Tethered // Teen Wolf // Isaac Lahey

SIXTY-FOUR

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KOREY

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A big, fat bright red 'F' stared me in the face, and my grip on the canvas tightened until my nails began to poke through it.

Mr Pittore had left a sad face drawing beside the grade along with one simple comment. 'What are you so afraid of?' He'd also drawn a large, red cross over the cloudy hue I'd pulled over my portrait's face, as if to emphasise his point on how poorly he thought the piece had been painted.

"That's bullshit," Isaac murmured lowly, leaning across to look over my shoulder, "what the hell is wrong with this guy?"

"Why?" Allison turned to us as well, her face pinching into a frown, "What happened?" She reached out carefully, pulling my work down so she could see the grade on top of it. "Oh my God."

"What?" Lydia joined in as well, her mouth set into a grim line.

"He failed her," Allison murmured lowly, "he wants her to do faces."

"That's so stupid," Lydia huffed, her eyes snapping to the teacher who conversed with other students, "Not everyone has the same art style. Faceless portraits are a statement. They're iconic."

My lips went to twitch up, but the 'F' met my eyes again, and I sighed instead, bending the canvas and snapping it in two.

The sound echoed around us, and Mr Pittore glanced towards me, his smile seemingly nervous as I stood up, collecting my bag. "Miss Dawson-"

"I need to be excused," I grumbled, swinging my bag over my shoulder, "indefinitely." I met his eyes blankly, finding myself oddly calm, almost defeated, "I've taken up other engagements during this class that I need to attend to."

Mr Pittore trailed after me as I made for the door, his eyes wide, "Miss Dawson, if you continue to leave my class, I'll have no choice but to fail yo-"

"I'm already..." I turned back to him, " I'm not going to pass this class this year, and I really don't get why you don't like me, but it is what it is. If I can't win here, I might as well make sure I'm passing all of my other classes."

"Miss Dawson," he called after me as I drifted down the corridor, "come back to class."

I waved my hand, not bothering to turn back as I slunk down the stairs, trying to decide whether I wanted to go home or go bother Coach Finstock. In the end, I chose neither.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Malia banged the vending machine between each word, her lips pulled back into a sneer.

"Lia?" A smile pulled up at my lips slowly as I shuffled towards her, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"Aren't you?" Malia fired back without missing a beat, finally tearing her eyes away from the vending machine.

"Touché," I nodded slowly, stilling in front of the vending machine beside her, "tough fight?"

"Stupid enemy," Malia shot back, glaring at the machine, "it took my money, and it won't give me my chocolate."

I snorted softly, reaching my hand up to my hair and pulling a bobby pin out of it, "Don't wait to be given something, just take it," I mumbled, reaching down to the small padlock on the vending machine door, "Wise words from on old pack mate of mine, Aaron."