“They could’ve been having reallyloudsex.”
It’s pretty clear that everyone in the room finds me hilariousexceptfor Professor Kendall. His expression doesn’t change, though a faint muscle in his jaw ticks. The laughter in the room is tinged with tension this time, like maybe they’re all wondering what’s changed between us.
If only they knew.
Okay, so the truth is that I knew the correct answer. There’s just something about pushing his buttons that’s suddenly so satisfying. Maybe the rest of the class is laughingatme instead of with me, but at this point, I don’t care.
Since my suspension ended, my attitude has shifted, especially around him. Everything else has fallen apart around me, so even school feels less important.
Even still, I don’t regret being honest. I refuse to be afraid of being who I am.
I had my shit together once. Maybe I can do it again.
However, judging by the way my teacher is still shooting daggers at me with his eyes, he doesn’t believe I can.
The respect I once had for the man has all but vanished, and I think I hate him a little.
“Since you have such strong opinions on the subject, Mr. Ellis, I’d love to read about them in the form of a five-pageessay.” His hazel eyes pin me in place, daring me to give him a reason to make my punishment even worse. “On my desk by the end of the week.”
Yup. He definitely hates me now too.
A few weeks ago, noone would’ve called me a troublemaker. Because I wasn’t. Even though Pierce and his big mouth started that fight, I could’ve handled it better, but I was on edge after everything that happened with Molly. And ever since Professor Kendall walked in on it, something has clearly crawled up his ass. I guess I did feel a bit betrayed that the teacher I respected and admired most at the school suddenly had it out for me and turned me in so easily.
First he reported me to the disciplinary committee—only me and not Pierce too even though we were both in that fight—and now this?
Any fucks I had to give before just kind of flew out the window.
Yet, here I am, dutifully working on that damn paper out of pure spite instead of telling him to shove it up his ass along with whatever stick is up there.
Habits are difficult to break.
I hate that I still have this urge to begood.
When there’s a knock at the door of the guesthouse, I set my laptop on the small oak coffee table and get off the couch. I open the door and realize I completely forgot to let Erin and Bodie know I couldn’t hang out for our regular weekly movie night.
Oh well. Fuck it.
I open the door wider, and Erin walks in with a six pack of soda, Bodie following after her with a giant pizza box.
“Man, you’ve got it made here,” Bodie says as he drops the box on the table beside my laptop. “Good riddance, honestly. It’s like you have your own house out here.”
“It’s still on my dad’s property,” I point out. “But, yeah, it’s not so bad.”
My dad argued with me about moving out of the main house and into this one. Iwouldthink it was because he feels lonely in that big house all by himself and was actually starting to enjoy having a little company, but, well…my father doesn’t really do human emotions besides conceit, disdain, and a little rage.
Erin flops down in the middle of the dark beige sofa and kicks off her shoes as she reaches for the remote. “How about a horror movie tonight?”
Bodie groans as he sits next to her. “Do we always have to watch horror? Why not a comedy?”
“I’m fine with whatever,” I tell them as I sit on the other side of Erin. “Honestly, I might be a bit distracted since I need to get some work done.”
Taking her eyes off the TV where she was scrolling through horror movies, Erin peeks at my open laptop. “What are you working on?”
I roll my eyes. “I might’ve gotten a bit mouthy in Professor Kendall’s class today, and he’s making me write this stupid paper.”
“Better be careful, or you’ll end up like Dylan Ross,” Bodie says, a dramatic, ominous edge to his voice.
I didn’t tell him everything about my fight with Pierce—mainly because of his own history with him—so it’s easy enough to let the similar comment he made go. Even if it does bring up unwanted memories.
