Sh, it's a secret!

Chapter 3

"Lets make a deal," he said.

"You name it," I said nonchalantly. I was desperate but wouldn't let it show. I would do anything I could to stay at Academy K. I was ready to do the most unreasonable thing or an impossible task. Then he told me his request.

"Teach me how to make those," he said pointing to the heart-shaped macaroons in the display case.

"You want to learn how to make macaroons," I asked more than a bit bewildered. I never expected him to want such a simple favor. I nodded to make it look like I was considering, to make it look like I had leverage. I didn't. So basically I was bluffing.

"Can I ask why?" I was genuinely curious. I already had a few ideas on why he might want those. But if he wanted them he could have just bought them. Just then, Johnny came out from the back.

"Sorry sir," he said politely, "We have to lock up now."

"No problem," he said then he left.

As soon as my classmate closed the door behind him I had a small mental breakdown. I knew he was in my class but I didn't know his name. I must be a bigger snob than I thought.

"I'm an idiot," I thought, "I didn't even ask for his name. Stupid. Ugh!"

"So," Johnny had a way of making things sound polite even when they weren't, "is he gonna keep quiet?"

"We made a deal," I said banging my head on the counter while wondering how a student at Academy K can be so dumb. Why am I so dumb? "But I don't know if he'll keep his promise."

Johnny seemed to be thinking about it as he swept the floors. I went and took the trash out then locked the back door. I turned the lights off in the kitchen and grabbed the keys from a hook on the wall. When I came into the front, I helped Johnny stack the chairs on top of the tables. It was dark and cold outside. I couldn't believe it was already Christmas.

"I think he will," Johnny said," he doesn't look like the type to break a promise."

I wanted to ask how he knew, but I trusted Johnny and his intuition. I bit my upper lip, thinking hard about how I could possibly teach him how to make macaroons. I suck at teaching plus I was in no place to make negotiations and barely knew what this guy even wanted. He must have some ulterior motive. I just have to find out what it is.

We finished locking up. Normally, I rode my bike home but Johnny took the bus. We always go the same direction for about a block and a half. Today was no different. We both hated winter coats so we just wore layers and layers of hoodies and jackets. My cheeks turned red from the cold and I could see wisps of Johnny's breath as he spoke. And he wore his Hufflepuff scarf like he did every day when he was clearly a Slytherin. It bugged me.

"So are you guys close," he asked.

"Ha," I scoffed, "No. I don't even know his first name. I think it's like.....Drew, maybe... or something."

"You're in the same class, though."

"I don't have to be friends with everyone in my class."

"That's fair. I'm not friends with everyone in my class."

"You literally have four friends including me."

"And you literally have three including me AND that other kid. 'Drew, maybe or something'. Was that his name?"

"We're not friends."

"I'm not your friend?"

"I meant Drew, maybe or something. By the way, you're not a Hufflepuff."

"I've told you a million times..."

And so it went. I didn't have work or school for the next three days. We barely got any days off even though it was Christmas. I guess the Academy didn't want to discriminate. It's times like these when I wish I was Jewish. We didn't even get New Years Eve off. That's just rude. The days in between were pretty easy since so many students and teachers had gone on vacation. I stayed put year round.

I went into school the Monday after Christmas. My class typically had about 60-75 students. Our schedule at Academy K went as follows: the students are in the same classroom all day and the teachers rotate to different classrooms; there are 5 minutes between each hour-and-a-half period. The only time the kids moved was when they had electives. We had 4 classes a day but a total of 8 classes so our schedule was different everyday. Complicated, I know.

When I sat down in my desk, I realized I was one of only seven students in the classroom. Drew, maybe or something was also one of the seven. During the first lesson (math), I kept glancing his way and he kept glancing my way and every time we made eye contact it was awkward but it felt like we were having a conversation through stares. Maybe that was just me.

The five-minute break followed. I was putting away my calculator and notebook, and preparing myself for the next lesson (English), when he came up to me. Before he said anything I screamed, "WHAT'S YOUR NAME AGAIN?"

It was a lot louder than I meant it to be, but I didn't really care since there was barely anyone in the classroom. He looked more than a bit startled and answered quietly, "I'm Damian."

Damn it. Now I owe Johnny ten bucks.

Hello there. :)

Do you know the names of everyone in your class(es)? Maybe you do but there is NO way you are friends with ALL of them. What do you even do with that many friends? Don't ask me. I only have no friends.