Temptation Not Included

“Alright students, pass up your scantrons to the center of the aisles and whomever is sitting at the center, please stack them in alphabetical order. That way it’ll be easier on Marissa.”

The students in the class looked to their senior to see the bright-eyed girl smile from the front of the science classroom. The entire class envied her. She wasn’t the teacher’s pet, but she was close enough to be on a personal level with the beautiful teacher. Over the past month of the first quarter to the semester, the entire class already had already pegged the renowned educator as secretive. Just as told by their preceding classmates who also had the privilege of being in the same classroom as him. The former upperclassmen had indeed warned the new meat just before they graduated.

‘Just don’t get your hopes up.’

Now having fallen under a routine, the students’ smiles immediately deteriorated into frowns the moment they walked into the science lab for their AP Chemistry lesson. Even those of the male gender. Though they did not find Daniel Sauvageau as charming and seductive as every female student under his teachings, he was renowned for a reason. Not a single soul had been given private sessions and those in the Advanced Placement courses desperately needed the extra core time. The students placed in AP Chemistry did not achieve the course for no reason; they needed it in some way or another. They sacrificed time and day to get placed in the class, simply pretending ripened time did not pass them by.

What the dedicated students of McElderrey High School deciphered over the first month of the new school year is that Sauvageau does not sacrifice anything of his. His time is fairly expensive. The only cheap relief his students received from him was the bell ringing.

Just moments after all of the test answers were passed in and validated for, the bell for third period rang; signaling the beginning of fifth period.

Students hurried to get to their next period, whereas, the entire first floor of the high school was silent. The underclassmen had just migrated back from lunch and now awaited the same bell to signal them to their fifth period moments after the upperclassmen were stowed away in lesson.

Although a handful of students rushed to get to nowhere in particular, a few students carried themselves with poise. The majority being female, strictly for the invention of high heels strapped onto their feet. Those who were sporting sneakers easily flocked in and out of crowds, labeled as graceful slackers. They moved from one group to another, stopping and creating dams in between people just to chit-chat and be recorded as tardy for the upcoming class. Those who didn’t fall under that category of students were just slow. They walked with direction, but no purpose.

One of which being Meru Lang.

“Meru!” Marissa Kinney exclaimed, catching the girl’s attention as she walked out of her third period. “Hey girl. Will you be staying after school?”

“After Mrs. Driscoll’s threat on Monday’s practice, I definitely won’t miss today’s.” Meru jested, smiling lightly in return to Marissa’s grin. Meru glanced momentarily over Marissa’s shoulder and pursed her plump lips. “What class are you coming from?”

“Oh.” Marissa slung her bag over her shoulder and threw a thumb gesture to the only closed door void of any school spirit and decoration a few feet from them. “Mr. Sauvageau. I’m his student aid for third period. Uh, yeah,” Marissa chuckled from Meru’s scowl at the familiar teacher’s name. “he refers to you as being a nuisance.”

“The quarter isn’t even up, and I’ve already got a bad rep with him.” Meru spoke indignantly with an incredulous eye roll to go along. “He purposely picks on me to get a rise out of me.”

Marissa chuckled and began to walk around Meru just as she began to continue her way down the hallway, causing the girls to walk backwards to face each other. “Just don’t give him anymore lip and you’ll be fine. He is a teacher, after all. You can’t win an argument with him.”

“Psh, I’ve never lost before.”

“Yeah, we’ll see.” Marissa laughed as Meru turned around to leave the hallway. “See you after school.”

“Yep.”

As soon as Meru left the shortcut hallway, her lips cornered themselves in a pout. Within the first week of school she already developed malice feelings towards her AP Chemistry teacher. Rumors didn’t fail in defining the pedestal Sauvageau stood on. Before her senior year, she had never heard a lick of the teacher before. Not until the Spring season ended where the Summer season would grant her older friends a diploma. They not only warned her to just breeze by physically in his class, but to not even try to get on his good side. Trying resulted in immediate failure.

Apparently so did forcefully staying under his radar.

