Chapter 7
Surprisingly, everyone showed up to class on Monday.
As much as they were afraid of Hero, and what he was capable of, they were more afraid of losing points and potentially getting expelled.
I almost missed the school bus this morning, but Blake dragged me out of bed.
I was exhausted because I was on a call with Ayden last night.
For hours. I wouldn’t have gone to sleep at all if it wasn’t for Blake storming into my room and confiscating my phone.
I heard whispers from the back of the room about Hero, and it made my blood boil.
As Hero entered the room, it became dead silent. He avoided eye contact as he walked to his seat.
“Ayden and I are together now,” I blurted out as he sat down.
I didn’t exactly know why I told him. Maybe I hoped, deep down, that he would be jealous. That he would like me back.
“Good for you,” he replied flatly. I slowly nodded, but his focus wasn’t on me—it was on the teachers’ desk.
Mr. Miller hadn’t arrived yet. I wasn’t sure if he was going to arrive.
Seeing as he left in such a hurry yesterday with all of his belongings made me come to a realization that he may never return.
“He’s not coming back, is he?” Hero muttered, coming to the same realization.
“It must’ve just shaken him up a bit, but he will be back.” I didn’t believe that, but I wanted to comfort Hero. “Don’t worry too much about it.” I placed a hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off. I readjusted myself in my seat as Ayden entered.
“Hi, Peps!” he exclaimed cheerily.
“You’re in a good mood,” I commented.
He hugged me from behind and kissed my cheek. “I am, because you’re my girlfriend.”
“Get a room. I don’t want to hear your lovey-dovey talk.” Hero cringed.
Ayden rolled his eyes and sat down in his seat. He then looked to where Hero was staring.
“Oh, Mr. Miller isn’t here?” He gave a small smirk as he turned to Hero. “I can guess why.”
“I figured that one out myself, thanks,” Hero retorted. Ayden narrowed his eyes at him.
The clacks of boots were getting louder in the hallway, approaching the classroom door. Everyone turned to face the door. Was this going to be our new teacher? Or maybe a substitute? Or just a random lady walking down the hallway?
The lady came into view and entered the classroom, a folder in hand.
She looked to be in her late twenties, but she dressed very old-fashioned.
She wore a blue vintage dress with a small white bow on the collar.
Around her neck was a pearl necklace, hanging further down from the bow.
I shifted my gaze to her boots. It was made of brown leather, reaching a few inches below the knee, laced all the way to the top.
Her hair was a dyed, dark red color, unlike mine—a natural red color. It was wavy and let down, a blue headband on top to match her dress. The boots continued to clack as she walked behind the teachers’ desk and placed her folder down.
“G’morning students,” the lady said, her voice gentle. “Y’all can call me Miss Kennedy, as I will be your new teacher starting today. I hope y’all will enjoy having me as your teacher.” Her lips curled up into a genuine smile.
She seemed nice, but how on earth did the academy manage to hire a new teacher over the weekend?
I glanced around the room, hoping for someone to have the same reaction as me, but most of them smiled back at her, some more genuine than others.
Gwendolyn quietly commented on her choice of clothing.
Hero was the only other student who didn’t smile.
He wasn’t even looking. He couldn’t bear to look.
Ayden leaned in. “Better make sure he doesn’t traumatize this teacher too,” he whispered in a teasing tone.
I gave him a light slap to his chest. “He won’t do it again,” I asserted. He leaned back in his seat, smirking.
* * *
Aworksheet was placed on my desk after attendance was over. I picked it up, studying it. A get to know me worksheet? I turned to see that Miss Kennedy was handing it out to everybody. In Pineshire Academy, we’ve never experienced such an easy assignment.
“This is only y’alls second week of school, so we should all get to know each other,” she explained, walking back to the front of the room. “The worksheet will be hung around the classroom.” She turned to face us. “If y’all are well-behaved, I may have a surprise next week.”
Suddenly I didn’t care how she got the job. She was the best teacher I had ever had just by first impression. I picked up my pencil and started to fill out the worksheet. I wrote my name, favorite color, favorite drink, and a lot more ‘favorites.’
As I was halfway through with the worksheet, Ayden nudged me. “Are you free tonight?”
I set my pencil down and nodded. “Yeah, why?”
He smiled at that response. “Well, my parents won’t be home and there’s going to be a party at my house.”
My eyes widened. “A party? Who else is going?”
He ruffled his hair. “Nobody that you know. Mostly seniors.”
“Seniors?” I asked, confused. “They’re old.”
“They’re in the neighborhood,” he explained. “They’re free to invite whoever, so maybe there will be people you know of.”
I turned my head, facing Hero. He was in a slumped position, his arms crossed. “Hey, would you like to come to Ayden’s party?”
He gave me a look of ‘Do I look like I want to go?’
“Peps,” Ayden muttered, turning my attention back to him. “What are you doing? I don’t want him to come.”
“What? So your senior friends can invite whoever, but your girlfriend can’t?” I scoffed, picking my pencil back up and staring down at the blanks I hadn’t yet filled out.
“That’s not what I mea—” he started.
“Save it,” I interrupted. He was making me upset, but these blanks were stressing me out more than anything.
Future Major. Dream Career.
I thought back to when Hero practically told me I could be a good therapist. My lips curled into a small smile, writing down Psychology and Therapist as my answers. I finally had an idea of what I wanted to do with my life thanks to Hero.
I glanced at Hero, who was still slouching in his seat. He hadn’t touched his worksheet. “Are you not going fill yours out?” I asked.
“Not planning on it.”
“At least write your name.”
Hero stared into my eyes for a moment before nodding. He uncrossed his arms and sat up. He picked up his pencil and wrote down his name.
Hero Castell.
I loved his name. His handwriting. Him.
Oh my God. No. I couldn’t think like this anymore. I had a boyfriend. Ayden. I jolted my head to face my own worksheet, forcing myself to stop staring in his direction any longer.
Miss Kennedy went around the room and noticed Hero hadn’t started. “Is somethin’ the matter?” she asked.
Hero looked down, not being able to make eye contact with her. “I just don’t want to do it,” he muttered.
“You really should do it, it’s for a grade,” she said, tapping the worksheet as she walked away.
As much as I wanted to ignore that statement, I couldn’t. I wouldn’t let my best friend get a bad grade. Especially on an easy assignment.
“I’ll fill it out for you,” I offered, taking his worksheet and pushing my own to the side. Hero didn’t look up but his mouth twitched into a small smile.
Ayden picked up my worksheet and slammed it on top of Hero’s. “It’s not your responsibility. That’s his choice if he doesn’t want to fill it out.”
“I know that,” I spat out, placing Hero’s worksheet on top again. “I want to do this.”
“Fine,” he scoffed, leaning back in his seat. He had finished his worksheet already.
Filling out Hero’s worksheet was extremely easier than filling out my own. I knew him by heart. After turning in the assignment, Ayden spoke again. “I’m sorry. You can invite anyone.” He paused. “You’re still coming, right?”
“Should I?”
He nodded. “I would really like you to.”
I gazed into his shining emerald eyes. “Then I’ll come.”