It's been a few days since New Kid first arrived here to Sweton High. In my terms, it's been a few millennia since Hell invaded Earth.
Not a single second in school passes without him - with the exception of lunchtime, of course, seeing as I lock myself in the music room then - and I am so tempted to call the cops. Not to get him arrested for harassment, but to prevent me from killing him.
To be honest I am so close to doing that today in tech class. Nothing is holding me back. The entire room screams, "Kill. Kill. Kill!" repeatedly with the saws and drills and whatnot hanging in unlocked shelves. Some idiot teacher has forgotten to lock it again and it almost cost New Kid a ride in a coroner's van.
He peaks at my work and I glare at him. His big head is blocking most of my view. "You know you could refine that part, right, little Mel?" he asks, ignoring my obvious intent to kill.
I don't answer. I just skip over my supposedly imperfect design and kept on drawing.
He sighs and pulls out his eraser. Avoiding my hands, he begins to erase furiously. I take my newly sharpened pencil and jabs it in his hand. May I just say, I love them sharp and fine.
He winces and pulls back. "I was just trying to help. You gotta curve the end of your 'e' more, like this." He then grabs my paper and drags his mechanical pencil across the surface. When he finishes, he hands it back to me. "Here."
He re-draws the "e" so that it touches the stem of the "l" and immediately makes a sharp curve back out, as if it is repelled by the "l". Sadly, he is right. The way he draws it makes it look like half of a heart, just as I want, whereas mine looks like part of a pretty "M".
"Thanks," I mutter.
He grins at that. "So, little Mel admits I'm right?" I scowl. "The world must be coming to an end."
I slap his arm.
"Aw... you know you love me, Mel."
Thank goodness the bell rings at that exact second because if it didn't, I would have grabbed that pretty rusted hammer from the shelf behind me and bashed his head in.
Nothing is going the way it used to. I couldn't tell the future anymore. Now, I can tell when something is coming, but now I am usually slightly early or late, or I'd get some minor details wrong, or I'd get it completely wrong. I've to get used to not being able to know what is happening next, but I'm not adjusting quite well yet.
That's why when the bell rang, I jump so high I fall off my seat and onto the cold hard floor. This room is different from all the other rooms. Here, every sound bounces off the walls, becoming powerful waves of vibration, rather than plain sounds. So even one like I could tell if the bell is ringing or not.
New Kid is finding joy in that - he basks in them. Chuckling, he holds out his hand to me. Of course, I slap his hand away and get up by myself.
"Though we're starting the Name Tag assignment in the middle of your Bridge assignment - because we don't have enough time at the end of the year for it," Mr. Teslani announces after calling everyone's attention, "don't forget the Bridge one. That's at-home work so I can only give you the materials you need, and advice. Good luck." Then he dismisses us.
"With that said, when do you want to start it?" New Kid asks. "I don't know about you, but I don't plan on failing anytime soon."
Sadly, I can't fail too. If I do, I would be the one in the van, not him. Mom permits no failing grade, meaning no marks below eighty. "Saturday?" It would be a long weekend because the Monday after is a P.A. Day, so we have all the time in the world.
