"Spin me around, knock me off my feet, try to stay dry but you rain on me. You know, you can be my hurricane. Blow me away, pick me off the ground, try to stay dry but I just might drown. Honey, you can be my hurricane." —Midnight Cinema.

••

"Go fish!" Derrick laughs his face off, happy that for once in his life he's beating me at cards.

I roll my eyes and sling my unknotted tie over my shoulders, coiling a leg underneath me as I choose a single card from the deck.

"Do you happen to have a nine in your hand?" He smiles.

I scan my collection of cards that are facing away from him, and a devilish smirk rises at the corner of my mouth. "No. Go. Fish."

"Oh, bullocks!" He hisses and I laugh in victory as he gestures to the pack but stops to squint his eyes at me. "Are you lying right now?"

"Nope."

"Let me see!" He tries to grab my cards and I writhe away, sending him a frown.

"I don't have any nines, you fool! Go fish!"

"I hope you're not lying!" He makes a 'v' with his fingers, puts them to his eyes then points them at me. "I am watching you."

I chortle at the red diamond nine in my hand as he reaches for a card from the pack.

"She's lying, she has a diamond nine." Gabriella smiles as she casually passes behind me, flipping her strawberry-colored hair over her shoulders. I suck my teeth at her retreating figure.

"No one asked you."

"Hey, go easy on her." Derrick smiles. "You know I like her."

I fake vomit. It is no secret that he has a massive crush on Gabriella Payton, the entire school probably realizes that by now. Not sure what he sees in her, but men are weird when it comes to their choice of adoration sometimes.

She has an angular body and an oval-shaped face, with beady hazel eyes concealed by her glasses. Her grades are top-notched, causing her to consistently make an appearance on the honor roll every year. She's terribly conceited and nosy, never missing an opportunity to snitch on people. You know that kid at the back of the class who always has to remind the teacher about the homework? Yeah, that's her. She doesn't like me much, and she's doesn't even try to hide it.

"Kelly and Derrick, it's class time, please put that away." Our Advanced Math teacher, Ms. Carter, walks into the room, rolling her eyes to the back of her head at the stack of cards sitting on my desk.

Derrick swiftly gathers them in a pile while I uncoil my legs, fixing my plaid skirt properly over my thighs.

This is one of the classes I was supposed to take last year but ended up dropping as per the principal's advice, and so far, I am kind of flunking it.

"Today I have an assignment to give to you. If you pass this one, it'll aid a lot in your end of year reports. Please bear that in mind."

Ms. Carter gathers some stack of papers and makes her way to the first row next to the door. She gives the first student seated there and he takes one for himself and passes the rest to the person positioned behind him.

"I need this by tomorrow," she continues, lifting her personal copy which seems to be the answer sheet. "If you fail the end of year exams, this course work will hopefully aid in redeeming you."

I listen keenly. I need to pass this so that if I were to do awful on the school-leaving exams, maybe this assignment could save me. My biggest issue is the examinations. I'll revise and study for them but the minute I am seated in that wide theatre, everything vanishes from my head.

"The teachers are having a staff meeting in a few minutes, so we won't have any Math class today. So then, I'll see you with my assignment tomorrow. Have a great day." And with that, she turns away on her heels to leave the room with her single sheet in hand. My eyes follow the paper for some odd reason, and the most unethical thought comes to my mind.

What if I were to get my hands on that answer sheet? I could easily score a hundred and wouldn't have to worry about doing awfully on the Advanced Math exam. It'd be one subject down and seven more to go.

"Hey, Kelly." A hard poke to my shoulder pulls me from my head and I turn my face to see Henry, a short guy who sits behind me, pushing my copy of the assignment into my face. "Take this."

"Could you not push the dirty paper into my face?" I hiss and grab it from him, causing Derrick to chuckle as he stares down at his sheet.

I look over the paper and half of it looks like Japanese. I sigh and press a hand to my forehead. I need to pass this subject; I need to do better this year.

And then the immoral notion comes back, stronger than ever before. Just steal the answer-sheet, Kelly. You'll get an easy hundred right there.

I bite my lip as I think hard on it and Derrick glances over at me, looks away, then takes a quick doubletake. "You alright? You look like you're mentally communicating with aliens."

"I am trying to secure my faith."

He turns to me in his chair, propping one elbow on the desk behind him as he whips his bouncy hair from my eyes. "Well, we have the entire session free, you wanna play more cards?"

I shake my head. This is why I keep failing. Derrick is such a sweet bad influence. I love him either way though, he knows how to make me escape the cruel reality around me sometimes. I hold his shoulder dramatically. "Another time, brother. Another time."

He shrugs as I stand to my feet. "Alright."

"I have something I need to do."

He looks up at me curiously, his thick eyebrows coming together. "What's that?"

"Don't worry about it." I smile toothily as I walk out of the class assertively.

