Public Knowledge (Sweet Pea x Reader)

The D

"This is fucking bullshit," Sweet Pea swore, pushing himself out from the desk so forcefully that his chair toppled over. He didn't even look down at it as he began to pace around the classroom. You stayed seated, having learned that following him around the classroom only seemed to give him more energy and amp him up. One of you needed to stay grounded. "We both know that essay was better than a fucking D." He kicked another chair which skidded into the desk. The resulting crash made you wince.

"He probably didn't even read it. Just saw my name at the top of the page and figured a Serpent like me couldn't do any better than a D." He slammed his fist down on the teacher's desk. And then, in the next second he brought his hand back and swung forward, pushing all of the worksheets off the desk in a flurry of paper

"Hey!" you exclaimed, darting out of your seat and grabbing at his arm as he raised it again. He looked down at you with a glare so menacing you seriously questioned whether or not someone actually could literally stare daggers into someone. "Stop," you said quietly, releasing your grip. He stared for a second longer, maybe trying to melt you this time, but before you could turn into a puddle he dropped his arm.

"Why should I? If all I am is an ignorant thug, I might as well embrace it," he argued through gritted teeth.

"And prove him right? And all of the other assholes?" you challenged. "Besides, I don't think he gave you a D just because you're a Serpent."

"So you think all that work we put into that was just worth worth a D?" Sweet Pea heaved, staring down at you.

"No," you shook your head quickly. "I'm with you, a D is bullshit, but we could at least look at the comments. Ok?"

"What's the point. So I can see all the ways I failed?"

You closed your eyes shaking your head. "You read comments to see where you need to go to improve." You took in a deep breath and then let it go, opening your eyes. Sweet Pea was staring at you, his chest still rising and falling more quickly than normal. "Ok, how about this: I'll read the comments and summarize them while you pick up the papers."

"I–"

"If you're not going to clean it up the custodians are, and I am not getting a zero on my classwork today because you had a temper-tantrum," you said, sharply. Sweet Pea raised his eyebrows at you, and you took a step back but crossed your arms. You could see him set his jaw, but he leaned down and began to stack the papers back up. You let out the breath you had been holding and walked back over to the desk, picking up his chair and the crumpled essay that had fallen beneath the desk. You smoothed the paper out, starting at the beginning, your eyes scanning the comments which were all surprisingly positive for a D paper. Good insight. You could pick a stronger quote. I agree! Your brow furrowed, and you bit you lip, making your way through the second page. Word choice. Need stronger transition. Solid point. ???? Your eyes darted from the question marks to the end of the line.

"funeral, Claudius disrespected him. Laertes also takes on the necessary task of avenging his"

You flipped the page over.

And then returned back to the question marks.

And then you started to laugh.

Sweet Pea looked up from where he was neatly placing the papers on Mr. Adams' desk over to you.

"What's so funny?" he growled, crossing his arms.

You laughed louder.

"What?" You could feel his anger radiating off him, and a small voice in the back of your head that valued your life pushed you to hold out the paper to him.

"How many pages did you write?" you asked, attempting to calm yourself down.

"I don't know like three?" He snatched the essay out of your hand.

"So you're saying your essay doesn't end mid-sentence on page two?"

"What?" It was as if you could see the jolt of panic hit his body. As he flipped the paper to the second page, and then flipped again surprised to see page one in front of him. "Where's the third page?"

"Still in the printer maybe?" you suggested failing miserably to repress the grin on your face.

He looked dumbly at the paper and then back at you. "Never tell anyone about this. Ever."

"I think your already protected under the 'no one can know about this arrangement' rule," you nodded. "But at least you know why you got a D. That's his policy: all incomplete or off prompt papers get a D. You know, just like how all ignorant Serpent thugs automatically get D's."

"Shut up," Sweet Pea grumbled, dropping in the seat next to you. And for the sake of your life, you did.