Kahoot x Reader

Chapter 22

If you want to talk about something seriously and realistically, Louise is your gal. That's not to say she doesn't joke around, she does, but sometimes it's nice to be serious while confiding in someone.

"I feel really overwhelmed with the choices, y'know? There's just so must to choose from and so many options...I really don't want to pick the wrong one," you sigh.

Though you should both be listening to Mr. Adams drone on about verb tenses, you're instead talking about jobs. There was a presentation on it this morning, almost identical to the ones they do each year, but this one really got you thinking. What were you going to do?

Louise picks at her nail. "Chill, you still have time to make any choice you want."

"I know that, but what if I make the wrong one?"

Her face softens, and it looks like she's going to comfort you, assure you that of course you'll make the choice that's perfect for you. But then her mouth stays shut, lips pursing, and she decides to go with the answer she really wants to say. "Then you do. You chose something horrible. Even if you chose something okay, there could have been something better out there, but because you're content with what you have you'll never look for something that makes you actually happy. You'll have no way of knowing what another choice would have caused. Who knows? Maybe in that other life you'd have had better friends, a better love life, been closer with your family, and everybody would be okay." You can't place the tone of her voice, but it's definitely not joyful. She inhales deeply.

"Louise, are you okay?"

Her knuckles are white, and her fingernails are marking little crescent moons into the palm of her hand. She exhales, releasing her fist.

"Yeah, I'm good."

Before she can change the subject, something else catches your attention. Well, all of your attentions, really.

Phoenix's computer erupts with a very loud sound. In fact, the sound is turned up so high that kids from other classrooms can probably hear it. Emitting from the speakers is a melody that reminds you of techno music (Kahoot is already jamming out) and it's like the song's music notes are hopping from block to block. Phoenix just grins.

The first time Phoenix forgot to turn the volume down while playing a game, his face flamed red and he slammed the screen shut. Now, all he does is smirk and play on, like he's doing right now. Bay tries not to smile at Phoenix from across the classroom.

Mr. Adams gives him a stern glare. "Phoenix, turn off your game. This is the fifth time this has happened in the past week."

"Sorry," Pheonix mutters, turning off the sound, but his eyes stay transfixed on his game of Tetris. Your eyes grow wide as his fingers dart across the arrow keys, blocks falling faster and faster like a downpour of rain. The colourful pieces lock into place on top of one another, edges forming seamless straight lines and growing taller and taller, reaching for the top. The table shutters as he slams down straight pieces one after another, and the big blocks they complete flash white before fading into the screen. He starts again.

"Why do I even try," whispers Mr. Adams, shaking his head. He leans back against his desk, nails tapping its edges and his foot moving to the now silent beat on the floor. The movement makes a piece of paper stick out of his pocket. Each shift makes that little slip of white appear more and more, edges bent and crinkled, until it falls out completely, free to the air. The tiny square glides gracefully underneath his desk and no one bats an eye. No one except you, that is.

Mr. Adams just continues his tapping.

Louise has finally decided to work, so you leave her be. Your brows furrow as you try to do so as well, pencil grasped in your fingers, but your hand just doesn't want to listen. You drop it with a huff, eyeing the barely visible corner of white lying under his desk. Forcing yourself to look away, you pick up your pencil and get back to work, but that mysterious paper stays at the back of your mind all class.

The bell rings. You put your work into your binder and click it shut, before haphazardly shoving everything in your bag and standing up. You feel a tug on your shoulder, and turn around just in time to see all of the contents of your bag spill onto the floor in a heap of loose papers and rolling pens. Great. A stray strap of your bag had stuck to the back of the chair, and you curse not taking the time to zip it shut.

You start shoving everything into your bag with even less care than usual. You're just finishing by the time all of the students have left the class, and Mr. Adams is waiting by the door.

"Make sure to close the door when you leave," he says, walking out into the hallway with the rest of the students.

Before long your bag is back on your shoulders, all of its contents restored. As you go grab the doorknob, a piece of white appears in the corner of you eye, and you turn to the desk. The paper is juuuust visible if you bend your knees and lean over, peeking under the desk.

You weren't going to, but since you're already here, why not find out what it is?

You throw your bag beside you and drop to your knees, hand shooting out underneath the workspace. You cringe at the dust tickling your fingertips, but that quickly morphs into a triumphant grin as you brush against a little square of paper. It's actually not paper at all, feeling much more glossy and smooth: a photograph.

You stretch as you pull it out from under the desk, and you push yourself off the ground. Brushing your knees with one hand and holding the photo with another, you look at it more closely, squinting your eyes as you do so. You freeze. Gently, you straighten up and grasp it with both hands. Embracing your inner Phoenix, you mutter under your breath "Holy fucking shit."

Held in between your fingers, is a picture of Camille Calypso.