I asked Paul what lesson it was next. He pushed up his glasses and replied, "Drama."
"You know Penny? She told me that she learnt that there was a spark of God in everything. We didn't even learn that..."
Paul just looked at me and nodded slowly.
"Weird. Anyway, let's go to Drama.
In the classroom, we sat down in a circle on the carpet and waited to be put in a seating order.
Mr Dell came into the classroom and greeted us all with a cheery wave. We all liked Mr Dell. He was the funny one in school.
He took the register and as he called Penny's name, she stared at me intensely.
First, I was creeped out but then I saw tenderness in her eyes. Her frosty gaze shifted from my face to my hand.
Mr Dell repeated Penny's name again.
She looked at him and said 'Yes'.
Then she looked at me in that funny way again. This time she stared at my hand more closely.
I was holding a fake knife. It was because we were performing a drama about a gang of bullies who turn into murderers. The topic was 'Bullying and it's Consequences'.
She didn't shift her line of sight until Mr Dell told her to get a chair and sit down to watch the performances.
The other groups performed and then it was my turn.
I stood up and discussed with Paul, Simon (Unfortunately), Mike, Harvey and Jack what backstage was and our final preparations for the performance.
"Bullying and it's Consequences," Mike presented.
We got into our places and started the drama.
It was about a boy (Harvey) who was bullied by a gang (Me, Mike, Paul and Jack) who kill him and then the policeman (Simon) takes them to prison.
We got to the bit when we killed Harvey.
Penny was watching intently; I didn't know why she was so interested in the murder.
I brandished the knife and held it to Harvey's throat.
"You're dead, you piece of garbage," I snarled through gritted teeth.
I pulled the knife towards me and secretly squirted ketchup onto his throat. Harvey fell backwards with a loud 'THUD!' and stayed still and silent.
I ran out of the scene and onto backstage.
I could still see Penny but she wasn't looking at me. She was making small movements with her right hand. It was like a stabbing movement but...Also like a cutting movement.
The rest of the groups performed and then it was the end of the lesson.
