The Class Agreement

18

I wasn't in the best of moods for the past couple of days. When I woke up today still feeling gloomy and annoyed, I stopped trying to figure out why. Maybe this will pass soon enough. I can't be this way forever so I find comfort in knowing that. For the time being though, it sucks.

I didn't bother going to the stupid party Willow invited me to Friday. I didn't really do anything for the weekend except do homework and think about how dead it is between Athena and I.

I didn't know it was going to be like this, but to be fair ever since Jason showed up, things have been strange. Athena looks bothered, tired and downright fed up. I know she's trying her hardest not to carry her personal issues with her to work, but I can see it plastered all over her face and body language.

She's not her usual self.

Maybe Jason hasn't actually left her alone ever since that day last week or maybe they're just other things in her life bothering her.

I stopped coming to her classroom during lunch. We haven't really had a real conversation ever since. She hasn't bothered to question why and that's probably because of what she was starting to say about staying in her place as a teacher. It's unsettling — pretending I don't know some really personal things about her.

Pretending this never happened, it makes me uncomfortable and mad if I'm being transparent about all of this.

Tommy leaned over my way and asked, "Work out today?"

I shook my head, "Tomorrow. Double day. Legs and Chest."

He groaned, "Oh fuck you, Joe."

I smirked, "You can handle it. It's not that bad."

"Working out with you is bad," He responded. "Bad in a good way. Sort of."

I sighed softly to myself, knowing that Athena will walk in any minute to start class. It's painful avoiding eye contact with her. This is almost like trying to avoid an ex that you're in the same class with.

I saw things flying over my head every few seconds. Paper balls, broken pencils — immature shit like that. Tommy and I looked back to see two boys in the back of the room laughing and giggling to themselves.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, getting more irritated by the second. Athena is probably gonna be the one to clean their stupid mess. Adding more work to her already busy days. Idiots.

"Why are people so dumb?" Tommy said.

"Trust me I wish I had the answer," I replied.

Athena walked into the classroom. The flying objects stopped abruptly.

I glanced at her placing her bag on her chair behind her desk. Her teacher attire, all black today. Her hair is down and she looks like she's in a better mood.

As soon as she finishes up and turns to the class I drop my eyes to my folder and looseleaf paper. The bell rang, officially starting class.

"Good morning everyone. I hope you've been looking over your notes and paying attention to the last few lectures this week. We're going to have a pop quiz."

Almost everyone in the class groaned. I didn't say anything. I just removed everything off my desk and prepared myself. I smirked to hearing Tommy mumble curses under his breath.

"Fifteen questions. One bonus question at the end of the test," She said. "I'll collect everyone's sheet in thirty minutes."

The quiz papers were passed around. I skimmed every question, basically answering all of them in one shot.