[𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐒]

"𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐅𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐘. 𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 unacceptable. Not only was it unacceptable, but it was also mean. You don't joke about things like that, that was absolutely inappropriate. Now I have to call both your parents–"

"You're really going to bother my parents while they're at work over some stupid comment I made?" I questioned Ms. Noreen.

"If that's the way you see it, then yes."

She stomped back into class, I followed behind her with a grin on my face. I just wanted to laugh.

I took one glance at London going back to my seat, he was scowling at me.

My friends and I's lunch table was in the middle of the cafeteria. Seniors and juniors shared a lunch period so, of course, Darion sat with me. The table consisted of me, Darion, Shannon, Sean, Grey (senior), Alannah (senior), and Priscilla (senior).

Grey and Alannah were cool, but I didn't think the same about Priscilla. She would call Shannon, Sean, and me children as if weren't only a year apart, and sometimes she had an attitude. Darion told me that she was jealous of me because the two of us were close.

But the thing was, I didn't want Darion, that was my friend and nothing more. She could have him, anyways.

Shannon and I were the first at the table. I looked away from the cafeteria entrance when London stalked in, coming toward my table.

"Hey, Paris, let me talk to you real quick." From the way he said it, it sounded like a demand rather than a request.

"Why?" I questioned.

"Just come over there with me." He pointed his thumb toward the hallway. "I'm not even gonna do this in front of your friend."

I sighed and got up. He began walking and I followed him out to the hallway.

He stopped when we were by the auditorium.

I shrugged my shoulders, signaling for him to speak.

"Alright, so what was all that about in Biology?"

I furrowed my eyebrows, playing dumb.

"'He has a gun.' What was that?"

"Oh," I covered my mouth and started snickering to myself. The way he mocked my voice was funny. "It was just a joke, that's all, just a jokey-joke."

"A jokey-joke?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, so you thought that was funny?"

"Yeah, it was fucking hilarious."

"You thought it was funny to get me in serious trouble and have the teacher check my fucking bag? You thought that was funny?" His face matched his tone; menacing. It kind of scared me. He was like those quiet people you had to be vigilant of

My lips curled down into a frown. I hated knowing I had a conscience, especially when it showed on my face.

"Um, I guess not," I finally replied, looking down at my shoes.

"Uh-huh? Okay. Look, I'm just going to say this, and don't take this as a threat 'cause I would never threaten you . . . keep my name out of your mouth, please, and thank you."

I just love how he told me not to take it as a threat but continues to say 'keep my name out of your mouth' in a threatening way.

"Oh . . . Okay."

"That's all," he concluded and stalked away.

I had stood there for a while, stunned that I had no comeback. I was also stunned by the sudden feeling of remorse that overtook me. The feeling was ugly, I felt ugly.

A lump formed in my throat, I didn't feel like I was going to cry when I didn't need to. I wasn't sad, just disgusted with myself. I did the nasty, mature thing and just let it all out on the floor.