Munchkin

•Sixty Four•

"Last three weeks of the semester and we're still behind in English Literature," Mr. Walker announces. "Everybody, open your books to page 209. Connor, read for us?"

"I don't really want to," Connor mumbles, continuing on with his sketch.

"At least one paragraph. You don't ever participate," Mr. Walker tilts his head to the side.

Connor looks up at him with a cold glare. "What part of I don't want to do you not understand?"

Mr. Walker chuckles. "Peachy. Connor, please make your way up to the front." His face turns serious as he leans against his desk.

Connor groans, standing up from his seat and finding his way to the front. I take the time to notice how Connor was a good at least three to four inches taller than Walker.

"Go ahead and read the first page." Walker begins to walk to the back of the class.

Connor rolls his eyes and looks down at his book. Everyone looks down at theirs as well so we can follow along. Connor takes awhile to start and I look up at him, he's looking down at the book in his hands with furrowed brows.

"Is there a problem, Edwards?" Walker asks.

Connor shakes his head. "No sir." He clears his throat. "Tears the mind can't tell are true, pain the heart can't share. Anger wrapped up in deceit, it's more than I can bear."

Everyone's heads look up at him with confused looks. Macey raises her hand. "That's the wrong poem."

Connor just nods like he didn't already know and I notice him shove something in his pocket. He looks at me with a worried expression and I have the same look. Jace places his hand on my bear thigh and I look towards him. He also has the same look. I interwine our fingers and sit back as Connor read the correct poem.

"What shall thy do..."

* * * * *
"What was that about?" I whisper yell to Connor, packing up my things.

"I'll just have to–"

"Mikayla? May I have a word with you?" Mr. Walker asks and I turn towards him. I nod before turning back to Connor and Jace.

"We'll wait for you outside," Jace says and I nod. They both leave, leaving Walker and I alone in the classroom.

"Yes, Mr. Walker?" I fiddle with my bag straps as I stand before his desk.

"Is everything alright? You've been acting weirdly lately." His expression looks sympathetic but his eyes hold an unknown emotion.

"Ye–yeah. I'm fine. Why do you ask?" I furrow my brows.

"Because of this." He hands me a paper. It was basically a chart of how low my grades have gone. In everything! "I'm not only your Math and Literature teacher. I'm also your Home room teacher and the school's guidance counselor. If there is something bothering you–"

"There is nothing bothering me," I say through gritted teeth.

"Mikayla, I'm not trying to make you look like the victim. I'm just trying to help."

"I really don't need help, okay?!" I yell a little too loud. He looks taken aback and even I'm shocked at my outburst. I look down at my shoes, my hair falling in my face. "I'm fine. Can I go now?" I look back up at him.

He nods with wide eyes. I quickly walk out of the room before I'm questioned more. Connor and Jace stood at the lockers waiting for me. "I need to show you this." Connor fiddles with something in his pocket. I nod and we all walk into an empty room.

He locks the door before sitting in front of me and handing me a neatly folded note. I furrow my brows and retrieve it, carefully opening it. A display of words were written neatly in some handwriting that looked like a mixture of calligraphy and bold.

Tears the mind can't tell are true,
Pain the heart can't share.
Anger wrapped up in deceit,
It's more than I can bear.

I look up at him. "This is what you were reading in class, right?"

He nods. "Keep reading."

The hurt and torture deep inside,
The scalding pain of hate.
The sadness deep inside my soul,
That anger did create.

My heart rate picks up as I continue on.

The anger causes pain inside,
Too deep to understand.
And the pain, in turn, will cause,
More malice to my hand.

I look up at the huge bright red scar on Connor's arm before reading aloud:

"The scorge I lay upon you now,
You surely cannot break.
This curse will last for on and on,
You've made a grave mistake." I look back up at Connor. "Who wrote this?"

"I don't know–"

"Connor, this for real isn't funny. You don't play with shit like this," I throw the note at him.

"Kayla, I for real have no idea where it's from–"

"Well you obviously have to because it was in your book." I clench my fists, feeling enraged.

"I'm telling you for real that I don't know where it's from." He stands from his chair, looking just as upset as he adjusts his glasses.

"You have to know because who would just come and shove a random ass note in your book?" I stand as well. "I'm starting to think we can't trust you."

He looks hurt at my words. "Wow. I can't believe you actually think it's me."

"Maybe you should just leave?"

Connor's eyes are completely filled with hurt now. "Then I'll go." He turns around and storms out the room, slamming the door in the process.

Jace stood as well. "You shouldn't have done that, Kayla. It's not him."

"And how can we be so sure? We can't trust anyone these days, now can we?"

"He's helped us so much. He wouldn't do something like that," he shakes his head.

"His help could've been a disguise. Now I'm starting to think yours is too."

His eyes widen and he scoffs. "You think I'm doing all this?"

"Jace–"

"No, it's okay. That's fine." He raised his hand to stop me. "Can't believe I started to think you were different." He storms towards the door.

"Jace–" he slammed it and I fall to the ground and cry alone, in the dimly lit empty room.

My phone beeps and I read the message.

Unknown: now that's not the way to treat your friends, is it?

Short chapter. Reveal in probably five chapters!!