling the assembly is about to start, and people quieten down.
A man that looks very familiar walks across the bleachers and the hall goes silent. Where do I know him from?
I catch a glimpse of the teachers lining up by the podium in the middle and my eyes fall to Mr Hart, Mr Whitlock and Mr Laurent. And then it hits me.
Oh.
Shit.
That's the mystery guy they came into my work with the first time they came. And now he's my principal. My eyes go wide in realisation and I see my three teachers glance at me quickly. They dawn small smirks and I glare down at them, hating that they are enjoying this.
"Good morning, I am your new principal, Mr Lockwood. I will be taking over from Mr Smith who has retired as of yesterday," the mystery guy starts talking, "please note that I wish for you all to succeed, and part of that will involve rules that, if not followed, will be punished." I flush as his gaze lands on me.
"He's literal sex on legs, Cami" Zoe nudges me and I snigger.
"Send me to the principal's office for a punishment, please," I joke as I fan myself with my hand, "maybe I transferred out of Miss Abhrams class too early." She tries to hold back her laugh and I look back to the front with amusement in my eyes. My face drops when I see my three teachers and the principal glaring at me.
What is it about me and being caught by my teachers when I make a sexual joke? I roll my eyes and keep whispering comments in Zoe's ear.
When we are finally dismissed, we rush to our lockers to grab our cheer uniform for gym class. I completely forgot when choosing my outfit this morning that I would end up wearing my cheer uniform for the rest of the day. Oh well.
We get changed quickly and run onto the field where we are quickly thrown into choreography where I find myself thrown in the air multiple times. Would be easier to just get me a trampoline at this point.
Mid-fly, I notice Mr Lockwood talking to a few of the school administrators whilst watching cheer practice and football practice during gym class. I feel his eyes burn into me for some reason but I shrug it off and focus on the routine. I don't want to land funny and break something.
By the time gym class is done, Zoe and I are exhausted and in desperate need of fixing our hair. We begin to walk to the changing rooms but are stopped when I hear Mr Lockwood call for me.
"How does he know your name already?" Zoe asks, "You lucky bitch!" I roll my eyes at her and push her towards the changing rooms as I run back to the new principal.
"Yes, sir?" I ask him, trying to catch my breath.
"You need to eat more than one meal a day if you're going to be doing strenuous exercise like that, Miss Owens," he says to me whilst looking straight into my eyes. I gulp at his serious tone and face.
"I'm fine," I shrug him off.
"Camille-" he warns.
"Look I don't have the money to have more than one meal a day," I whisper yell at him, darting my eyes around to make sure no one hears me, "see those two football players," I point to Noah and Oscar, "they are my brothers and take up 90% of the food I can afford and pick up. I take whatever scraps they and my dad don't want. So unless you're going to provide the food for me, sir, then. I. am. fine." I run off before he can respond but look back to see him staring at me.
Zoe and I spend a bit too long re-doing our makeup after gym and find ourselves having to sprint to our next class.
"Sorry sir," we both giggle in unison as we run into French class. Mr Laurent glares at us as the whole class laughs. We both take our seats in the back and I let out a groan when I realise it's a test.
I knew I forgot something.
"Oui, Mademoiselle Owens. We do have a test today," Mr Laurent addresses me from the front of the classroom. I roll my eyes instinctively and he shakes his head at me before passing out the test papers.
Shit, I am going to do so badly in this.
"You may begin, la Classe. Bonne chance."
I grab my pen and look down at the paper, instantly feeling anxiety spread across me. I have always hated doing tests. I end up having to read over the first question several times until I am calm enough to actually attempt it.
Midway through the test, I glance up to see Mr Laurent looking at me. I blush slightly under his gaze and he smirks before looking at the clock and back to me, telling me I'm running out of time. I scowl at him and return back to my work.
Fuck teachers.
My good mood that I woke up in is ruined when I find out that I have tests in History and English. I swear, are they trying to torture me? By the end of the day I am a ball of anxiety which has remained from the tests.
I am silent in the car ride home with my brothers and walk up to my room, not bothering with my homework. I faceplant my bed and try to fall asleep before work.
