Entering a classroom this late can be quite nerve wracking. I was almost 15 minutes late to a class I despised with a face that screamed "Guys I just cried over a rude boy and his rude tongue!"
The class was already in full swing and Mrs. Nolan, my History teacher, sent a venomous glare down my way as soon as she heard me. I bent my head even lower and scurried to my seat and took it. The class droned on and I must admit, it was even more difficult to catch up than usual due to the material I had missed in the beginning.
The warning bell for the second period rang and I waited till the class started clearing out. I went towards the front desk to apologize to my teacher when she suddenly handed me a yellow slip of paper. The detention paper was signed for today.
"I know that if I didn't give you detention today, you'll miss class again. This is just so you wouldn't find the class more difficult than it already is." She cooed carefully, afraid that if she said something to upset me, I'll go slit myself open just like my father. I gave her a brief nod and left the classroom.
On the way to my locker I saw the group of boys I hate so very much. I was about to turn around and walk the other way, when I spotted Mr. Thompson and Josie huddled in the corner of the hallway. They were having a heated discussion and she looked troubled. Her eyes found me from over his shoulder and she gave me a pleading look and I instantly acted on impulse. She had told me how she felt about that teacher.
I walked very briskly towards them and tried to ignore the words they were calling me. I stopped in my tracks when one of the words was 'murderer'. I turned around only to find Harry leaning against the lockers with his friends surrounding his tall frame. They looked aghast as I knew none of them expected a word as vile as that to slip Harry's mouth. The bastard was just smirking at me probably very proud, while I felt heat build up my chest.
I gave him a sad glare as I did not know what to say. I thought about my useless tongue and how I've held it once again and turned on my heel and walked towards the Math teacher who looked as if he was smothering his student.
"Mr. Thompson, Josie is being asked for by Mrs. Nolan." I informed him causing him to turn his head lazily towards me.
He regards me for a second before turning back to the girl behind him, who looked as if she would pass out any moment.
"I didn't know you took History, Josie." He purrs. I felt rather disturbed by his croaky voice and reached over him to grab Josie's arm.
"Well she does and she's being called." I pulled her towards me from behind him and dragged her tall lanky body to my locker without looking back.
The bell for second period rang as I turned back to my friend.
"What was he telling you?" I ask her urgently. She looked at me gratefully, ignoring my question and leaned in to give me a small hug.
"Thanks for that Aspyn." She said quickly as she looked around at the emptying hallway before looking back at me.
"Second period. Let's not get late for class. I've already got detention from Mr. Thompson today and I don't think my parents would appreciate more."
"Oh I've got detention from Mrs. Nolan today." I let her know and she gave me an funny look.
"Didn't know someone like you would land up in detention. I'd like to talk to you after detention though." I nodded once again and mumbled an "okay" while she turned around to the now empty hallway.
I begun to gather my books really quickly for my second period.
--
The school day was exhausting and I felt spent by the end of the day. I walked back to my locker to take home my bag when I remembered the detention slip that was placed carelessly in my History text book. I rolled my eyes and felt like crying again.
I took my phone out and texted my mom about my detention before turning to my locker again to gather the books for today's homework. I'd be spending an hour in detention so might as well get some of the homework done.
I clenched the slip in my hand while walking to the room assigned to me. Mrs.Nolan was sitting in the front desk and grading projects while I walked into the classroom. She gave me a small nod and I turned to the class in search of a seat. I spotted a tangled mass of curly brown hair and was instantly tempted to flee the room.
Keeping my eyes on the rude boy at the back of the classroom, who's head was bent down as he was concentrating on whatever work he was doing, I took an empty seat as far away from him as I could possibly can.
I took my work out as well and calmed myself down for a few minutes before feeling miserable again. Why did he call me a murderer today? He even implied it to me slightly as he pinned me against the wall today morning. He had begun tyrannizing me a few months after my father killed himself and I still don't have a clue as to why. I made up mind. I am going to talk to him about this today and I will do it very boldly. He probably thinks I'm an idiot who doesn't have a tongue and I probably am. But I'm going to try to prove him wrong.
Feeling a bit better, I start my work.
--
"You can go home now and I don't want to see any one of you here again." Mrs. Nolan announced as she looked at everyone slowly, as if giving them a silent warning. When her eyes landed on me, I looked away.
As the kids were leaving the room, I saw Harry standing up from his seat to leave as well. He looked at me for the first time in detention and his face contorted into an expression of surprise and amusement. Kind of like something Josie had given me that day. He then proceeded to leave the classroom like everyone else and I felt a surge of energy as I realized I had wanted to confront him about his behavior. I scrambled out of my seat and was reaching the door of the classroom as I saw Josie standing out of it looking even more distraught than when I had seen her earlier in the day. I remembered she had wanted to talk to me about something as well.
I looked between Harry, who was now preparing to leave school and go back home, and her face and sighed and walked over to the girl who looks like she's about to throw up.
She gazes at me as if in a trance and breaks into tears as she envelops me into a hug once again.
"Josie, What's happening? What's wrong?" I pat her back trying to comfort her as best as I could.
"I want to talk to you. Something terrible is going on and I need your help." She rambles as she pulls away from the hug and walks into the girl's room. I followed her in and when I entered the room she was opening the doors of all the stalls to check if the room is fully vacant, while I stared at her holding on to my homework tightly.
"Mr. Thompson is a terrible man." She whispered to me, despite being in an empty room, tears now rolling down her already wet cheeks. She grabbed my shoulders and whispered even more loudly. "I don't even know what I am supposed to do! Who even made him a teacher here?"
It was my turn to speak now. I placed my homework onto the sink top and held on to her elbows.
"Josie I need you to tell me what he did to you." I whispered lowly, hoping that it was not as worse as what I thought it was.
"Aspyn," She pauses as she looks at the door, as if expecting him to burst through the door and then looked back at me. "Aspyn, I've been sexually assaulted by that man at least twice."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi everyone :) If you didn't really understand what's in this chapter dw i didn't either. To clear doubts please check out the 2nd chapter again where towards the end as Aspyn leaves the school Josie is made to stay back for longer because of Mr. Thompson taking advantage of her. And yes, he did assault her on this day as well.I hate that old man
Have a lovely day :)
shreya
