Hidden Life (on hold)

Chapter 27:

Class was boring as usual but I could seem to take my mind off what had happened earlier no matter how much I needed to listen about what we were leaning for leaning for our tests.

That girl, Phoebe I think she said her name was? She could have just been a part of something way out of her league and it could have got her hurt. I don't like to see innocents get hurt. Another thing on my mind was the fact that Ryan wanted into the gang, he just didn't know how to find the right people and the fact that I was almost about to tell him, if only to see the shock on his face, is astounding. I think I must be loosing some of my touch.

"Maddison. Maddison. What is the answer? Maddison?!" The teacher makes my head snap up out of its resting place on my hand and I look from him to all of the faces of my classmates. Everyone is looking at me.

"Hmm? Sorry, sir. I zoned out."
"Clearly. What is the answer to the question on the board? If I wanted students to zone out in my classes, I would be a science teacher." He walks back to the front of the room shaking his head and muttering things to himself about how he should have gone into business, not teaching- or maybe that's just what I am thinking.

(I have got nothing against science or teaching, in fact, I would like to be a teacher when I leave school (a couple years + uni) and science is actually one of my many favourite subjects (besides the fact that I hate school in general) so no hate please!)

As he walks, I scan the board. On it he has written some question about some sort of dates which I have never seen nor heard of ever before. I am stuck.

"Um. Can I phone a friend....?" The class chuckles and the teacher just rolls his eyes.

"Sure, Maddison. If that is just another way of saying that you never play any attention in any of my classes and have no idea what the answer is, then go right on ahead."

I look around the room and notice that everyone has their head down and is looking intently at their work like it is actually interesting them. I am not stupid, I know that it is so that I don't ask them to help with the answer, but there is not a single person that I can see who looks like they can give me a tip.

"The answer is 'blablabla' was in 1901 and 'blablabla' was from 1914 to 1918" (guess what the dates are for a shoutout- the first one has something to do with Australia- if you guess the ones I am looking for).

I hear a feminine voice call out from behind me. I turn around and sigh when I see who it was.

The girl, Phoebe, who interrupted earlier with Ryan, was sitting two rows behind me and had just answered the question for me. Now she looks at me as if expecting something- a thanks maybe?

I turn around. I don't want her to think that we are friends or anything- she doesn't deserve that.

I can't help but wonder what it would be like to have a close girl friend or someone who I am close to, who isn't in the gang- who doesn't see me as the threatening gang leader- and who sees me as innocent. I would love to hear what they really think of the half-nerd me, considering that I have started to loose some of the nerd facade after that meeting with Ryan in the halls what seems like ages ago.

But I wipe those thoughts out of my head. I can't think like that- not when I am a gang leader who is targeted regularly and in danger all the time. I wouldn't want to put anyone else in danger with me who doesn't need to be, that's why I never get too close to anyone.

I notice that the teacher has gone back to talking to the class about one war or another which it seems that I will never need to know in my everyday life as soon as I step outside if this classroom. I can't wait to leave.

As if the universe was trying to make up for putting me on the spot before, the clock reaches the end of class and the teacher dismisses us, leaving everyone rushing out of the room and scrambling to leave behind the learning- at least until next lesson.

The hallways are crammed as everyone rushes out of their respective classrooms and through the heads I notice someone who has their gaze locked on me. Ryan.

All of a sudden though, he looks behind me and sees something that makes him scowl and walk even faster in my direction with raging, determined steps. Looking behind me, I once again see Phoebe and I scowl too. But when I turn back around, Ryan is in front of me and the crowds that were crammed in the halls were now parted like the Red Sea around both me and Ryan, leaving Phoebe standing in confusion from the sides.

"We have some unfinished business." Is all he says before grabbing my arm and pulling me through the hallways until we reach the front doors and exit the school into the car park. Looks like we are going for a trip...