The Graduating Class of '09 (Class of '09 x Male Reader Insert)

Bonus Chapter 11.5 - 'Desire'

Another boring school day at Lake Braddock Secondary High School. (Y/N) dragged himself out of the theatre room, feeling the weight of the hour-long session still pressing on his shoulders. The class was supposed to be an elective, a space for him to relax and escape the monotony of his regular schedule, but instead, it had become a punishment of sorts. His counselor had placed him in Theatre to fill a gap in his timetable, and now he found himself stuck in a room full of students who were either overly enthusiastic about acting or completely indifferent, like him.

He had no interest in performing, but here he was, forced to "feel" and "express emotions" in front of an audience. The irony wasn't lost on him—he was an outsider in a class that revolved around pretending to be someone else. Worse yet, the substitute teacher, Megan Williams, didn't make things any better.

Ms. Williams was known for her overbearing attitude, wielding her temporary authority like a weapon. She controlled her best self and taught others despite being a student herself. Her words always carried a thinly veiled threat, and every time she looked at (Y/N), it felt like she was silently daring him to defy her. But it wasn't just her strictness that grated on him, rather it was the way she tried to manipulate the students into her version of "enthusiasm." If you weren't into the assignment, meeting with her sharp, condescending gaze, followed by the passive-aggressive threat of a lowered grade.

"Come on, (Y/N), you have to get into it!" Megan's voice was high-pitched and insistent, a kind of strained cheerfulness masking her frustration. "If you can't even pretend to enjoy this, how do you expect to pass the class?"

Her words were the final straw. She always made him feel like he was in the wrong for not sharing her passion for acting. But to him, it was all just a facade--a pointless exercise in pretending to be someone he wasn't. A few of the more vocal students might have enjoyed the improv games or the occasional group performance, but he just wanted out.

The worst part wasn't the forced enthusiasm, though. It was the threats. Megan knew how to make her point without explicitly saying it, but it always came through loud and clear: "If you don't show some effort, I'll have to lower your grade." She wielded her power like a shield, ready to strike whenever she felt he wasn't performing the way she expected. There were days when he swore she was more interested in her control over the class than in teaching anything meaningful.

Still, (Y/N) wasn't about to cave to her. He shuffled out of the classroom with a sense of relief, silently vowing to make it through the rest of the semester without giving in to her demands. Another day down, but just as draining as the last.

It was lunchtime, and (Y/N) felt the weight of the day press even harder against him as he trudged into the school cafeteria. His body felt heavy, worn down by the unending cycle of classes and forced social interactions. Dark circles surrounded his eyes, the telltale signs of a sleepless night filled with too many thoughts and too little rest. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, not today. The chatter of the cafeteria felt like a distant hum, a constant buzz of noise that only added to the dull throb in his head.

Without thinking, he plopped his head down on one of the cold, stainless steel tables, the chill from the surface seeping through his skin. It was like the coldness of the table was the only thing that could match the numbness he was feeling inside. The clattering of trays and the laughter of his classmates felt miles away. Maybe, just maybe, if he stayed here long enough, he could pretend like he was somewhere else entirely.

But of course, life didn't work that way.

Nicole, the local sociopath. At least that's what people jokingly called her, slid into the seat beside him, her presence unmistakable. She had a reputation for being unpredictable, and while most people kept their distance, (Y/N) had learned that it was better to just ignore her whenever she showed up in a foul mood. Today, though, something was different. Nicole wasn't her usual loud, obnoxious self. Her sharp, calculating gaze lingered on him for a moment as if weighing him like one of her many targets.