Vanilla & Smoke || A.I.

Charcoal.

Charcoal.
/'CHär ,kol/
adjective
a black pigment consisting of a charred substance

~~~

Thora wasn't one to follow the rules, yet for some reason she found herself in Mr.Irwin's class the next day, early as he'd requested.

Calum had made fun of her of course, claiming that it didn't matter, but Thora just waved him off and went to class.

The classroom was a little bit too warm and a little bit too clean. And, a little too empty, which Thora realized when she came in to find no one else there besides the teacher himself. Seated at his desk with a black button up and dark slacks, Mr.Irwin looked a bit out of place with his dark sunglasses hiding his eyes, his short honey brown hair brushed to the side.

"You look like you're the president's bodyguard or something," Thora commented boredly as she sat on one of the desks closest to him, trying to annoy him. Most of the teachers would become furious it they saw someone sitting on the desks, and Thora had to remind herself that as Mr.Irwin was blind, he would likely not care.

He didn't react like she'd expected, instead giving a small smile and stopping typing. "Miss Faye. I'm assuming Calum is sick?"

"Horribly so. He was fine earlier, but when I told him I was going to your class he seemed to feel a little nauseas."

Mr.Irwin looked at her- or rather, tilted his head in her direction- and considered it. "A shame. We're going over complex sentences and double entendres."

"He'll regret missing it."

The teacher smirked, turning in his rolling chair with his arms crossed. He was a mixture of serious and joking that didn't quite make sense, but really, what did? He was a middle aged teacher with a slightly boyish haircut and eyes that didn't work like they were supposed to. "I need you to do me a favor," he muttered, tilting his head down.

Thora didn't move. She looking him up and down, her dark lashes fluttering slightly.

Mr.Irwin cleared his throat. "I apologize in advance, but can you deliver a message for me? The hallways are too busy for me right now."

If he could see, Mr.Irwin would see Thora swallow lightly, her hands clenching gently on the desk she was seated on. "No. I'm fine here."

His eyebrows rose above the sunglasses, not in anger but in mocking. "Go to the teachers lounge. Ask Mrs.Steffer 'what did the invention of the wheel create?'"

"I'm not going." Thora wasn't very good at sweetness or subtly, but Mr.Irwin didn't seem to hear her.

Or maybe he just didn't care.

"I want you back before the tardy bell rings."

"The teachers lounge is on the other side of the school," she scoffed, trying to make an excuse.

He stood up, rather shakily, and maneuvered around his desk until he was facing directly towards Thora, leaning on his desk casually. "Then I suggest you hurry. You have to pass my class to graduate, we couldn't have your grades slipping."

She may not have tensed earlier when he asked her what could've been an indecent question, but now she did, sitting back defensively. This was a direct threat.

"Teacher's lounge. Ask Mrs.Steffer 'what did the revolution of the wheel create?' I'd hurry if I were you. Not much time."

***********************************

There were many different types of teachers, with different teaching styles and methods of maddness. But Mr.Irwin resembled less of a teacher to Thora, and more of a unprofessional boss. The type who would convince secretaries that their salary was always that low, and interns that sucking him off in the break room was part of the job.

The hallways were crowded, which only made it more difficult navigating. The teachers lounge was a long way off, and Thora found herself walking faster than she would have liked to get there. By the time she pushed through the doors and interrupted multiple faculty members break, she'd almost forgotten the question.

The first bell had rang while she was still in the hallway, and Thora barely slipped back into the English classroom right as the tardy bell rang.
The class was silent, staring at the disheveled, panting girl who had just barged into class rather unceremoniously.

The only one who looked unsurprisingly was Mr.Irwin, who appeared slightly impressed but more amused, getting a laugh out of her discomfort. No one had to tell him who it was at the door.

"Ah, Miss Faye, nice for you to join us. Can you tell the class what the question I'd given you was?"

Something Thora dispised doing was being forced to regain her composure, but that's exactly what she needed to do at that moment. Standing straighter and swallowing the slight accumulation of saliva that had gathered behind her painted black lips, Thora looked challengingly at the annoying prick of a teacher and recited his stupid question. "It was 'what did the invention of the wheel cause.'"

"Pronounce the end differently. It's a question, not a statement."

Not much could rattle her, but for whatever reason this teacher made her want a longer skirt and a taller frame. "'What did the invention of the wheel cause?'" she repeated, this time in a more questioning tone.

The arrogant teacher nodded, a making a 'go on' motion with his hand. "And the answer?"

"A revolution."

A few confused looks intermittent with smirks and low chuckles.

"You may sit down."

Mr.Irwin crossed over to the whiteboard, trailing his hands over the metal bar underneath it and snatching up an expo marker, twirling it between his long fingers as Thora slid into his seat, her face slightly red.

In blue ink, he wrote on the board the words 'double endentre'. "Today, we will be reviewing the concept of a double endentre. Now, does anyone understand what it is? Feel free to call out." He was met with a silence. "A double endentre is a phrase that can be taken two ways; an innocent way, or a... more literal, often sexual way. Miss Faye gave us a wonderful example. 'What did the invention of the wheel cause?'" He turned to the class, smiling cheekily and raising his hand. "A revolution." He twirled his finger in a slow circle, and the room was filled with low hums and 'ohhs'.

He seemed rather proud of the wordplay, but Thora was unamused. Making a fool out of herself, practically running through the hallways, all for a bad pun?