I Cheated Off Your Test and Now You Feel the Need to Blackmail me... Thanks.

-01- I Cheated Off Your Test and Now You Feel the Need to Blackmail me

-1-

Chemistry was never my strong point. Of course it wasn't, it was all too complex. Too many formulas to remember and memorize to perfection. It all made my head throb with unneeded excess.

I'm also a desperate sort of person. These two things were my undoing that warm June afternoon. The bell had just rung for the second time as the last few stragglers entered the steel science lab. My folded arms shivered against the metal bench and waited for the test paper to be placed in front of me.

Mr. Jefford dropped the thick, white paper in front of me, making me shiver. "Chemistry Test" was written on the front page in uneven faded ink. I sighed, picking up my pacer and filling out my name and age and class before dropping it to the bench, looking up at the expectant Mr. Jefford.

"Just a little term overview boys and girls, nothing new but nothing too easy. Anyone caught cheating... well you know the rap,"

Yes, I did know the rap. Expulsion. McKenzie High had a reputation for striving in academia and didn't make any allowances for people cheating. I was in Year 11, and I couldn't risk getting kicked out of school again.

"You may open your test papers and begin,"

I opened my test paper, shivering at the first question, panicking on the inside. I didn't know the answer. Skipping to the next question, I gasped inwardly as I realised I didn't know the answer for this either. I raised my hand as Mr Jefford sidled over to my bench.

"Sir... I just moved to this school. Could I maybe have a day or two to study or at least a revision of what you've been studying?" I whispered to him, trying not to fall off my stool in the process.

Mr Jefford shook his head, his bristly moustache moving through the air as he did so. "Sorry Miss Patterns, I'm afraid I can't allow that. All students must do the test at the same time so no other student may have more of a chance of being ahead of the others,"

The boy next to me tapped my shoulder and whispered, "What a pity," before turning back to his test. I froze a little. That was Frank Kingston, the most popular guy in school. Girls would kill to be with him, to even have a conversation with him. Those three words he'd uttered made me jump a little. I glanced over at this amused grin.

I sighed, turning back to my test. As I shifted through the questions, I slowly began to understand some, answering a few, but not enough to scrape by. As the clock ticked on, I felt my forehead glisten with sweat. The final page of the exam was the most important. If I could at least give a basic answer for the questions, I'd get a pass.

I began to work through the questions, reading the text as I did so.

Question 39...

Question 40...

Question 41...

Question 42...

I stopped on question 43, racking my brain and then the page for the answer. I felt like crying when I realised that I might actually fail this test. I went over the rest of the questions, my heart pounding.

"Fifteen more minutes," said Mr Jefford, already sifting through the first few tests to be handed in.

I still couldn't finish anymore questions. Some how I knew that the answer was staring right back at me, but I couldn't manage to put my finger on it. I bit my lip, a single tear sliding down my cheek.

Finally, I glanced over to Frank Kingston. He was finishing off the second last question. I glanced at his page, his answers long and lengthy.

In a final act of desperation, I quickly put down the basic information he had written so far with scribbled writing, before seeing if he'd finished off the rest of the questions. I quickly scribbled down a few short sentences. Putting my pacer down, I felt the eyes of someone boring into my head.

I looked up, meeting eyes with Frank.

My heart jumped.

Frank stood up, with his test paper, and walked to the front of the room. He walked up to Mr Jefford's desk and put his test on the pile, before leaning forward and whispering something into his ear.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

Frank walked back, giving me a small smirk. Mr Jefford continued marking as usual. I unsteadily walked up to Mr Jefford's desk and put my paper down on the pile. He looked up suddenly, and I found myself jumping in surprise and fear.

"Did okay Miss Patterns?" he asked cheerily. I nodded in dumbfounded shock. Returning to my seat just as the bell for lunch rang, I felt my pounding heart begin to slow. Picking up my bag and making my way quickly out of the classroom and into the corridor, I found it safe to breathe again.

"Hey Patterns, I need to talk to you,"

I turned around to see Frank Kingston making his way through the crowd towards me. My heart quickened, threatening to fly out of my chest. I looked up at his as he towered over me, putting a hand on my shoulder. He smiled, amused again. Then he bent over, whispering into my ear.

"I know what you did. And don't worry I won't tell anyone... if you're prepared to do as I say...."

I looked up at him, gulping. He suddenly looked a little more menacing then a poster boy of a high school should. My throat felt like sandpaper as I began to speak.

"Okay..." I mumbled.