The next day, I was back in the vice principal’s office to hand in the assignment he’d given us.
“Miss White, you did this alone. There are just two skimpy pages. Do you think I just started my job yesterday? I’ve had students try to pull one over on me for an entire lifetime.”
“Pull one over? What are you talking about? Hunter and I did it together.”
The vice principal didn’t want any excuses; he seemed pretty intent on making me swallow the assignment I’d just given him.
“I want both of your signatures at the bottom of the assignment, and that thug will have to do half the work.”
Mortified, I left the office. Hanging my head.
I hoped with every fiber of my being that he wouldn’t call my mom, otherwise I’d be screwed for sure.
William:Are you coming to class?
It was William. Finally.
I got to chemistry and found him sitting on a bench, with his perfect hairstyle and a smile that was equally as dazzling.
“Hi, Will.”
I distinctly felt my wall come down. I could’ve feigned all the disinterest in the world, but I was unable to. I was happy to see him, and I couldn’t hold a grudge.
“What’d you do over these past few days? Study like a hermit?” he asked, leaning against the back of his seat.
“Well, actually . . .” My eyes darted to the door, where James Hunter was hunched over his phone. “I studied less than normal, and tomorrow’s exam—”
The words stopped as James headed toward us and halted in front of us. He stared at me insistently.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“Maybe for you to leave?”
“Huh?” My eyes widened incredulously.
James pointed at William. “We need to talk, move.”
“James, behave around her every once in a while,” Will said, shaking his head.
James’s shoulders tensed. He took off his stupid leather jacket and grabbed a seat, turning it around backward to sit with us.
“Suit yourself, I’ll talk in front of her, then.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Will tried to dissuade him, but he was already talking.
“I have the poker game tonight.”
Wow, riveting. Now that I’d heard that earth-shattering news, the tide was turning on my whole day.
“Okay.”
“What’s so shady about that?” I interjected.
Neither of them answered. I took it to mean they were excited.
William leaned forward and whispered, “At the club?”
