You Don't Know Me

Lusketeers

CHAPTER 13

The weekends fly by very quickly and I’m dreading the day that is to come. I walk into registration, glad that I’m the only there. But it's not long before everyone comes rushing in. I put my head down on my desk so I don't have to look at the people around me. I feel someone's presence sitting right next to me. Uninvited. I look up to see Joe staring back at me. 'Get lost!'

'How can I? You're always following me.' The boys around him laugh and shout 'burned!'

'Burned? Do I look like I’m on fire?' I sarcastically ask and they shout 'burned,' again. I just scoff and put my head back down.

I keep moving around in my seat, trying to sit comfortably but I give up, so I just sit normally in my seat. 'You decided against sleeping then I see?' I just look at Joe, give him a dirty look then turn my head back again.

The door opens and Lucy, Lily and Liz walk into the classroom. I avert my gaze and pretend to be on my phone. They take their seat at the back and talk amongst themselves. 'I think Liz has replaced you.' Joe's annoying voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

'Who asked you for your opinion?' I'm so used to hearing his friends saying 'burned,' that I wonder why they're not saying anything because I’m pretty sure that counts as one. I look up to see what his friends are doing and notice that they're laughing amongst themselves.

 'I was just saying man! There is no need to bite my head of you know!'

'Seriously get lost Joe, you're just giving me a headache!'

'I apologise for the inconvenience, Kiera, but my mind is like a living map and therefore I will be unable to accommodate you with your request.' 

'That's it!' I rise out of my chair and say 'sir, please tell Joe move.' Everyone turns their heads to look at me and I realise I shouted. The class is pretty silent and I hate silence.

'Why would I do that Kiera?' Asks Mr. Mason.

 'Because his existence is giving me a headache.'

'Then surely you should move.'

'No, I came here first.'

'Sir, she's lying, I came here first.' I look down at him and give him a death stare.

 'Kiera, I can't exactly do anything, just ask him nicely or you'll have to move.' The class is still silent but I honestly don't care anymore.

'Joe, please move?'

'I'd love to-'

'See, there's your answer Kiera.'

'Sir, I haven't finished,' says Joe, so Mr. Mason motions for him to continue, 'I’d love to but I just got comfortable, sorry Kiera.' The class erupts in laughter at his response and I just stand there in embarrassment.

 'Kiera, just go and sit at the back beside Liz.'

'I'm fine where I am,' I scoff and sit down. I hear Liz mutter something but I can't make out what she said, it doesn't matter as I couldn't care less anyway. Joe opens his mouth but I just say 'get a life.'

'I already have one, thank you; maybe you should follow your own advice.' I can't take it anymore. This is by the far the longest fifteen minutes of registration in my entire life and Mr. Mason hasn't even started registration yet. There's a knock at the door and Mr. Whiteside asks 'can I borrow Kiera for a short while?'

'Yes, of course.' Perfect timing! I mentally cheer as I collect my things and head out the door but then I start thinking of all the bad I've done recently. We walk in silence and finally get to his office. He holds the door out for me and I walk inside. 'Sit down, I won't bite.' I just look at him and obey. 'So, Kiera, I believe we didn't finish our chat.' 

'What chat?'

'The one we had a few days ago.'

'Oh. That chat?'

'Yes, what is going on Kiera?'

'Nothing.'

'Abuse is a very serious issue and I need to know.'

'I know Sir, that's why I didn't come to you, it's not serious, and I said that my dad was a terrible dad after he told me to study hard. He didn't understand that it's hard for me so I wished he was dead and he slapped me, that's it.'

'Why didn't you tell me this before?'

'Because I was ashamed and I knew you'd judge me,' I say looking down.

 'Kiera, we could've settled this problem a while ago, you know that right?' I nod my head. 'You can go off to class now but just call Lucy for me. Do you know what class she's in?' I nod my head again before leaving the room. I know Lucy has English and the only reason I know that is because I’m in that class. I knock on the door and say 'Mr. Whiteside wants to speak with Lucy now.' 

'Shouldn't you be in this class Kiera?'

'Yes, I know, it's just that Mr. Whiteside wants to speak to me as well (total lie), I'll be quick and I'll catch up,' (another lie). He nods his head and Lucy walks out the door. 'Why does he want to speak to me?' I look at her because I’m sure she should know, 'Lily saw my dad slap me that day my parents were called in and she told Mr. Whiteside.'

'What?' She gasps. 'That's not even the bad part.' She looks at me so I continue, 'my dad said to me, if I ever pulled a stunt like this, he'd come after you and Lily also told him that.'

'Oh my God!'

'I know, come on, lets go to the toilets, I'll fill you in there, anyone can hear us here,' I say, dragging her into the toilets.

We walk into the toilets and I say 'I told him, I deserved it, that I wished my dad was dead because he told me to try harder in school and stuff like that, so my dad slapped me, but it wasn't abuse.'

'Did he fall for it?' I shrug my shoulders before saying 'I honestly don't know, he wants to talk to you though.'

'What am I supposed to say? What if he asks why your dad said my name?'

'I don't know, just make something up and I'll come over to yours later, so tell me then, don't text me though, anyone can find our phones and read the texts.' She nods her head and says 'Wait for me?'

'Sure, but come on, let's go, we've already wasted enough time here in the toilets.' 

'Okay.' We walk to Mr. Whiteside's office and Lucy knocks, then she turns to me and mimes 'wait' and I just mime back 'I know.' She walks inside his office and closes the door. I can't hear anything they're saying which causes me to panic. They could be saying anything!

I tap my right foot and chew my nails. My eyes dart back and forth to the clock, with an angry expression, why can’t it tick any faster?

The moment is no longer 60 seconds, but much more. I get up and start pacing back and forth, pulling at the long sleeves of my shirt. I start running my hands through my blonde locks, while stealing a peek at the clock at the top right hand corner of the blank white wall. Only two minutes have passed. I feel like I’m going to die, I can't take it anymore.

Liz arrives and asks 'what are you doing here?'

'I could ask you the same thing.' She just rolls her eyes and says 'well, I’m here supporting my best friend, what are you doing here?' Before I could answer her question, Lucy walks out of his office with an expression I can't read on her face. She opens her mouth to say something but closes it as she realises Liz is here. 'Lucy, finally!' She runs up to her giving her a massive hug. She just saw here a while ago! 'Come on, Luce; let's go find our third lusketeer.'

'Lusketeer?' I say, giving them a confused look and Liz begins explaining, 'yes, lusketeer, we're a three, so it's like the three musketeers but all our names begin with the letter l so-'

'Yes, l for loser,' I mutter, interrupting her but they heard me which causes Liz to scoff and say ‘come on Lucy, let's go.' Linking their arms, Liz walks away with Lucy by her side.