poison | parker | book one

CHAPTER ONE

[LITTLE ONE]

•

"Mari, are you listening to me?"

A coarse yell drew her out of her book. She closed it under the desk and put her hands on the keyboard of her laptop.

"Yes, Miss Dube," she lied.

The teacher approached her desk, stopping two away. Mari's brows were cocked, ready for whatever her teacher dealt her.

She felt everyone's stare on her, and her shoulders drew taught behind her in discomfort.

"You're staying after class," the lady said calmly. She adjusted her spectacles before walking back to her whiteboard. Dube sat in her swivel chair and tapped a button on her laptop.

A projection displayed itself on the whiteboard and students began to type hurried notes on 'The Brachial Artery and Surrounding Nerves.'

Mari's fingers took down sloppy notes that her brain didn't want to comprehend after her embarrassment. She reminded herself to go over the lesson tonight instead.

After what seemed like an eon of a powerpoint, the projection turned off and the lights went on. The bell rang and students fled.

Mari shoved her laptop into her bag and slung it over her shoulders.

"If you need the notes," a voice came from behind her, "I can send them to you." She looked over her shoulder to the voice's speaker. There stood her lab partner, Peter Parker.

"I'll read over the lesson. Thanks though," she said nonchalantly. Turning, she gripped her book and approached the teacher's desk.

Dube stepped in front of her oversized desk and leaned her bum onto the lip of it. Mari stood in front of her.

"I don't understand you," Dube admitted. "You read your little book in my class, ignore what I teach, and still manage to get A's."

Mari shrugged, not really knowing how to respond.

"I need you to focus in my class and to put in the work. I need to see that you understand what I teach. Okay? I can't have you slacking off on homework, but passing with flying colors on exams. Alright?"

The bell rang.

"Yes, Miss Dube," Mari spat out.

"Okay. What class do you have next?" Dube asked.

"Mister Feller's Honors English."

Dube nodded and jotted a late pass down. She handed it to Mari, who headed toward the door. "By the way, Mari, I'm doing a pop quiz tomorrow. No one knows, just you. I suggest you study."

"Thank you," she smiled in gratitude before finally ducking out. Mari trotted through the empty halls toward her English class, held in the auditorium.

Feller's boring voice droned on for twenty minutes, talking about subject-verb agreement.

Before long, he retired to his desk and fell asleep in his swivel chair. His glasses slid aimlessly down his nose.