Room 206 - Luke Hemmings

nine

A/N: kind of long but important author's note at the end, please read!! x

-

As I was walking with Eleanor to our last class of the day on Tuesday afternoon, I felt a buzz of excitement through everyone in the hallways. I sat down in my usual spot next to Eleanor and Alex came and set in the seat next to me, greeting me with his usual kiss to my cheek. 

Professor Hemmings was writing on the white board until the bell rang, setting down his pen and calling the class to his attention as a couple last minute students who were always late scrambled for their seats before he took attendance.

"Okay, class settle down," he said. "I have a few things I need to talk about before we get started."

The silence finally settled over the class and Professor Hemmings held up a paper, readjusting the glasses on his nose. "I have a message from Headmistress Morris that I've been asked to share with you."

Everyone already knew what it was; the word had been slipped the night before at dinner and everyone was already buzzing with excitement at what was to come.

"There has been a scheduled Autumn Dance for the students here exactly three weeks from this Saturday," he said. A bunch of kids started whispering anxiously throughout the class, and Professor Hemmings held his hand up for silence. "Students are allowed to leave town on Saturdays to shop for outfits for the dance but only with the accompaniment of a professor here at the school. The dance will be free to students, but if you do not wish to attend the dance you will either be supervised in the library by a professor or in your dormitories." 

The students in our class all started talking among each other, probably beginning to make plans but Professor Hemmings, again, silenced everyone.

"You can make plans for shopping for your dress or asking others to the dance later," he said. "I have a class to teach and the next person to interrupt my teaching with talk about this dance will earn themselves detention. Now, please open your books and turn to page 987."

-

"I knew there was going to be a dance!" Eleanor said, her elbow linked in mine as we walked to the library after class to do our homework. "I'm so excited, I'm going to get the most beautiful dress!"

"I never doubted there was going to be a dance anyways," I said. "We have them every couple years, the last time we had one was Year 10."

"Oh yeah, we did didn't we?" She said. "Wasn't that the time that one guy asked you and you went with him? Wasn't he one of Alex's friends too?"

"Ick, don't remind me," I said. "There was a reason I never dated him again after that night."

Eleanor laughed, bringing her voice down so only I could hear her. "Well I know that Alex is going to ask you, but I'm certainly hoping for Professor Hemmings to ask me to follow him to his office."

"You are such a whore!" I whisper yelled at my best friend, who only giggled loudly as we walked into the library, earning an obnoxious "SHHH!" from the librarian, spit flying through the air in front of her.

"Sorry!" Eleanor whispered loudly, pulling me to sit down at a table, though we were both still giggling as we pulled our books out to begin our homework.

Before long, we were joined by Blair and Eileen, who were both talking about the dance when they joined us as well. 

"You have to ask Karen!" I said excitedly to Blair, who turned pink at the mention of Karen's name.

"I don't know, I just met her," she said. "She transferred from another school and I still don't know if she even knows that I'm not just trying to be friends with her."