four eyes | claire standish ✅

nine

" Why is that door closed?" Angel bites her lip to stop it from trembling as the color slowly drains from her face. She can't get in trouble. What if her parents found out? What would her parents do to her?

" You're shaking," Allison whispers, pulling Angel's hand onto her lap, intertwining their fingers. That allows Angel to breathe again, a heavy yet silent breath passing her trembling lips as she gains her composure.

" We were just sitting here, like we were s'posed to," Claire tells Vernon, giving a shrug to prove her point.

" Who closed that door?" Vernon repeats, burning holes on each of the teens' faces. His eyes land on Angel. The blood drains from her face again. "Who?!" he exclaims, yet it sounds like a yell in Angel's ears. She lets out a shriek, slamming her head on the table, her hair hiding her face.

" She's shy, sir," John states, fighting the urge to look back at her.

" Give me that screw," Vernon orders, stomping towards the troublemaker. That makes Angel look up. Why would Vernon assume John took it? It's rude to assume.

" I don't have it."

" You want me to yank you outta that seat and shake it out of you?" Vernon threatens.

" I don't have it. Screws fall out all of the time, the world's an imperfect place."

" Give it to me, Bender."

"Excuse me," Angel cuts in, raising her hand as well. "Why would anybody want to steal a screw?" she wonders, raising a brow.

"You better watch it, young lady." Angel clamps her mouth shut, not wanting to be any more rude than she already has been.

Vernon walks towards the closed doors without another word, his face looking like a tomato. Claire turns in her seat, finding Angel cleaning her glasses. A moment passes before Angel places her glass on again, meeting eyes with the redhead. Claire gives a soft smile. Angel bites her lip in response, forcing herself to stare at her lap. Nonetheless, the smile grows even bigger as she does so.

Turning her head, Claire looks at Vern, who's trying to prop the thirty-pound door with a flimsy chair. He holds it there before letting go of the door, only it to slam in front of his face.

"God damn it!" he exclaims. Light snickers travel across the library, the teenagers trying to hold it together. Vernon yanks the door open, looking around for a second before calling out, "Andrew Clark! Get up here! Come on, front and center, let's go!" Andrew gives a look of annoyance, but complies nonetheless.

"Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up?" John questions. "If he gets up, we'll all get up, it'll be anarchy!" he exclaims. Angel giggles softly, rolling her eyes.

"You're stupid, John," Angel grins, wondering how she even became friends with the dork.