The 10

7

Day 7

The students prepared themselves for their last day at the prison, the last day of their project. Anxious to get home, eat real food, sleep in their own beds, the students could barely wait to get on the bus and go. Shocked that, once again, her students beat her to the lobby, she waved her hand for them to go to the buses, and they did not hesitate. She watched as her students entered those buses to go to prison one last time. Ms. Peters hoped that her students had gotten and we're getting enough information to meet her essay requirements. Breaking out of her daydream, she made her way into the first bus and was jerked down into her seat by the bus driver, wasting no time to put the pedal down to the floor.

The ride to prison seemed long, longer than usual. Ms. Peters noticed that most of her students were looking around, confused that they hadn't seen certain things on the ride the last six days. Ms. Peters tapped the bus driver and asked what he was doing. Shrugging her hand off of him, he mumbled that there was an accident and he had to divert their course. Ms. Peters turned and told her students to calm down and that they would be there soon. Multiple students began shouting questions at her, and she was unsure how to answer them. The questions just kept pouring out of her students' mouths, and she dodged every single one. Of course, she wanted to ease her frightened students, but she froze where she stood. The bus driver began shouting, too, but at her students. Seeing that as her breaking point, she shouted, for the first time in her career.
"Everyone shut up!" Laura shouted, freezing everyone in their tracks. "Now listen, the bus will get to prison when it gets there. In the meantime, read over what you have and plan how you're going to wrap this project up. And you," she said, turning to the bus driver with her finger pointing near his face. "You yell at my students again, and I will have your job."
The bus driver grumbled but continued on the route provided by the GPS. Laura mumbled a 'sorry' to her students and sat down, moving her hair out of her face and taking a deep breath. I can't wait to get out of this town, she thought. Kate sat a few rows back to the left, and Luke slid his way next to her where Isabella usually sat. Staring at her, Kate grew annoyed and turned to look at him.
"What." It wasn't a question. It was an annoyance.
"I wanted to see how you were doing," he pauses. "How Isabella is doing."
"She's fine." Kate turns to look out the window, hoping he'll leave.
Luke stays. "Look, I know I'm not your biggest fan, but I was hoping that we could change that when we get back home."

Kate rolls her eyes and thinks back to what ruined what they had in the first place. Kate and Luke were crushing on each other, hard, and Luke ruined it by walking in with Marissa Poler a week later, hand in hand. Luke had told Kate he wanted to be with her, that there was no one else, and that he had his eyes on her for a while, and only her. Of course, Kate wouldn't believe it, she had heard it before, but something about Luke made her let her guard down. Big mistake, she huffed.
"Hello," Luke brought her back, waving a hand in her face. "Yes, no, maybe so?" he raises his brow.
"I'll think about it," Kate said, hoping he would leave. "But don't get your hopes up."

Smiling, Luke accepts Kate's answer and wiggles his way back to his seat. A few rows down, Luke plops down next to Kyle, sighing. Kyle turns to his friend and shoves his shoulder gently against his. Luke turns to him and sees Kyle's brow is raised. Chuckling, Luke nods his head. Smirking, Kyle laughs quietly, shaking his head. Kyle and Luke had made a bet, the conditions unknown to everyone, except them, of course. Kate leaned her head against the window and closed her eyes, wishing Isabella was there. She would know what to do about Luke. Finally, seeing the prison in sight, Kate lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Ms. Peters leads her students off the bus and holds her hand up. The students stop in their tracks and turn their attention to their teacher. She grabs her clipboard and flips to the last page. Crossing off names, she makes sure all of her students are present and then turns her body, waving her hand, allowing her students to head into the prison. Laura turns and looks at the bus drivers; the man, bald and eyeing Laura while licking his lips, stands next to the woman; heavyset, thin black hair that seems to be falling out at the roots, and looking up at the sky. Ms. Peters would've ridden with her, but most of her female students were on his bus, and she did not want to risk something happening to her students on her watch.

