Telescope

Juno

I opened the door to the basement, or student government room, with the detention slip in my hand. There were some stu. gov kids still hanging around, judgment in their straight edge eyes. I smiled half-heartedly and walked over to Mr. Bill, the teacher and director of detention. He sighed when he saw me. 

"Juno," He said, and I smiled, handing him the slip. "What a pleasure. This is number four, I had hoped we wouldn't get here."

"As did I," I said, sliding into an empty chair. I drummed my fingers, painted black despite my surfer girl aesthetic, on the desk in front of me. 

The door opened, and Andrew walked in, nodding at me and sitting in the far corner. 

"Andrew," Mr. Bill said. "Is this eleven?"

"Yes sir," Andrew said, his leather jacket crinkling as he dropped his head in his arms.

As the last government kids left, Benny Strander walked in, backpack over one shoulder. I knew of him, as everyone in the school knew of him. Class clown, friends with everyone, and no one. He handed Mr. Bill a note, who nodded sadly and gestured for him to take a seat. 

Benny walked straight up to Andrew, plopping down next to him. "Hey," He said, smiling. 

Andrew lifted his head slowly, shaking his dark hair out of his eyes and staring at the blue-eyed kid in front of him. He looked at me slowly, and I shrugged, then he looked back at Benny and said, "Dude, I don't know you."

Benny shrugged, "Do you wanna know me?" And then he winked. 

He winked at resident bad boy Andrew Patricks. Andrew stared at him for a moment, then stood up. "Nah, man," He said, and moved to another corner. Benny looked at me and smiled, and so I smiled back.

"Alright, degenerates," Mr. Bill said, walking to the front of the room. "And David," He said, nodding at the blonde boy in the back who was here for extra credit. "The school has decided to spice up detention this unit, and turn it into something productive. Since it's far from the first time any of you have had detention, we have considered your warning expired and are moving ahead to the new program. You are all doing projects around the school to help, and this detention does not end when you go home. You will spend time planning something to improve the school, and then executing it."

"What?" Andrew asked, clearly mad as his leather jacket was crinkling profusely.

"You heard me, Andrew. And you are doing it in teams to hold each other accountable," Mr. Bill said. 

"Juno," Andrew said. 

"I pick, Andrew. And you are actually going to be working with David. Juno and Benny, you are working together."

"He's not even in detention!" Andrew protested.

"I just want to make the school a better place," David said, which caused Andrew to literally shake with anger. 

Mr. Bill sighed. "You have an hour to come up with ideas," He said, then left the room. 

Andrew stood up, slamming his hand on the desk. "This is stupid!"

"You know what, we have to do it so we might as well do a good job," David said.

"You don't have to do it!" 

"Stop the hate," Benny said, walking over to me. "Well hello, partner."

I raised an eyebrow. "Sup," I said as he sat down across from me. "Are we actually doing this?"