The Wednesday she had her first encounter with Daniel Sauvageau slowly came to mind when she rooted herself in her student body vice president seat of her Leadership class. To her, it felt just like any other natural day, with the exception that it was the second week to a brand new year. She marked it as her last first second Wednesday of her standard school career. Up until that day, she had been rather optimistic about her classes and her fellow classmates. Not once did she approach an affair with an acidic outlook.

Her French science instructor changed it with a flip of a switch.

Meru had missed the one question on an unfeasible test that, apparently, everyone else in her class answered correctly. When roughly put on the spot, Meru stood her ground and added a choice to the inquisition. There was opinion behind the question itself, proposing various correct procedures and outcomes. Sauvageau proceeded with correcting her logic as false. He proclaimed her knowledge as corrupt and that whomever taught her, had no correct intelligence whatsoever. In return, Meru debated that half of the class was taught under the same Chemistry teacher two years prior and, therefore suggesting, not being the only rotten apple in the bunch.

It seems like a normal conversation to have between a teacher and a student over certain obtained skills. However, Meru does not withstand confrontation and humiliation so well. And neither does Daniel Sauvageau. So instead of a professional statement shared between two people, the conversing ensued a full-blown argument resulting in a grade drop in Meru’s GPA standing for the course.

Meru Lang has every reason to detest the foreigner her science teacher.

“Meru, do you have anything to add?”

With her head resting on her desk, she shook her head. “Dimitri covered the basics.” she managed to mumble clearly through her arms.

“You’re lucky I’ve known you for four years or else I wouldn’t tolerate your lackluster attitude.” the administrator of the Leadership council said, shaking her head before turning to the student body secretary. “Did you turn in your assessment from last week’s meeting Dimitri?”

The boy sitting beside Meru nodded, shuffling through the notebook and folder he had in front of him. As Miss Viola approached him, he withdrew the statement and passed it over Meru’s head to the older woman. “These are some side notes we covered but didn’t include for budget reasons.”

“We’ll bring it up during the next Leadership meeting.” Miss Viola stated, glancing briefly over the student body’s work. “Okay, now that we covered over every class’ meetings from last week, we need to finish up the finishing touches on the Halloween and Homecoming decorations. According to Kyler, it says here that the freshmen, juniors, and seniors have finished with their Homecoming floats. What’s the status with the sophomores?”

The student body president answered, since it was evident Meru wouldn’t speak on behalf of anyone with her sluggish outlook on whatever was on her mind. “They’re having problems with getting their trailer base.”

“I thought they had one last week.” the student body historian said, flipping her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder to look at the student body president. “What happened?”

Kyler shook his head and looked to Miss Viola. “You want me on that one, huh?”

She nodded smugly with a sweet smile, evoking an eye roll from the tall boy which excused him from the private meeting to ensure the rest of the class presidents were doing as they were appointed. The rest of the student body who had their undivided attention on each other and the upcoming events list in front of them assigned each other statuses to fulfill before the week’s end. Once Miss Viola retreated to the main classroom, as well as the rest of the student body separating to do their duties, Dimitri folded his arm on his desk and rested his cheek in his palm. Of all the times Meru has fallen asleep during a meeting, it always happened to be a student body meeting, not a council meeting. Sure, the student vice wasn’t required to do much with everyone else around the student vice carrying out everything else. Yet, Meru has always busied herself with assigning other underclassmen to fulfill her nominal duties.

As she has been for the last four years as vice president.

Dimitri shook his head at his friend. As his dark eyes fell over her sloth-like figure, they narrowed in depiction. He turned around towards the four by six windows decorating the high rims of the walls and watched the thick droplets from the downpour outside. It had been raining nonstop for the past two days in Baltimore.

“Meru.”

She let out a heavy breath indicating she heard him. “Why are you in shorts, again?”

“Why not?”

Dimitri barely heard her despondent mumble spoken through the cloth of her shirt. “You do know that Hurricane Janet will hit this weekend, right? All this freezing weather is the result of that.”

“Yes Dimitri.”

“You’re from California.”

“Yes Dimitri.”

“And you’re not cold?”

“Yes Dimitri.”

“Why are you moaping?”

