uncool, stanley barber

19

19 - the things i do for my friends

i fractured my wrist. or to tell the truth, syd fractured my wrist. the doctor tells me to rest it whilst it's in a bandaged cast. and just to make my dad happy, i agree.

being at the hospital took the whole night. winnie was picked up by our nice neighbour ms corelli's to sleep, as me and dad waited hours on end.

stan kept texting me a million apologies and told me interesting facts about my favourite things. he decided to stay up as late as he could before he fell asleep. i didn't get the chance to sleep or study for the sex ed test that i'm currently sitting.

syd glances over at me, but she can't say anything. the guilt must be eating inside of her, but it isn't her fault.

from what we concluded, syd's powers are activated by what she said; anger, embarrassment and fear. stan figured that out before i did and put syd in that position to do what she did. it's not her fault or stan's cause we were trying to figure it out. and we did, mostly.

i can't focus on this test, but it's not like it matters. i'm sleep deprived and can't even write. mr file just told me to do my best. which is fucking stupid if you ask me.

i fiddle with my cast instead of opening the pointless test when i hear a low whispering. it's brad copying off of dina. she's going to regret that. especially because mr file has noticed and is walking up to them now.

"dina. dina!" i whisper, but it's too late.

"hey. how's it hangin'?" mr file patronises. brad's startled and tried to play it cool. it's funny seeing him squirm.

"it's hangin'" he replies. "and uh, how're you today, sir?"

but mr file doesn't reply. he simply takes his and dina's tests to prove what he already thought; they're copying each other.

"i didn't do anything wrong, sir-"

"wanna try that again?" mr file snaps. then bradley comes up with some bullshit about his swollen ankle, which mr file definitely sees through and fails them both. "detention, after school. both of you."

"seriously?" i hear beside me. it's syd, obviously shocked that she even let herself speak up. "dina's been studying this for weeks and now brad cheats off of her and she has to fail the test? i mean, that is such bullshit!"

holy fuck, syd.

what mr file doesn't know, is syd is struggling to control her mind-ability-power-things and the pressure of hurting someone is looming over her head. she's stressed, all in all.

"you can take that language, straight to detention" mr file points. although his voice is still the same robotic tone, he looks genuinely shocked. "anyone else?"

what an offer. no one's gonna-

stanley, of course shoots up from his desk. he's probably realised he could talk to syd about last night, but he hasn't thought it all the way through. he looks around before pushing his things off of his desk.

everyone stares. no one knows what the fuck is going on.

"uh, m-motherfucker-"

"ok, fine. detention for you mr barber" mr file sighs, knowing he's up to something but couldn't care less about it. "last call for the big D."

ella, it's the perfect opportunity.

"i'll take the big D!" i shout from my seat. everyone snickers at my inappropriate joke. "i'll take it anywhere you taught us where the female arousal is exposed to, like up my-"

"enough!" mr file snaps, as the laughter dies out. "miss dawson, i understand you were at the hospital last night, so i'll let you off-" i brace myself for what i'm about to shout at a respectable teacher. i hope he forgives me.

"UP MY ASS!"

"DETENTION, DETENTION, DETENTION!"

oh, the things i do for my friends.