••

I feel like a cast of the James Bond series as I stand at the corner of the wall, waiting for the staff room to be cleared so I can slip inside. After the last teacher exits, I notice Pean, the janitor, making his way into the room with his cleaning resources. After a moment he leaves and now it's my turn to make an entrance. Luckily, the staff room is always left open during meetings, in case a teacher needs to drop by to get something, and so I quickly make my way inside, quietly closing the door behind me and mincing over to Ms. Carter's desk.

I have been in the staff room a lot of times during my years at Camber High. Teachers are always wanting to lecture me on my atrocious grades. It always surprises me how unorganized and shabby the space can be, with tons of books piled up onto the desks, over-washed curtains draping over the large, rusted windows, and that weird, squeaky fan in the ceiling that may fall down any day now. The room needs new décor and if I were a teacher here, I would have slipped that into the suggestion box.

I look back to ensure the coast is clear before gripping the handle of her desk drawer and attempting to drag it out. It doesn't budge and I grimace as I tug it harder.

Darn!

Discovering that it is locked, I grope my forehead and blow my cheeks out in disappointment. What was I expecting? They would not have left their confidential documents out in the open in an unclosed staff room.

I tap my nails against the table, thinking of a plan B, and then a new opportunity presents itself before me. Her heavy math textbook is sitting on the desk with sheets of paper poking out of it. The answer sheet has to be among them. My tongue sticks out at the corner of my mouth in concentration as I stealthily open the large book, smiling when my eyes grace what I have been earnestly searching for, sitting prettily on top and waiting for me.

It's like fireworks on the Fourth of July as I shut my eyes, my smile so wide I am positive I look like The Joker at this moment. I take it out and close the book, holding it to my chest and savoring in the success.

However, my short moment of triumph ends when I hear faint footsteps approaching the staff room followed by indistinct conversing.

"Shit." I freeze for a second, looking left and right for an escape route as the voices begin to get closer.

"No, no I don't like meetings."

"Me too, well I am going back inside. What are you going to do?"

"Probably get some sleep."

"Alright."

"Yeah, see you, Ms. Smith."

I spot a small door at the far corner of the room and I quickly rush over, pulling it open and sliding in before shutting it behind me. I look around and roll my eyes when I realize I am now standing in the male's restroom. The space is dense and compact with only a toilet, a smeared mirror on the wall, and a face basin.

I sigh and turn to the door, putting an eye to the narrow crevice at the side to see who has entered the staff room. A gasp escapes me when I notice Mr. Todd, sitting down at his desk and taking his phone out of his pocket. Needless to say, his cubicle is the cleanest in the room with no unnecessary books lying around. This man is such a stickler for perfection. I roll my eyes.

He's smiling at his phone screen before he gropes his mouse and pulls his gaze to his computer, his smirk still in place. What if he starts watching porn thinking he's the only one present in here? I chuckle to myself. It would be quite an entertaining scene to watch. I press a palm over my mouth to repress my snickering, the thought thrilling me a lot more than it should.

But my laugh quickly fades into a line when he starts to get up from his seat, cricking his neck as he begins to move in the direction of the bathroom.

Oh, no, no, no!

"Oh no, oh please don't." I jerk my legs in a panic, desperately groping my black messy hair. "Please don't come here, please don't come here, please don't come here."

My prayers are useless because he's now standing in front of the bathroom door, groping the knob into his palm. I grab the handle from the inside and each time he turns it, I do too. He rattles it and I grip it firmly, not allowing him access. His face contorts in confusion as he begins to use all his manly strength, and now I am unable to keep resisting. He pulls it firmly forward and I let it go and quickly plop down onto the toilet cover, my legs splayed on either side of it as if I am taking a dump on a closed toilet.

Mr. Todd freezes, staring at me with a shocked face as I swallow anxiously, looking back at him stiffly.

"What-what are you doing, Kelly?"

"Uh...using the toilet?"

He blinks his eyes speechlessly and I stare back at him, mewling and tearing my hair out inside my head. Then his eyes fall to the stolen sheet in my hand and I swallow hard and push it behind me.

"Mr. Todd, is everything okay?" A voice comes from behind and I realize it's one of the teachers, Mr. Leon who teaches Chemistry. He's narrowing his eyes and attempting to see over Mr. Todd's shoulder. "Who are you talking to?"

My history teacher looks at him, then back at me, and I plead with my eyes, shaking my head and telling him not to snitch on me.

He stares at me for a while then sighs and looks back to Mr. Leon.

"No one. I am going to use the bathroom. Excuse me." He steps inside and shuts the door behind him.

It's now me and him in the tiny space and I am now facing his belt buckle. I look up at him with timid eyes, the yellow light above his head glowing on his defined jawline.

He resembles a Greek god at this moment. A wrathful Greek god.

He's going to snitch on me. He hates me so he will.

He presses a hand to his forehead and takes a deep breath. "Get up, Kelly."

Is he trying to take me to the principal's office? No, I won't go without a fight.

