Playing With Fire

Welcome to Elkwood

"Welcome to Spanish one, your new first hour class. I'm Mrs. Wahl," the teacher at the front of the room said. I looked around in awe. There was maybe ten kids in this class, at best. At my old school, a class of thirty students was small. This was almost comparable to senior ditch day class sizes.

"So, I'm not going to lie, you're probably going to hate this class. Wahl is known as the school's worst teacher," Callie whispered. I groaned and slid down in my chair. Of course I get stuck with the worst teacher in the school first hour when my schedule was supposed to be full of the best teachers in Colorado. My luck.

"Miss Jackson! I understand you are new to the school, but I'm not going to make any exceptions for misbehavior. Sit up, please, and quit disrupting class with your lack of excitement. I would expect better from a former student of Academy of Scholars," Mrs. Wahl snapped. Heads turned and looked at me as I reluctantly sat up.

"Yeah, well I must say, as a former student of Academy of Scholars, you are already the kind of teacher I would expect to see at, to put it nicely, a small town, public school," I hissed, not even bothering to look at her. I was normally a very respectful  person. However, people like her lose my respect the instant I meet them.

"Miss Jackson, I am not normally the type to give out detentions, but..."

"Yeah right," Callie laughed, interrupting Mrs. Wahl's lecture before she could even get into it.

"Okay, well, since you don't seem to believe me, Miss Porter, you and your new friend here can both participate in the first detention of the year," Mrs. Wahl replied icily. She marched back to her desk, grabbed a pink notepad, and handed both of us papers that she ripped from it.

"Thanks! I just can't wait," Callie squealed, making the whole ten people in our class laugh. Mrs. Wahl huffed and turned back to the front of her room, muttering something about disrespectful teens.

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The instant the bell rang, Callie and I were out of our seats and at the door.

"Well that was probably the worst hour of my life. Do we really have to suffer through that torture every morning for the rest of the year?" I whined as Callie looked at my schedule to figure out where I had to be second hour.

"Yep, sadly. Except for one day at the midterm finals and one day during the actual finals because we only have even classes those days," Callie told me as we began working our way through the maze of hallways.

"This is crazy. At Academy, every one of these halls would have been packed. It's so empty here," I murmured, looking around. Callie just laughed and shook her head.

"I would say you're going to get used to it, but I wouldn't know. Actually, the only person who really would is Lacie, and, well, never mind. You'll hear about it eventually," she trailed off.

"What? No! You can't do that to me! Hear about what?" I questioned.

"Oh look, we're here! And you have Mack and Dani in this class, lucky you. I better go find Lorenzo. See you after this hour," Callie called, already taking off down the hall.

"You're the new girl, aren't you?" asked the blond that had suddenly appeared by my side. I jerked away, surprised by the sudden appearance.

"Um, yeah, I'm Blaire Jackson," I introduced myself, holding my hand out for a handshake.