Catastrophic

Chapter Three

        I’m actually quite good at Spanish. That’s what my teacher hints repeatedly anyways as he picks me to answer questions again and again. It’s good being the class pet, because you feel awesome as a person that that teacher thinks highly of you. It’s fulfilling, really.

After forty minutes, the period ends, and I lose myself in the crowd that’s scrambling through the door. I have half a mind to tell them all to go dig a ditch as they push and shove each other to get out the classroom.

My goodness, you would think that they have no seconds to spare, when really, there’s five minutes of hall time to get to where we need to go next. Maybe they need to meet up with a loved one real quick for a kiss or two before continuing with their day. Or maybe they need to go bully the kid over there before their late once more to class. I have no clue what their business is, but apparently all of them have something they had to do. Geez, Spanish wasn’t that bad.

At last, I’m free of the squirming bodies, and I race off from them all. I stop in the hall for one second to catch my breath, and immediately, I’m cussed at to keep my  as― I mean butt moving. I’ve forgotten how high school is apparently, including the rules, because I turn around and glare the girl down. Stormy grey eyes flecked with ice stare back at me and I forget about balance as I fall to the floor―literally. It’s clear she knows who I am, but I guess she’s not a fan of my dad. Haters are going to hate.

“Listen Talm, you’re fresh for priBRAT school, so you don’t know who I am,” she points out. “I’m Emilia Honey. Whenever you hear my name, obey and stay out of my way. Thanks a lot honey,” she finishes with a tight-lipped smile that’s coated in cherry lipgloss. I didn’t notice her lackeys behind her until now, and as stereotypical as it may be, there’s two of them on either side of her with their arms crossed and mirrored expressions on their faces. I glance back at Emilia as she flips her long, straightened, blond hair over her shoulder, when it was already over her shoulder. Real smart one, she is.

“Ok master,” I respond with a touch of sarcasm. “I will do your every bidding, I promise Honey. Let me bend over right now to kiss your feet as I beg forgiveness. “ I don’t even notice the crowd starting to form until I’m down on the ground kissing her feet and noticing all the other feet around us in a circle. Good. That means they’ll know not to mess with me.

After I finish my exaggerated worshipping, I stand up, curtsy, and continue to my classroom nearby. This Queen Bee is not going to stand in the way between me and my perfect attendance record.

The bell rings as soon as I step inside my Chemistry classroom, and from a quick scan of the room, I see all but one are with partners. The partnerless girl sits in the second row, twiddling with a strand of ribbon. It takes her a moment to acknowledge my presence in the doorway (since it can be felt from the next state over), and when she does, she nods her head in my direction and waves her hand slightly. Declaring herself as social enough, she dips her head back down to her latest project.

That’s not the case with the rest of my peers however. Their eyes stay locked onto me, and when I move to sit down next to Twiddles, their eyes follow me.

“Hey Twiddles, mind if I sit next to you?” I inquire.

“I don’t mind at all, as long as you don’t mind my awkwardness,” her high voice jokes, and I crack a smile.

The teacher finally gets over his surprise and starts his lesson for the day. He introduces himself as Mr. Ser (pronounced Sir), although school has been in session for a month. The teacher continues to make eye contact with me and do a short bow. I gave him a look that he could most likely interpret as: this is a republic not a monarchy you peasant. After that, he stopped looking at me like I was a predator and started to treat me like a regular student. A regular student. Me.