I can't do it. I can't make this story under 3000 words.

So for my writing assignment, I need to write a short story. We were told 12 pages, but my teacher, being the troll he is, decided on 3000 words instead.

I'm at 5000+ words right now. On another note, my hair strand count has gone down considerably.

I don't know what to do. When we had a peer edit, I had asked about the scenes I wanted to delete or shorten, and then was told not to! Mibba, I'm losing my mind! This friggin' thing is due in a few days and it's never going to be under 3000!

Any tips for deciding what is and isn't important during a short story? Perhaps I'm adding in too many useless details, but I'm afraid I'll lose marks if I don't, just because that's how it always seems to happen.

I relaly should have chosen to do the graphic novel proposal like I'd planned.

I might upload the story later tonihgt, if you want, you should check it out and help me out, I'd love you forever and ever! I think it's going to be called Wildcard, and it's based on cards, basically. Sort of Alice and Wonderland esque, with a sweet queen who suddenly turns violent and morbid, a set of bizarre twins, and a joker who really only wants to save his best friend from herself, and sleep.