5
Giving in to Dean’s force, I quietly sang in his
ear for two whole class periods.
I didn’t dare stop.
Sometimes, the teacher would lead the class
in chanting, and I’d have to try to control my
volume.
Too loud, and someone would hear me.
Too soft, and Dean wouldn’t be happy.
The face buried in the jacket would lift,
looking at me.
“Are you a mosquito?”
I had to sing louder.
Scared and sad.
Finally, class ends, and I pack up my stuff and
head straight for the professor.
<
I only make it halfway before someone grabs
“Cleo, I told you not to go after it, you don’t
know what you’re doing!” Jamie glares at me.
I struggle. “Let go!”
“Jamie, let her go.”
Bethany is standing next to Jamie, smiling
sweetly.
“Maybe Cleo wants to apologize to the
professor. It’s normal to want to get the
professor to forgive her, after all, she did do
something wrong.
“As for me…it’s fine.”
く
She bites her lip, looking sad.
“Bethany’s the one who got hurt, why is Cleo
apologizing to the professor?”
“She’s a teacher’s pet, she wants to kiss up
to the professor. She always does this to get
a better grade.”
“She’s so gross. Who knows how she gets
good grades.”
“There’s student elections this afternoon, I’m
not voting for her.”
My face goes red.
I need to get elected, and if I don’t get
elected this year, I might not get to join the
party before I graduate.
My parents see being a part of the party as
more important than life itself.
If I don’t clear this up, I might not get to join.
I feel like I’ve swallowed a fly, but I have to
speak.
“I told you, Bethany took my seat!”
“Yeah, right.”
Jamie lets go of my hand, looking bored.
“You can try, see if the professor will look at
the footage for something so small.”
College professors are busy, and it’s not like
they just let anyone look at the security
footage.
But I still stop the professor at the door.
“Professor, can you check the security
footage…”
Before I can finish, he cuts me off.
“Cleo, I have to teach another class, I don’t
have time for your little dramas!”
The whole class laughs.
“Bang!”
Suddenly.
A row of desks in the back goes flying.
A row of desks in the back goes flying.
“Jeez, teach, what’s with the attitude?”
Dean’s shirt sleeves are rolled up high,
showing off a strong arm.
Grabbing his jacket, he comes up from the
back.
“I lost the watch you gave me the other day,
maybe we can look at the footage?”
He nods at Bethany. “You look like you’re
wearing rags; I bet she stole it.”
Bethany’s face goes white.