"I am sorry. I didn't do anything. I really didn't. I didn't."

"Kelly, get up."

"Mr. Todd. I can't."

He narrows his eyes. "What?"

"I am using the toilet...so I can't get up," I whisper, shutting my eyes and gripping the paper tightly behind me.

"Listen, I don't have all day. Stop the nonsense and stand up."

I shake my head defiantly, and he pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration.

I won't get up. I could get expelled for this.

"Ms. Young if you don't stand up right now, I am going to get the principal in here. So, Stand. Up."

My eyes begin to sting as I suck my lower lip in. He glares at me seriously and I fear the outcome of my reluctance, so I slowly stand to my feet as he steps back to give me room. I move away from him, still holding the sheet in my hands as I back up against the wall.

He puts his palms to his waists. "Let me see what's in your hand."

I sigh. "Mr. Todd—"

"Hand the paper over."

I bite my lip and stretch it out to him, covering my eyes as soon as it's in his possession.

I am doomed.

"What's this?"

The cause of my funeral.

"Kelly?"

"An answer sheet," I reply in a muffled tone, my palms pressed tightly to my face.

"For what?"

Can't he see? Advanced math, obviously!

"Talk to me or I'll have you talking to the principal instead."

I remove my hands and push my hair back, water gathering in my vulnerable marbles. "I was trying to steal the answer sheet for my math assignment. I wanted to do well on it. I felt like...if I could get a hundred, then maybe I wouldn't have to worry about failing the exams..."

I am not looking at him, so I am unaware of what his expression is like. Tears blur my vision and cling to lashes as I stare at the cream floor tiles, my body trembling with anxiety.

"So, do you think stealing the answers will make things better for you in the long run?"

I shake my head.

"Answer me with words."

"No, sir." I sniff, using a palm to wipe my eyes. He watches me quietly for a while as I silently sob, trying to rub the tears away at each excretion.

"Why are you crying? Did I say I was going to report you?"

I shake my head. "No."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I know you will," I manage to mutter in a brittle voice. "I know you don't like me..."

A thick silence sweeps over the atmosphere and I take notice of how he shuffles on his feet before his response comes.

"Have I ever said I hated you?"

"No...but actions speak louder than words..." I whisper, training my eyes on his shiny Oxford shoes, seeing the reflection of his torso but unable to make out his facial countenance.

The quiet void returns for a while until he lets out a heavy breath. "Listen, stop crying. I won't report you." He doesn't respond to the 'hating me' part of it, but I try to ignore it. It doesn't matter what he thinks of me.

I use my arm to dry my eyes and he frowns.

"Don't put your dirty hand in your face, child. I will assist you with your assignment after school."

I look up at him, and his expression is stoic and serious as he stares straight at me.

"You'll help me?"

"Yes. Stay back after school and meet me here in the staff room. Listen, I don't want you snooping around and stealing papers anymore, that could you get you into serious trouble. Look at this." He gestures with his finger and turns to open the door, looking if the room is cleared before he leads the way out. I follow behind him, cleaning off the smeared teardrops on my face.

"You see that up there?" He points to a shiny device at the corner of the wall with a red light flickering at the top of it. I nod my head. "That's a camera."

I stiffen noticeably and he nods. "Yes. You could have been caught and expelled. So don't do that again."

I nod my head again and he looks around the room. "Where does Ms. Carter sit again?"

I point to the area in the corner, and he trods over, placing the sheet on the top of her desk. I shake my head and plod over to him.

"No, it was in the book." I take it up and open the textbook, sliding it inside before closing it back. Mr. Todd watches me in amazement.

"Aren't you a criminal."

I press my lips together quietly, and he sighs and perches his rear against the table. "Okay. After school sharp. If I don't see you outside the staff room at 3 pm on the dot, I am going pack my shit and I am going to walk to the parking lot, get inside my car and head straight home. I dislike tardiness and I lose patience easily. Okay?"

I nod.

"Words. Please."

"Okay, sir."

"Good." He stands straight again. "Now I'll have to find a way to delete that video clip of you committing your crime. Get to class, I'll be there for history shortly."

"Okay. Thank you, Mr. Todd." I smile a little and turn away to leave, a small smile forming on my face.

"By the way, Ms. Young?"

I clear it off and turn to face him. "Sir?"

"I should let you know that this doesn't mean we are friends now, okay? I don't keep friendships with students. Just wanted to make that clear."

I nod my head comprehensively. "Okay, sir. Noted."

"Good. Have a great day." And he walks back to his desk and sits down while I exit the staffroom with a faint beam on my face.

To be honest, he wasn't so bad today, he actually showed a little compassion. Mr. Todd has never treated me that way before, it feels strange. A good strange. It was refreshing, but something tells me it was just a one-time thing.

~

"From the first step and the closer I get, sirens screaming my head. Like watching a fire when it meets the flood." —Midnight Cinema.

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