Wolfblood

Chapter Sixteen

Once all students and teachers were out the building, students were told to line up in single files across the playground.

"What'd you go and do that for?!" Shannon huffed, stomping from the front to the back of the line as Maddy and Rhydian approached.

"Shan-" Maddy began.

"You are mental, Rhydian Morris! Just because you want to waste your own time, doesn't mean you get to waste everybody elses'!" Shannon shouted as fellow pupils watched them.

"Right. Your attention, please!" Mr. Jeffries announced, walking up to the lines of students, "Go to your form room - use this as time to revise! And you," He pointed to Rhydian, "are coming with me to see the headteacher!" 

"Yes, Sir." Rhydian obliged, "Laters Maddy." He murmured as he followed Mr. Jeffries indoors.

Maddy turned to Shannon, "Why don't you just back off?!"

"What?!" Shannon scoffed.

"Jumping to daft conclusions!"

"Who are you to talk?!" Shannon responded, "You've been treating Tom like dirt! How many more times are you gonna let him down, eh Maddy?"

"Look, I know he's sensitive but I just got a little bit more to deal with than babysitting Tom today, okay?!" She yelled, about to storm off but stopping in her tracks as she made eye contact with Tom. Tom stood closer to the front of the line as students around let out small laughs at Maddy's comment.

Shannon shook her head, "Well. You know where to find us when you feel like rejoining the human race." 

Maddy clenched her jaw as she watched Shannon disappear into the crowd of students wandering back indoors.

"He's mad, that boy!" Maddy heard Katrina gossiping with the other K's as students sat back at their desks, "Wonder what got into him this time."

"He's not mad. He's just a rebel, he can't help it!" Kara grinned.

"Oh, you think so, do ya?!" Kay argued, "Well you must be right. Being so clever and all!"

Kara's smile soon turned to a frown as she watched her friend.

Maddy turned in her chair to face the three K's, "Look, you don't know what you're talking about! Any of ya! So why don't you just leave it?!"

"Did- Did someone speak?" Kay sniggered, "Oh, my bad, I must be hearing things!" She laughed with Katrina, raising her hand for a high five.

Kara remained quiet, looking at Kay with gloomy eyes as their laughters died down.

"You don't have to hang out with us, you know." Kay huffed, lowering her hand.

"Yeah!" Katrina joined in, "Go hang out with your smart friends if you think you're better than us." She challenged, smiling to Kay.

Kay and Katrina watched, taken aback as Kara stood up from the desk and moved to another.

"Hey Shan, what you doing after school?" Kara questioned Shannon, knowing the other K's would be staring.

Shannon kept her head down to her book as she responded, "Now why would you want to know that, Kara?"

Kara quickly sat down beside Shannon and said "I thought, maybe, we could revise together? Is that okay?"

Shannon glared at Kara for a moment, before looking over to Maddy. Maddy quickly turned away, upset and angry.

"You know what? It is okay," Shannon smiled, "I thought I'd head over to the Science lab."

"Great!" Kara beamed. 

Kay stared in anger at the pair, as Maddy bit her lip anxiously. 

Rhydian and Mr. Jeffries were walking down the corridor towards the headmaster's office.

"Sorry Sir, I panicked!" Rhydian admitted, "All those numbers just started... swirling."

"Swirling?" Mr. Jeffries repeated, halting in his stride.

Rhydian watched him for a second, questioning whether he could get away with this, before replying "Yes, Sir. Swirling."

"Hm, perhaps the headteacher doesn't need to be involved at this point." Mr. Jeffries said, looking at Rhydian with concern.

"No, Sir?" Rhydian questioned with hope.

Mr. Jeffries shook his head as he and Rhydian began walking back down the corridor, "No."

They strolled back down the way they came, and down a second corridor before turning into Mr. Jeffries office.

"I really ought to discuss it with your Foster parents," Mr. Jeffries strolled across the room, "They'd need to fill in one of these." 

He searched through a pile of papers as Rhydian looked around the room.

"Here we are." He announced, holding the papers in his hand as he handed them to Rhydian, "Right, ask them to sign this and we'll see about getting you assessed."