Cliché

chapter 6. the bad boy

Finally, the school day comes to an end. As a precaution, we blend into the students streaming through the school hallways as Jasmine tells me about a time rewind coinciding with when I came back from the Kingdom of the Fairies.

"It was crazy," Jasmine retells animatedly. "One second I was in history, and then I blinked and appeared in math. Then, when I went to lunch the second time around, you were there, unlike the first time—"

Before Jasmine can completely describe the experience, I spot a very familiar man walking amongst the students, his eyes scanning each and every face. I swiftly drag Jasmine behind one of the pillars, hiding us from his view.

"Iris, what are you doing?" Jasmine asks suspiciously, crossing her arms.

I peek my head out behind the column, gesturing for Jasmine to do the same. "That's the principal right there. I'm supposed to be at detention right now," I whisper, discreetly pointing at his pacing frame.

A malicious grin rises on Jasmine's lips.

"No. Please don't," I plead, clutching her arm and shaking my head frantically.

Before I can properly react, Jasmine pushes me out from behind our hiding place, merely shrugging when I glare at her. "Sorry. That was an accident."

"You little—"

"Hey! Iris is over here!" Jasmine screams, jumping up and down and gesturing wildly my way.

The gazes of the entire courtyard turn towards me, some curious, some annoyed. One particular man's glare glows brightly with anger as he stalks closer and closer, while I flush with irritation and embarrassment.

"Now, that wasn't an accident," Jasmine laughs, smiling at me sweetly as she turns to head toward the parking lot.

"Where are you going? You have to wait for me to drive you home," I say in confusion.

"I'll drive the car. It's not like the police are going to pull me over outside of the scene," Jasmine reassures, waving the car keys— ones that had been in my backpack— over her shoulder dismissively.

"Wait, how did you— never mind."

Sighing in exasperation, I direct my attention over to the principal, his face sweaty and red under the sun. "Miss!" He booms, snapping his fingers and pointing towards the school entrance. "Follow me."

I purse my lips in annoyance but do as told, walking behind him through the halls. The anticipation of the upcoming scene roots itself in my stomach as the principal leads me into a random classroom where a boy clad in a leather jacket is sitting alone, his legs kicked up onto the desk in front of him.

No. I have another love interest?

"You two will be cleaning up all the classrooms," the principal instructs, tossing a set of keys to me. "I'll check back in an hour. If the task is complete, then you two may leave."

"You're leaving?" I ask in disbelief.

The principal nods.

"And you're just going to leave two students alone together? With a set of keys that opens all the classroom doors? You don't see anything wrong with that?"

"Start working, or you'll have detention for a week." He warns, before storming out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him.

I sigh in defeat, upset that I couldn't convince the principal with basic common sense. But at least this gives me an opportunity to try out bringing awareness to another character.

I walk through the rows of desks towards him, the golden midafternoon sunlight basking the entire scene acting as a spotlight. Sitting backwards on the chair in front of him, I can finally get a clear look at his apathetic gaze, his brown hair tousled with no care, the tattoos on his fingers.