s e v e n
"Qui totum vult totum perdit." - Publilius Syrus
DETENTION
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It was a crisp autumn afternoon as William strolled down the hallways of Oakwood Academy, hands stuffed in his pockets, the other students ambling past, chatting mindlessly. The large, door length windows were now closed as the once warm breeze had finally started turning a bit chilly.
William was glad. Cold weather meant Christmas, which in turn meant a visit back home. He'd be seeing Mary in a month's time.
To William, autumn was a promise of things to come. He didn't know if they were necessarily bad nor good, though he knew something was coming when the bright green leaves turned into crisp, darker colors, falling with a regal grace towards the rich soil.
It was a time of change.
People payed him no attention as he wandered past, heading towards the room detention would be held in today. Soon enough, he reached the classroom, hand grasping the cold handle of the door, pushing it down, then flinging it open with as much pizazz as he could muster.
Ah, detention, he thought, strolling inside. I'm finally home.
No heads turned to face him as he walked in, even the teacher peered up at him with a bored glance, then looked back down. William sat in his usual spot, the corner in the back-people knew to leave the seat open for him.
He lazily leaned against the back of the wooden chair, crossed his legs, then closed his eyes. Not a second later, the door opened and shut with a soft click. William peered an eye open.
He immediately let out a soft chuckle. There, frowning and glaring at everything in the room, stood Lucien Harding. He had dark circles underneath his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in days-William could relate. He wondered, for a split second, what troubles might a person like Lucien stay up so late at night for, turning over in his bed, wracking his brain until he passed out from exhaustion?
Lucien didn't look up at him; the prefect kept his eyes trained on the floor as he sat in a chair directly in the middle of the room.
William glanced at the professor assigned to watch over the group of boys. He knew him well enough that he couldn't care less if William spoke. So, he did. "What could Lucien Harding possibly done to have ended up in detention?"
He didn't turn around. "Mind your own business."
William tsked. "Ah, ah. Detention rules, Harding. All must share the reason they are here."
"That's bullshit, Brown," another boy muttered.
William recognized the boy to be Roy, the same boy Henry had run into the other day.
"He's lying," William said.
Lucian scoffed, then rolled his eyes, turning to face William with a frown. "Fuck off."
William smiled, then turned to face Roy. He couldn't help himself. "Do you really sell drugs?"
Roy arched an eyebrow. "Why? You want some?"
YOU ARE READING
He Bleeds Flame ✔️
Romance(bxb) After a year of surviving an all boys boarding school, William Brown thought he had finally navigated the ups and downs that the rich, private school had to offer. He'd even managed to make a few friends, as well as a rightful enemy. Lucien Ha...
