BIKE AND CALL

16. LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING

16. LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVING

It is currently English period right now, and Miss Pearl is doing what she does best, blabbering about Shakespeare. In the meantime, I am doing what I do best, sleeping in the middle of the lesson.

"Now, in order for you to deeply understand the poet's message, you must thoroughly... Douglas, Benjamin, Jason, Lukas, Mason, and of course, the mastermind Parker!!!"

I raise my head and find the other guys doing the same. The whole class is literally staring at the five of us. Yeah, when Mason's friends say, "we're going to turn up!" They mean it. I guess we went a bit too far last night, though.

"Care to tell us the reason why the six of you are snoring in class or should I take this matter to the principal?" Miss Pearl asks.

"Sleeping? Who's sleeping?" Doug asks.

"Very funny, Douglas." Miss Pearl says. "Actually..."

"Detention after school." Luke cuts her off. "We already know the drill, Miss Pearl."

"You're always in detention, Lukas, and still, nothing good comes out of it." Miss Pearl says. "This time, I've got an even better idea."

"Hmmm, I wonder!" Sicily says all smiley and stuff.

"Pop quiz!" Miss Pearl says, and Mason and his friends groan. "For all of you!"

Now, the entire class is groaning and making faces at us.

"Thanks a lot, Parker!" Sicily says.

"Yeah, because of you sleeping, mastermind, all of us are getting punished!" Rebekah says.

"Calm down now! This isn't just because the six of them were sleeping in class. Well, that's one of the reasons, but also because some of you are performing very badly. Others are trying, and others are doing exceptionally well. It's just the behavior that's concerning." Miss Pearl locks eyes with me. "I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourselves."

"What if we don't want a redemption?" Luke asks.

"Unfortunately, that's not for you to decide. So Friday, pop quiz!" Miss Pearl says, and the class groans even louder.

"But Friday is the big game!" Zak protests.

"Exactly! You'll write the quiz in the morning, and your grades will determine whether or not you're going to the game, so you betta get studying." Miss Pearl says.

The class starts protesting and hauling insults at us. Especially me since everyone knows that I'm very good at English and I'm the one who's always sleeping in class.

"This is all your fault, Parker! Not everyone is a genius like you, you know!" Spike, one of Zak's friends, says.

"Hey, why don't you get your shit together and study Spikey boy!" Mason comes to my defense. "Your brain has been resting for a while. It's time to put it to good use!"

"What did you say?" Spike asks, acting all tough and mighty.

"You heard me!" Mason says.