The Opposite

Chapter 5

PC; instagram // @wonderingvogue

"Ebony, could you please stay back for a moment? It's urgent." My Mathematical Methods teacher requested with his back facing me, erasing the whiteboard effortlessly. "Uh, how about no?" I retorted bitterly, grasping tightly onto my books as I attempted to saunter out of the sizzling hot classroom.

"That wasn't an option." He grumbled, forbidding me from leaving before I spoke to him. "What is it? I'm going to be late home." I added, rolling my eyes and chewing my bubblegum nonchalantly. "Are you really going straight home?" He interrogated suspiciously, raising an eyebrow doubtfully. "Okay, get to the point." I groaned restlessly, as he cracked into a smile - a rare occurrence for a student to observe.

He stacked up the tests papers we had handed in just a few minutes ago, before praising, "I only corrected a few of the tests so far, and I noticed that you have the potential to achieve whatever you set your mind to. A perfect score." I heard a small mock applause from outside the door, as I realised that Connor was still lingering outside, waiting for the opportunity to goad me. "Shut up Connor." I said, waving him off as his shadow gradually dwindled into a speck.

"But I'm afraid, there is a consequence for chewing gum, turning up late to class, swearing and disobeying the teacher's instructions." He frowned, handing me an indemnity form for yet another after school detention. "Your attitude won't get you far and it isn't fair for your peers. I don't know what happened in the pas-"

"Shut it."

Storming out of the discomfort of the room, I stuffed my books indiscreetly into my locker and swung my empty backpack onto my back. "Woah, what's gotten into you?" A voice questioned, as he rested his warm sweaty palm onto my shoulder to halt my epinephrine. "Where's Puss and Connor? And get your PE sweat off my shoulder, Ned." I urged, my eyes darting around the almost deserted corridors, as a few students shuffled towards the open gates.

"Puss is at the Cave, like you asked, waiting for you to reveal that special something. And Connor knows his way home." He informed on their whereabouts, as I scampered out of the hell cell and towards the undiscovered paradise referred to as the Cave.

Tossing my bag at Ned, he caught it expertly in mid-air. "Your bag is empty as fuck. Where's your homework?" He questioned curiously, as I balanced on the sharp rocks leading towards the Cave. "Ain't nobody got time for that." I sassed, as my feet landed on a familiarly lush surface.

Looking up, I contemplated the mesmerising natural scenery. The branches of the many trees shadowing us were concealed with verdant green leaves, as they were surrounded by poisonous shrubbery. A small stream was gently flowing, the crystal clear water rippling sounded like music to my ears. In the centre of the area was a couple of rocks circling a bonfire, and a Marcus smoking a few harmless cigarettes to kill time.

"Finally! What took you so long?" Marcus declared at my belated arrival, as I snatched the metallic gun lighter out of his possession. A single flickering flame ignited, as I hovered the detention permission slip above it. And after a minute, all that was left of the printed document was a small pile of ashes.

"I'm guessing you're stressed." Marcus pointed out the dark circles under my weary eyes, as he passed a half-empty packet of cigarettes to me. Without second-guessing myself, I opened the packet and pulled out an unlit cigarette. Usually, I would withdraw from the idea of a whiff of deadly smoke entering my clean pair of lungs, but today, I didn't feel like dealing with anymore bullshit. My fingers were fumbling as the tip of the cigarette was faintly seared, and I inhaled the vapour of the small roll of tobacco.

We sat around the sombre, unlit bonfire in a serene silence, as a quarter of my cigarette disintegrated. The sedative taste of the cigarette didn't appeal to me anymore - I wasn't a heavy smoke - as I handed the remainder of my cigarette to an overly inclined Marcus. "Thanks for the ciggie, but I don't think I can finish it."