“Got that right,” Ashton says with a chuckle.
My eyes dart to Silas, but he doesn’t turn around. He clenches his jaw and grips his pencil so tightly that his knuckles turn white.
Jeremy leans forward over his desk, tilting his head to look at Silas. “How’d you even get into this class? It’s for exploring university and career paths. You can’t even pass basic math without someone holding your hand.”
“Fuck off, Jeremy,” I mutter, and turn my back to him again. Then I point at one of the questions on Silas’s worksheet and lower my voice so they can’t hear me. “Do this one. It’s asking to circle what matters most to you in a future career. I chose innovation, impact, and efficiency.”
His brow furrows as he looks over the options. “I don’t even know what half of these mean, Levi…”
“This one.” I point at ‘working with my hands.’“You’re good at building stuff, and you like helping around the farm.”
Silas sighs and circles it.
“Can’t even do a simple worksheet without someone helping him,” Ashton says behind us, and Jeremy laughs.
“Ignore them,” I mutter to Silas.
I can tell he’s trying hard not to turn around and say or do something. His grip on his pencil is so tight I think he’ll break it, and his leg is bouncing under his desk.
“What else?” I ask.
He adjusts his hat and pulls in a breath as his eyes roam over the list of options. “I don’t know… creativity, I guess…”
I grin. “Hell yeah.”
He circles it, and more chuckles sound behind us.
“Creatively finding ways to fail.”
Silas suddenly slams his pencil down and twists in his chair to face Ashton and Jeremy. “Fuck off!”
“Silas!” Mr.?Bell’s voice cuts through the room.
But Silas just continues to glare at Ashton and Jeremy. “Say it to my fucking face,” he says.
“Enough!” Mr.?Bell snaps, and Silas flicks his gaze to him. Mr. Bell then points to the door. “Office. Now.”
I shoot Ashton and Jeremy a look as they laugh under their breath, and Silas glares at Mr. Bell.
“For what?” Silas asks. “Trying to do my work?”
“Trying,” Jeremy mutters with a smirk.
Silas pushes up from his chair, and the legs scrape across the floor before it tips over as he steps towards Jeremy. “What the fuck is your problem?”
“Go to the office, Silas. Now!” Mr.?Bell’s voice booms as he also pushes to his feet.
Ashton and Jeremy put on their best innocent faces as they stay seated, looking up at Silas like they’re afraid of him.
Silas shoves Ashton’s desk into him as he moves past it to grab his bag, and Mr.?Bell exhales heavily. Silas slings hisbackpack over his shoulder and heads for the door, then pulls it shut behind him with a heavy slam that rattles the windows.
I turn in my seat, glaring at the two of them. “Fucking assholes.”
Ashton smirks as he pushes his desk back. “Why do you even hang around him? He’s a learning centre kid.”
“And?” I ask, holding his stare.
He lifts a shoulder. “He has, like… special needs or whatever. It’s weird.”
