KNOCK OUT [LH]

Chapter 19: I Think It's Vegan

"Detention, Ms. Turner."

I barely make it a foot inside the classroom before I'm shoved back out into the hallway by my English teacher, Mrs. Smith as she stands in the doorway looking down at me over the tops of her cat-eye spectacles.

"What? Why?" I ask, face twisting up in confusion as I watch a few of my classmates slip by me and into the classroom without a problem. "I haven't even done anything yet."

It's not that getting detention was anything new to me, I mean just last year Calum and I had racked up about four dozen between the two of us—but those were all mostly deserved. This one however, seems to be entirely uncalled for, as I've merely just stepped onto campus and made my way to class.

"You are in violation of the dress code." Mrs. Smith informs me, her eyes slowly trialing downward to observe my long sleeve turtleneck and baggy denim overalls, which I'd argue are pretty modest. "Where is your uniform?"

"Oh, I'm actually not on the cheer team anymore." I kindly correct her with a shake of my head. "Got kicked off the squad freshman year because I refused to wear those ugly ass bows and-"

"Your school uniform, Ms. Turner." She impatiently interrupts, confusing me once more. "Where is it?"

School uniform?

I have no idea what kind of drugs were put in the donuts of the teachers lounge this morning, but whatever they were, they must have been pretty strong because the last time I checked, Meredith High didn't have school uniforms.

"Are you feeling alright, Mrs. Smith?" I question, reaching up to rest the back of my hand against her forehead to check for a temperature. "We don't have uniforms—but hey, I totally get it. I watched Harry Potter last night and sometimes I wish we could have cool ones too."

Pinching the fabric of my sleeve and pulling my hand away from her face, Mrs. Smith clears her throat in annoyance. "I'm feeling quite well. However you, Ms. Turner," She starts, as I watch her reach into her pocket and pull out a detention slip before passing it over to me. "You should be worried with yet another detention added to your transcripts. I'm sure you have broken the school record by now."

Taking the familiar yellow slip in my hands, I look it over, mouth falling open once I see that it's already been filled out with my name and allotted violation.

"I don't understand, I-"

"Morning, Mrs. Smith!"

Calum's chirpy voice interrupts me, pulling my attention off down the hall where he struts towards the classroom in a crisp white button down, grey vest and black slacks, topped off with a red and gold striped tie.

It's the classic high school uniform, yet I've never once seen it worn at this school.

As Calum approaches, I now notice that he isn't the only one dressed like this. The busy hallways are filled with other students dressed in the same exact uniform as they find their way to first period—a few of the girls wearing pleated skirts rather than the slacks, and man are they ugly.

"What in the Hogwarts?" I mutter to myself under my breath, just as Calum brushes past me and into the classroom without so much as a glance.

Since when did this school dress like we all just came out of the Gryffindor common room? And why did my best friend just ignore me?

When a folded pile of clothes are dumped into my arms, my attention immediately turns back to Mrs. Smith.

"You are lucky I have an extra set on hand, Ms. Turner." She says, motioning to the uniform she seems to have pulled the set straight out of thin air. "Put these on and immediately head to room 304 to serve your detention. Failure to do so, will result in suspension."