Vanilla & Smoke || A.I.

Kindle.

Kindle
/kin-dl/
verb
to set fire or ignite

~~~

To his credit, Mr.Irwin didn't even stop talking when the two students walked in, though everyone else froze, eying the late students and then the teacher wearily.

The classroom had changed since their last lesson, but only minorly. The trash can was moved, now out of the way, likely because Mr.Irwin had had trouble remembering where it was and had almost tripped over it multiple times. There was also a new keyboard at his computer- a braille one. But neither Thora nor Calum noticed either of these changes. No, Calum didn't care and Thora was more focused on a different change.

Above the door was a newly hung little bell that dinged happily upon entering the room- and would do the same whenever someone tried to leave. Thora couldn't help wondering whether she was the reason behind that- after all, the last time she had talked to the blind teacher, she'd backed out of the room quietly, not letting him know she left. It seemed as though he didn't appreciate it.

Calum sat in his seat loudly, coughing, doing just about anything short of calling out to get the teacher's attention. Yet Mr.Irwin continued rattling on, something about the significance in different forms of symbolization.

Calum cleared his throat once more. "Morning, Irwin."

Still the teacher showed no sign that he noticed the boy at all, continuing to talk as he scribbled on the board. "Can someone give me an example of symbolization from Romeo and Juliet, which I believe you read last year?"

Calum's eyes shifted to Thora, actually uncomfortable for once in his life. He was used to a lot of things, but being ignored was not one of them.

"The title has symbolism," Luke called out from the back. "It's 'Romeo and Juliet', not 'Juliet and Romeo'. Because he died first."

The teacher scratched his cheek with the end of the marker, looking slightly disgruntled. "That's an interesting theory. Everyone, I would like you to write a few sentences on any examples you came up with. If you didn't remember any, you may use Mr.Hemmings' example, and explain why or why not you agree with him." Everyone began writing like the teachers pets they were, except for two slightly confused teenagers with paint stained hands and empty notebooks. "And would the two late students please report to my desk, I'd like to talk about to consequences of your actions with you."

What a teacher, using words like 'consequences' and 'discuss'. Such an adult.

It was better than writing anyways, so Thora and Calum stood and walked to the desk, Calum with his breakfast burrito in hand. "Hey, Irwin, what's up?"

The teacher was not amused. "What are you eating?"

"Chips," Calum immediately lied, taking advantage of him.

"Doesn't smell like chips."

"They have guac."

"Do you find it funny, taking advantage of me? Does it make you feel proud?"

Thora didn't have to turn around to know that no one was writing any more, instead watching the drama unfold. Some of the people liked Calum and Thora- they didn't really get in anyone's way, and sometimes they were funny. No to mention they were hot. But there were definitely people in the class that hated them, that smiled at their scoldings and loved the idea of them failing.

Someone snickered.

"Quiet," Mr.Irwin commanded, causing the entire classroom to become of graveyard of silence at his aggressive tone. He stood up, his posture dominating and showing that he was completely, without a doubt, in charge. "Mr.Hood, from now on I expect to be called Mr.Irwin, or sir from you. I am your suppior, and I expect you to remember that. Furthermore, you will receive a detention for every time you fail to remember this. Am I clear?"

Silence.

"I asked you a question. Am I clear?"

No response. Calum was staring down the teacher, sending him a glare that made Thora wince. But Mr.Irwin didn't know that, he couldn't see it. Instead, it was radio silence.

He cleared his throat. "One hour after school detention. I will add another, but I don't want to. Am I clear or am I not?"

Calum swallowed, his Adams apple bobbing. He was tiptoeing on the line between tears and fury, leaning more towards tears. "Yes sir."

The teachers expression softened at his words. Maybe he could tell that Calum was just about ready to tear up from the humiliation, just from hearing the end quiet tones in his voice.

Turning his head in more of Thora's direction, he extended his hand slightly. "Do me a favor and put my hand on your shoulder. Right one."

She did so, glancing at Calum worridly. He was staring at his shoes.

"You don't make anyone else do this," she questioned, and normally Thora's voice would've been firm and angry when making such an accusation, but not now. Now it was quiet, almost rebellious, almost embarrassed.

"You wouldn't know," he scorned. "You never come to class."

It seemed as though she had made a mistake coming today.

"And, I don't want a repeat of the last time we talked. Leaving without announcing it is low, extremely low, too low for you. Detention."

To clarify, none of the teachers ever gave Calum or Thora detention. They taught the lesson, whether or not they showed up to class, and did their best to coexist without paying too much attention to them, besides maybe a scrornful, or sometimes lustful look.

So this was a big deal. "You can't... do that."

"I'm your teacher. Everyone else in this school may be afraid of you, but sorry to tell you, I'm not. A shame, I know."

"You're a crap teacher," Calum decided. He'd fallen off the tightrope, on the side of anger. "You're pathetic and you don't care about learning, you just want people to show up to your stupid class."

His glasses shifted when he inhaled deeply, the dark glass reflecting the overhead lights. Thora stared into them, looking for something, anything, but only found her own reflection looking back at her.

"What's symbolism?" Mr.Irwin asked quietly.

"I don't know. It doesn't matter."

"Does your diploma matter?"

A shrug. "Maybe."

"Does this class matter?"

"No."

"To get that diploma, you need to pass this class," Mr.Irwin spat out, and for a blind man, he seemed to be staring directly into Calum's head, reading his thoughts like a receipt. "To pass this class, you need to do well on the test, and to do well on the test, you have to understand symbolism. I'm going to ask again. Does symbolism matter."

Calum was done fighting. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes... sir."

A blank stare. "Don't forget it."

He took his hand away from Thora's shoulder, putting it on his chair rest so he could slowly sit down. "Both of you will have after school detention for the remainder of this week, starting today. I will be there, and if you skip, I can assure you that you will not pass this class."