December Boys (BxB) | ✓

Chapter 21 - Let's Talk

I slumped down in my seat, head hanging. Great. Terrific. We were locked in the classroom, school was closing in, I checked my watch, ah, yes. Fourteen minutes. And here I was, tired and alone with Axel.

Axel seemed unnaturally calm about the whole ordeal. He had settled into one of the windowsills and was staring out at the parking lot beneath us. Cars were starting up and escaping the premises, their taillights sending trails of light beams racing down the walls. The employees inside were blissfully unaware of the two teenagers that were trapped in a classroom on the fourth floor.

I contemplated calling Seth, but knowing him, he was already engrossed in one of his TV shows, and wouldn't notice my calls until it was too late. Another glance at the watch confirmed my suspicions. 7 pm was approaching fast, and no student cards would allow entry after that. We were screwed.

"Damn it," I muttered, resting my elbows on the table. The computer was still displaying an error message, but I didn't feel much like editing anymore anyway. The stupid thing could deactivate completely, for all I cared. I was more concerned with the fact that I had to spend the night in here. With Axel, to boot.

"At least it's a Wednesday," Axel said, catching me off guard. He was still looking out the window, swinging his leg back and forth.

"What?"

"We'll be found in the morning," he said. "Don't worry."

I scoffed, getting up from my seat. "I'm not worried," I muttered.

The media classrooms were larger than average and filled to the brim with computers and film equipment. An entire wall was dedicated to cabinets and shelves that held anything from cameras and microphones, to high-end lenses and props. After the extensive theft a couple years back, locks had been installed on all storage spaces. I could no longer walk on over and grab a $900 lens if I wanted to. It was kind of ridiculous that that had been an option before.

Aside from the storage units, the rest of the room was littered with desks and stationary Macs. Cords and electrical sockets were spread around for convenience's sake, accommodating any project that needed a connection. It was a decent classroom, usually filled with decent people. Too bad it wasn't the best place to spend a fall night.

"I almost wish we were stuck in a hallway," I said, more to myself than to anyone else. "The alcoves have pillows..."

Axel kept quiet, staying in his little windowsill palace. Whatever, it's not like I expected him to make this situation bearable. If Seth was here, we would have found a fun way to solve this. Things were rarely fun when Axel was involved, though. I continued stalking around the room, mood growing more and more sullen.

December High had been awarded several prizes throughout the years. One of them was the prestigious "The Future is Green" award, which was given to organizations that proved especially invested in environmental questions. December High's continuous efforts to keep the school as environmentally friendly as possible did not go unnoticed. Both the key card incentive - that was powered by windmill energy - in addition to eco-friendly tools and projects, earned them the title of Greenest School in the district. Another deciding factor had been the school's excellent initiative to save energy.

Another click resounded through the room, and everything around us went black.

"Oh, fantastic," I groaned. "That's just great."

"Huh, I'd forgotten about that." Axel finally spoke up, voice laced with fascination. "Lights out after 7 pm..."

"You're not helping," I warned him, trying to feel my way through the classroom. I yelped as my hip bumped into a table.