The Arcane Society

Chapter 32 1/2

November 9th: Starting With a BANG, ISS, Stereotypes, and Color guard

Starting with a BANG!
Now, the second quarter of school begins. Everyone comes back from Halloween. (And I'm super hyper from sugar.) But, something went down underneath the schools works and really started this quarter with a bang.

Wednesday: 5th Hour SS
So, I've mentioned once or thrice how The Squirrel has a bad habit of swearing. Apparently, he made a deal with a girl named Katie that went down like this.

If he went 24 hours WITHOUT swearing, he earned some money.

But, if he did swear in the next 24 hours, he would have to pay.

Now, I had no idea this went down so 5th hour was a bit of a surprise. I walk in and set my books down on my desk when the next table over I see The Squirrel and Katie talking. Thank god the teacher wasn't in the room.

"**** You!" He shouted. Katie did a weird motion, a mix between rearing back in shock and a defensive position. I pretend I'm finishing homework, but I couldn't resist looking. Katie suddenly slaps him. Really hard. His cheek turned bright red from pain and he rubbed it slightly. It was a weird mix of horror, pity, pleasure, and confusion circling my mind.

"Pay up." She says coldly. I give a very quiet and nervous laugh. Who knows how much strength she has in that? I'm surprised he didn't slap back. Oh wait... I think of Toblat (Nate) and how much I've learned from the rumor mill. Three fistfights. All resulting in In or Out of school suspension.

"What did you do that for, Katie?" I suddenly blurt out. Curse my huge mouth! I braced myself. "You know the teacher could've seen you. You could get ISS." Both of them stare in my direction.

She explained the workings of the deal, all of which didn't surprise me afterwords. Wow, we really started the quarter with a bang!

6th Hour: Math: ISS
I walk in ready. Since the teacher knows my family, I'm quite well liked.

"Hello, Elisabeth. How's the family?"
He asks. What's with Math teachers suddenly liking me so early?

"Hi, Mr. Shadow. The family and I are doing well, thank you!" I look around the room. Some students are here as well. I then realize, I haven't seen Toblat in days. Actually since the last week of October.

"Is it me or has Toblat skipped town or something?" It's odd that I would care but I actually don't hate him so much anymore.

"Actually," A girl named Jessica speaks up. "He's in ISS." We all knew that code. In-School Suspension. Nice job, 4th time I've heard you do something super stupid.

"Really?" Okay, as a girl, one weakness is that I cannot resist gossip. I was intrigued. "Do tell, what happened?"

"I think he hit a girl. Details are hazy." She replies, disappointed.

"In actuality," Another girl named Leia (Can't spell her real name correctly.) pipes up, "She pushed Emilee into a desk forehead first." Emilee... I remember seeing a large bruise on her forehead this morning in Band. Sucks being first chair Clarinet near a performance, huh. If you ride the logic train to it's destination...

"So," I hesitate a bit. "Nate pushed Emilee into a desk, forehead first. If you connect the dots, that explains why I saw a bruise on her forehead this morning."

"Ah... Isn't this like, the 3rd time he's done something?" Jessica asks.
I'm tempted to say 4th, but that includes the Basketball incident. Not everyone knows. "Yeah, I assume so. Why do you ask?"

"Wasn't there a 4th?" Leia asks.

"As a member of the basketball team last year, I'm sworn to secrecy by Ms. Prairie. Besides, I was the victim in that one. And I don't feel like sharing because I've moved on."

They look dejected, but they accept it. Serves them right! They should gossip about people who can kick them in the aft end later.

Thursday: 6th Hour: Stereotypes
Nate had finally come back from ISS in a sour mood. Everyone knows full well what has happened. Soon enough, in his depression, he has started stereotyping people. So he comes up to me when I'm working on homework with a girl named Vanessa.

"Need something, Toblat or are you just here to troll around?" I ask without looking up from the paper.

"Yeah, I want to tell you what I think of you." Ho ho! This I want to hear. I set down my pencil and look up at him. Vanessa looked a bit worried but I gave her a smile. No worries, This 6'2" beast isn't so hard to overthrow.

"Alright, what DO you think of me?" I taunt. The entire student class was watching.

"You're freaky, annoying and loud." I was assuming those were supposed to shatter my psyche, not make me laugh. The last one wasn't even that negative.

I laugh. "I think you forgot a few. In fact, I have some for you." Mom told me to ease on the insults, but now was not a time to back down.

"What!?"

"You forgot honest, caring, and several others. You, my friend, are rude, a manipulator to those around you, and a lying deceiver to your friends."

The class exploded into many indescribable comments and a chorus of ooo's. I shake my head in mock disappointment. Although I was basking in a selfish victory. My inner conscious scoffed at me. Don't you think you went a wee bit too far?
Hah! As if.

I whisper to Vanessa, "And THAT as how you turn things around."

Friday: Color-Guard: Lunch
I was eating my lunch with my group of friends, when I heard that some of the high school Color Guard came to recruit us for Winter Guard. I used to do Baton Twirling when I was a kid, so I was piqued. It's been eight years though.

"Those who would like to try twirling the flags may come upstage." Nella and I raised our hands and went upstage with a couple boys. Some of them were trying the rifles.

A girl who I read her name tag as Kalyn handed me a flag that was an inch taller than me. (I'm 5'4".) She instructed us to just twirl it with both hands. It seemed like second nature to me, cause I used to play in the yard with a large stick and pretend I was a color guard. There was also a neighbor who was always training with the rifle and I was fascinated.

While I twirled it, I was looking over to the boy coach who was teaching the guys how to handle the rifle. I saw a couple people who were... Let's say they weren't exactly those I would trust with a rifle.

"What's your name?" Kalyn asks towards me.

"Erm, I'm, uhm, Elisabeth." I was a bit startled that she randomly started talking. I also realized my hands were beginning to ache a bit.

"You're doing really good, Elizabeth!" Learn to pronounce my name first... For your sake and mine. "You should totally audition for Winter." She hands me a flier. I nod a thanks and give her back the flag. Nella soon greeted me after.

"I didn't know you were so good!" She was happy. "I'm not going to do it." She laughs but her eyes are serious.
I look down at the flier. Looks like next Thursday will be really stressful.