NEVER EVER

Chapter Two: Once Upon A Time

AN UNEASY Feeling creeped up the back of his neck making a few small strands of his orange hair stand on end and his nose twitch. He pulled his head from the desk, separating himself from the world of the half dead. Blinking a few times his vision adjusted only to be greeted by the stern gaze of one Mr. Storm’s deep blue eyes, the Math teacher.
That explains the uneasy feeling.

“Mr. Curtis,” The Storm beamed, arms still crossed “Is my lesson boring you?”
“Um… No, sir.” The pressure in his veins picked up the pace as he pushed his glasses back into his face.
“Then why are you drooling on my floor?” an eyebrow was arched.
Only at the end of his teacher’s question did he feel the spittle line between his lip and chin. Crap.
He quickly wiped his face, stimulating laughter in the class. The feeling of embarrassment formed inside him. He looked back up at the teacher.
“You haven’t answered my question.”
“I’m not feeling all that well, sir. I’ve been having this splitting headache and an upset stomach since-”
“You had the goulash on Monday?” Mr. Storm’s expression softened slightly as he cut his student’s statement short with a sigh as his hand stroked his dark hair.
“Yes.” Of course, it started during the weekend but yeah, let’s go with that.
“I understand.” the teacher turned towards the front, “Head to Nurse Hatchet’s office.”
“Yes, sir. Let me just pack my things.”
The Storm proceeded to the front and continued his lesson.

“‘Don’t worry’ he said. ‘I’ve got your back’ he said.” He whispered to his desk mate in a clearly annoyed tone as he shoved his belongings into his backpack.
“Sorry Rome, my bad.” the spikey-haired blonde whispered back apologetically.
“You had one job Hans. One. Job.” Roman’s coal colored eyes met his friend’s light-blue ones.
“Again, I’m sorry. I got… distracted.” Hansel Thompson said.
“By what?” he tossed more things in his bag, eyes still on Hans, awaiting to be unimpressed by whatever lame excuse his friend would conjure.
“I gave Loon a note to pass to Jane.”
The pen in Roman’s hand slipped from his suddenly loose grip into his bag.
“You did what?” He must have whispered really low, I probably misheard.
“I asked if she wanted to catch a movie this weekend.”
Oh, so I didn’t mishear, he really did screw himself over.
“Jane? As in the class president, Jane Grizzly? That Jane?”
“Is there another?” he answered with a ‘and your point is?’ look on his face.
Roman rubbed the skin of his eyelids behind his glasses. “Why would you do that?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” he smirked, “She’s amazing.”
“No, she’s Jane and your insane. It even rhymes. Remember how she embarrassed Donnie when he tried asking her out? Or Brian? Liam?”
Hans was silent for a moment before quirkily saying “I’m neither Donnie nor Brian or Liam.”
“Yeah, no kidding. What you are is stupid.”
“We both know I’m not that blonde.”
“You overestimate yourself there, buddy.” He pulled off his glasses.

As Roman wiped his glasses a new note found its way to their desk.
It carried a strong a familiar scent with it. Jane’s aromatic perfume, hard to mistake. It was a unique one that always seemed to liven up the environment.
In a moment, Hans flipped it open and read it then chewed it. His face went a dim shade.
“What did she say?” Rome put his glasses back on.
“That is not your concern, tangerine.” His voice was even lower.
“Look cheese-head,” he replied slyly, patiently holding back the laugh that was already tickling his vocal cords, “You failed to wake me cause of this, the least you can do is tell me the outcome.”
His friend grumbled inaudibly.
“Come again?” he edged closer to his friend.
“I said she swore.” His voice was void of tone.
Ouch. If I hadn’t warned you about a thousand times before I’d actually be trying to cheer you up.
“Details Hansel, details.”
With discomfort and a heavy sigh, he said “She wrote ‘Go fuc- ‘”.
“Mr. Curtis!”
The two, both slightly startled, looked towards the front, the source of the roar. The Storm’s eyes’ crystal-blue beamed.
“Are you organizing a library or have you miraculously healed and decided to stay?”
Storm’s gaze could unravel students and fellow employees alike.
“Uh, no, sir. I’m done. I’m leaving right now.” He hoisted his backpack over his shoulder.
With the company of Storm’s eyes piercing along with those of the rest of the class, Mr. Curtis vacated the room.
The Storm continued his lesson.