Kate was, as always, the last to be brought in. At the very last table in the very back of the room, she walked to Christopher for the last time. Sighing, she sat down, opening her notebook, and after getting her papers in order, she looked up at him. He folded his hands on the table and looked at her intently. Kate returned the look and juggled what to say in her head. Undecided, she stared at her papers, hoping a question will come to her.
Sighing, Kate twisted her lips. "How are you feeling about today being our last day together?"
Christopher chuckled. "That's all you got?"
"I've pretty much asked everything there is to ask."
"I suppose."
"So?" Kate asks, wanting an answer.
"Disappointed."
"Why disappointed?"
"Because I was just getting used to you visiting me every day."
"Sorry to let you down."
"So, what else are we doing today in our final hours together?"
"Basically, according to my teacher, today is where I write down anything else you want to be mentioned in my essay."
"Are your essays going to the Parole Board?" Christopher raises a brow.
"Close." she tucks a hair behind her ear. "The Board of Education."

Christopher sighs and nods his head. Kate looks at him densely and is unsure what to say. He looks up at her, his bright green eyes showing innocence, and Kate catches her breath. She had no idea why Christopher was so enticing to her, and she couldn't get his beautiful eyes out of her head and found herself dreaming of those eyes every night. Giving him a light smile, she grabs her pen and taps her paper, signaling him to say all that was left to say. Laughing lightly, Christopher begins to talk a mile a minute, Kate's hand matching the rhythm. Luke and his inmate discuss the bet he and Kyle had made earlier on the bus. Intrigued, John raises a brow and asks for all the details. A smirk forms on Luke's face as he continues telling his inmate the details of how, once again, he was going to make Kate fall for him once more.
  Little did Luke know that later on, John would tell his friends about the bet, and Christopher would hear about it, instantly making Luke his first victim.
  When it was time to go, Christopher wanted so badly to hug Kate but knew he would risk getting his knee bashed in by a baton. Instead, he offered a weak smile and an even weaker wave. Kate returned the weak smile and tapped her notebook. Christopher realized it meant she would be writing him and his weak smile became the brightest smile he had ever felt in a really long time. Luke and John shared a wicked smirk before going their separate ways. Kyle's inmate just walked away, as did Kyle. Ms. Peters wondered if their essays would hinder the progress of the project. Smiling as all of her students received their bags, she led them to the final time for the buses and the hotel.
   The minute Kate got back to the hotel, she sat on her bed, hastily opened her laptop, returned to her document, and restarted her entire essay. Isabella came out of the bathroom and watched as Kate typed ferociously against her keyboard, her eyes never leaving the screen.
"Jesus," Isabella put her hand over her friends, causing Kate's head to turn and look up at her. "The essay isn't due until the end of next week."
"I can't help it. My brain was processing the entire ride here, and now I'm just getting it all down."
"So this isn't your essay?"
"No, just a brainstorm for the essay."
"Gotcha seems smart." Isabella sits on the end of Kate's bed, pondering. "So, how did you and Christopher leave it?"
"I could see he wanted to hug me, as I wanted to hug him, but instead, we smiled and waved goodbye."
"So," Isabella licks her lips. "You're not going to write to him?"
"Nope." she lied to her best friend.
Laughing, Isabella went to their mini kitchen and grabbed the room service menu. "What do you want as our last dinner here?"
Taking the menu from her friend, Kate read it over, and spaghetti never sounded so good. "Even though it's probably not the same as my mom's, I'm craving spaghetti."
"Cool, I want a burger and extra fries."
"And a vanilla milkshake." The duo said together before sharing a laugh.

Isabella called and ordered their meal; after hanging up, she gave Kate a time until it arrived, and Kate nodded. Kate's eyes continued to zoom in on her screen as more notes appeared in her brain. One after another, intensely appearing in her mind, Kate typed until her hands cramped. Sighing, she closed her laptop and held her head in her hands. A knock appeared on the door, and room service arrived. Handing the man a five, she thanked him and took the tray from him. Closing the door, Isabella shouted, "Chow time!" And the duo ate their dinner on their beds while watching some cheesy rom-com.
   Isabella went to sleep that night, not knowing that she had just improperly met Christopher Samuels.