P.S. I Hate You

It’s deadly silent as we slowly move around each other, grabbing a few things to start cleaning up our classroom. I go over to the boards and he goes across the room to clean the other boards, and we’re quiet, ignoring each other.

Within ten minutes, it feels like I’ve been here forever, and I practically forget about everything and start humming. I don’t know what it is, or why, but I tend to do so when I’m bored, so I do it.

“Oh just shut up,” he finally groans. “You’re giving me a headache.”

I nearly jump, remembering he’s here. I look over my shoulder and toss him a dirty look. “Well you’re just an eyesore.”

“Only because you don’t know what’s treasure from trash,” he says mockingly.

I snort. “Trust me, I do. And you’re definitely not the first, making you the latter.”

“Oh please, that’s all you have?”

“I have plenty more. I just don’t want to waste the good ones on scum like yourself.” I shrug indifferently, heading over to the cleaning supplies since I’ve finished the board. Sighing lazily, I pick through the huge tray and baskets, trying to decide what’s used for what.

“Are you kidding? You eat scum for every meal.”

“No, actually, that’s what you eat.”

“Hey, I’m not the one on drugs,” he shrugs indifferently, strolling over with a smirk. He looks to be done, too and slides everything into it’s place, on the other side of the cart from myself. Which is good, because he just smells from a miiiiile away.

“Excuse me?” I raise my eyebrow. “Oh… so that’s what you do on your free time, huh? You just make up more rumors about me? Wow, you will totally go far with that in your life,” I tell him sarcastically with a nod. “Even cleaning this stupid room is better than chatting with you, I swear.”

“Rumors, per say?” He returns to the comment before. “Please. There’s nothing else you could do on your free time. After all, your brother sure is at my house a lot.” He says that as I begin walking away, but that makes me stop and turn. “Aren’t I right? I mean, obviously there has to be something in your family that’s just… oh-so-lacking.” He smirks with a narrowed look my way.

“You…lowlife…” I’m practically shaking in my anger. I furiously glare at him, unable to find any right word to describe what I’m feeling right now, what I want to call him. I mean, he’s not even human. He’s… he’s the devil incarnate! “I cannot believe you would stoop so low,” I mutter lowly, walking forwards back to him. “Don’t you dare say that.”

“Or what?” He takes a step back as I arrive, but crosses his arms casually to show he’s not afraid or even affected. “Or you’ll go overdose yourself? Please, do us all a favor why don’t you.”

Overcome in my anger, I twist off the cap of the cleaner I’m holding in a single move and throw it at him. “I hate you! Go kill yourself, already, because no one would care, you’re just a bratty jerk who does what he wants!”

His eyes flash, spitting out the chemicals, nearly coughing. “You little!” He stalks forward, grabbing me and yanking me against the wall. I wince but I try not to show it- my arms still hurt and he’s grabbing them tightly. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Caleb seethes.

“Oh please,” I sneer. “You think you’ve got some sob story? Well trust me, no one’s going to listen!” Trying to jerk my arms free, I don’t quite do it but I’m trying still. “Let go, you di-”

“Shiloh and Williams!”

We freeze and blankly look up, completely thrown off. The superintendent has once again found us about to kill each other. He’s standing there, arms crossed and glaring hard as usual. It would be painful, I’m sure, to anyone else- but I’ve been on the receiving end it really doesn’t matter anymore.

“I see I’ll have to be splitting you two from detention from now on. Dismissed and you can return tomorrow. Now get out.”

Gladly! I jerk free from Caleb who glares down at me. I flip him the bird before stalking out, grabbing my bag on the way out. The classroom isn’t very clean I’m sure, but it’ll be clean enough for another day. But as it is, I feel dirty enough having been around Caleb for so long.

As I hurry down the road, rubbing my sore arms, I try to focus on better things, things that don’t include Caleb in the least. Trying to get the rubber band coiled in my hair out doesn’t exactly work either as I head down the street.