STRAY KIDS.

XVII. CENSORSHIP

( STRAY KIDS! )
CHAPTER SIXTEEN.
❛ censorship ❜

❝ . . . THAT CONCLUDES my presentation on japanese internment camps and why they are clearly making a comeback in our current political climate. thank you. ❞

   eli's classmates stare at the blank projector screen in a bizarre combination of boredom and horror. even mr. mckinley looks a little squeamish.

    "well, as usual. . . eli, your dedication to uncovering the hard truths of history is admirable," he comments halfheartedly.

   "but maybe next time you could practice restraint with the, um, graphic visuals."

   "isn't that dressing up the truth to look pretty? otherwise known as censorship?" she counters with a raised eyebrow.

   "gosh, i am not implying that you should censor anything–"

   "but you are, in fact, telling me to redact the icky parts."

   "eli, i am merely suggesting that it is not
appropriate –"

   "alright. let's go through each slide, and you can tell me what i should cut out, sir."

   the class issues a collective groan. eli has already restarted the projector and mr. mckinley never stood a chance.

   everyone slumps back in their seats –teacher included –because there's really no point in stopping eli when she's on a roll.

   everyone, that is, except peter parker.

   he's sitting in the second row, chin in his palm, staring at eli with rapt attention. he's even taking notes.

   oh, he hasn't heard a word she's said. and his ❝notes❞ are just mindless doodles that might as well stand in for hieroglyphs.

   he tried, though. peter really tried to pay attention to her appropriately ghastly presentation, but halfway through, he found himself staring at her lips and the cute slant of her nose. he never noticed her nose before, but it's very well–proportioned in relation to her mouth. he worries he's objectifying her; he should be admiring her brain. but is it his fault that her face looks especially pretty in the projector light?

    it probably is.

    he's read about teenage hormones, how they can turn a perfectly functional human being into a basic neanderthal. but he hoped he'd be the exception. he wants to treat eli like he treats ned, to see her as a peer, not as a girl.

    and it's not like she made any special effort today. she's wearing the same dark–coloured clothes and baggy jacket. her hair is also a wild bird's nest that she's tied carelessly on top of her head. she's not batting any proverbial eyelashes at him. on the contrary, she's scowling.

    it shouldn't make his heart skip. that's like getting excited over aunt may's three–day leftovers. they're still edible, but you wouldn't look at them and go yum.

   and yet.

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