Playing With Fire (Previously Burning The Bad Boy) (UNDER RECONSTRUCTION)

{12} When All Else Fails

There was not a chance in hell I was going to allow any indication that Damon's words affected me show.

Dragging myself to school Monday morning proved to be a chore. My thoughts were a jumbled loop of Damon's words replaying in my head. I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that his words were meaningless, they shouldn't have affected me in any way.

And maybe they weren't what was bothering me.

It could have been the look of total vulnerability and desperation in Damon's eyes seconds before he spat his hurtful words in my face. It could have very well been that I didn't appreciate the way he'd taken his anger and aggression out on me.

Stepping out of the chilly October air and into the warmth of the school, my eyes drifted from one locker to another along the empty hallway. In an attempt to wash down my guilt, I had decided to show a little early and study the material I'd missed Friday. My brilliant idea to proved to be more of a challenge than I imagined when I found Damon rocking back and forth in his chair at the back of the classroom.

Swallowing my anger and pride, I found my seat and slowly began unpacking my notebook and pen. I didn't have to peer over my shoulder to know Damon was watching me; I could feel it. I could physically feel the holes he was burning into the back of my head, and it definitely made me feel uneasy. I shifted in my seat, gnawing at the inside of my lip in anticipation.

"Mr. Fox, do you care to share what it is that you find so amusing?" Mr. Hudson, our short middle-aged Government teacher questioned angrily.

I lifted my head and looked back at Damon, catching him mid-laugh.

"How much time do you have?" he leaned forward on his desk with a raised brow.

Mr. Hudson's cheeks reddened in anger. "Do you think you're funny, son?"

"I try to be." Damon laughed. Something about the way it sounded wasn't right, but I couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

"Do you know what I think would be funny?" Mr. Hudson said. "Writing you up a referral. Then you can see how funny Mrs. Nelson thinks you are."

I cleared my throat to cover up a laugh; sadly it wasn't enough. Mr. Hudson whirled on me with a dark look. "Is something funny, Miss Thomas?"

"No, sir." I mumbled, cheeks flushing.

He stared at me for a moment. "Do you care to make up the work you missed Friday in detention?"

I gaped at the teacher, reeling too much shock to realize how illogical and wrong it was for him to do what he was doing.

"Mr. Hudson, I did nothing wrong. I-"

"You were disrespecting me by laughing while I was conversing with another student." he responded.

I leaned back in my seat, arms crossed as I waited to receive the small slip of paper he was currently scribbling on to. He slapped the paper on my desk and crouched down so he was eye level with me.

"Next time you think about disrespecting a teacher, you'll be spending some time with Mr. Fox over there in the Dean's office. Are we clear?" he said without an ounce of sympathy.

Biting back a crude remark, I nodded curtly and forced a grimace. "Yes, sir. It won't happen again."

The bell sounded just as Mr. Hudson maneuvered his way between the desks. I shot a look over my shoulder at Damon just in time to meet his cold blue eyes. I don't know what I really expected to see, but all I was faced with was the cold empty shell of the Damon Fox that had been present in his seat only a few minutes before.