P.S. I Hate You

Murder, they say, is never the answer.

I say nay to that. Emphatically, too.

Why, might you ask? Well I’d just love to tell you answer.

See, the fight didn’t end with me covering him in the colored water. As amusing as it was, it only got him angrier and we started cussing each other out. He even paused to grab a tight coil and shove it in my hair while I was stuck for a moment in his headlock- but I got a good punch to the guts. It got to the point where we were both shoving chairs at each other, but that’s when the superintendent came in- and just as I was winning.

“What is going on here?” He demands, glaring around at the kids. For some who chose a career in dealing with the youth, he surely hates us. Especially Caleb and myself, though I haven’t exactly figured out why. Maybe because he catches us in fights? Hm…

“Oh,” Ms. Birdish whimpers softly in the corner. “These little dears just…”

Caleb picks up. “I’m sorry, sir. But she attacked me and I had to defend myself.”

“Excuse me?” I retort. “If I attacked you, you’d be dead now.”

“Miss Shiloh, that’s enough,” he demands. “Counselor’s office, now.”

“What?” I squeak in disbelief, staring at him with wide eyes and slowly lowering the stool. It was getting heavy, after all. “But… he- it’s his fault, too! I’m not the only one who did anything wrong! And you can’t prove it!”

“Oh, just do as he says,” my enemy snaps.

“Well why don’t you just shove your butt-”

“-you first, you little-”

“-oh, you just wish you were-”

“STOP!”

Sullenly we both turn back to the man who’s glaring at us. “Detention for both of you, for two weeks. And you can begin by cleaning up this classroom. For the rest of you, class is finished early.”

“But what about our other classes?” I ask innocently.

He stares hard, wishing I’d just shrink away. Hey, if it got me from trouble, I’m sure I would do it. But as it is, I am no Alice in Wonderland. “Fine. You’ll clean this up after school ends. Miss Birdish, the rest of your classes today shall be either cancelled or taught in the yard, your choice. Now everyone, leave.” He stalks out, probably to go murder someone.

Well this sucks. I have more than enough detention, and I need a job, plus what about Benji? Groaning, I slowly start picking up my gear, trying to figure it out. Muttering under my breath, I ransack my brain with ideas, trying to find some solution but it sure as heck is not working. But as it is, I step out of the classroom and decide to go sit in the library for a while.

School ends a little too early. But I did make a call to the school saying I’d be late to pick up Benji so no calls would need to be made about being picked up…. I just wasn’t sure how long this would be. Slowly, I then make my way back to the chemistry, hoping maybe time will be on my side and go by quickly to the point where I just walk out now- but it doesn’t.

“Supplies. Partners. One hour.” The superintendent graces us with the words, pointing, and exits. We both stare at the closed door for a moment, unable to comprehend this. He just walked out? I mean, I know he’s in charge of detention, but just ditching us? Usually that would be good…

But this? Us? That’s just stupid and dangerous.

Why?

One, I hate Caleb.

Two, Caleb hates me.

Three, we’re unsupervised in a classroom.

Four, and it’s just the two of us.

Five, with plenty of weapons.

Slowly I look over at him through narrowed eyes, and he’s doing the same thing, glaring back at me. The thought has to be running through both of our minds: there is no way we’ll both get out of this alive.