Dimitri finally let out a breath of relief when Meru slowly rose from her slouched napped position. Propping herself onto her elbows, she caressed her chin in the curve of her palms and locked her heavy eyes with Dimitri’s dark eyes. “Why does Mr. S hate me so much?”

Meru’s eyes darkened from the laugh Dimitri let slip out. “Hate is a strong word.”

“The appropriate word for that bastard.”

“I think you hate him.”

“Well of course I do. But I want to know why he hates me.”

With a smile painted across Dimitri’s fine lips, he rolled his dark eyes upwards before scooting towards the edge of the seat. “If anything, he probably admires your outspoken nature.”

“Outspoken is a nice term, Dimitri. You don’t even have the same period as me, but Kyler does. And I know he talks to you about our arguments.”

“Well, you got a point there.”

“Precisely.” Meru shot a gun finger gesture at the teenage boy with a squinted eye. “I have done nothing wrong from the get-go but it seems like whatever I’ve done with anything science related in the past, it’s wrong to even step foot into Mr. S’s class. That egoistical bastard.”

“He’s foreign. Of course he’s egoistical.” Dimitri tried to compromise with Meru just for the sake of getting her butt moving with her vice president duties.

“Nah, his best friend is foreign too and Mr. Lennox is nothing like him. He actually just gave me extra credit on an assignment I finished early last period. Mr. S is just a bastard.”

“Foreign, French, bastard; what does it matter? He’s your teacher and I am positive everyone else that knows Mr. Sauvageau doesn’t favor you as a pupil will tell you that you can’t win against him.”

“That too!” Meru wagged a finger towards Dimitri with wide eyes. “He even gets on me for calling him Mr. S because I can’t pronounce his Frenchie name. Please, he should happy I don’t call him Mr. Asshole or Mr. Dipshit in front of the class.”

“You only don’t call him that because he would get you suspended.”

“… True.”

Chuckling, Dimitri rose from the desk and forced Meru to do the same. She pouted with no avail. “Look, I know you don’t like to live up to your title much--”

“Excuse me.” Meru drawled out, rolling her eyes for affect. “I take my role very seriously, except the role itself doesn’t seem to take its own sincerity. Kyler is headstrong and does everything the student body president is required to do, and then some. That then some is usually whatever I am implied to do.”

“After four years of being your friend, he kinda just learned to pick up the slack during sophomore year.”

“Ya know what? Fuck you.”

“I love you too.” Dimitri smirked as he led Meru out of the council room to the main classroom where the sophomores were working on decorations for their Homecoming float. Crouching his shoulders, he leant down to Meru’s height and barely brushed his lips against the lobe of her ears. “Just supervise the smores. At least then, you can tell Miss V that assisting them in their float decor made you tired.”

Meru shrugged and was left alone when Dimitri left to do his own assignments. She only circled the sophomores for five minutes offering her aid until she climbed onto the stacked desks in the back of the room and laid over the desks in the corner. Having been accustomed to the upperclassman’s nature, the sophomore treasurer handed her jacket to Meru and gently placed one of the many blankets residing in the room over her back. Meru adjusted her lithe body comfortably before resting her head in the nook of her arms.

“Wake me five minutes before the bell rings. Please?”

Every sophomore in the room answered her. Meru instantly smiled and spit out a smirk in her thoughts. “And they think I have no control…” she mumbled, chuckling lightly before closing her eyes for the remainder of the period.



Afraid his strength would break, Aeron Webster gave one final huff before swinging his tennis racket as hard and fine as he could. His heavy breathing and drip drop after drip drop of sweat was an indication that he was tired. Beyond his physical limits; not nearly. No matter how exhausted and filled to the brim of fatigue his body twined with, a voice whispering in his head prevented him from giving in. Although, without the voice, he wouldn’t sway. Tennis was the one and only academic sport his parents would allow him to commit to. As a young child, he never had much luck with fulfilling a team’s requirements and always ended up falling short. He had the height but no such talent. Him, targeting, and perpetuating balls didn’t get along whatsoever. He either ended up hurting himself or damaging property that always was never his.

His parents feared for him, seeing as he is the only male descendent to the Webster family. Perseverance to prove that he isn’t as accident prone as he used to be in his childhood matured him to achieve far and beyond to whatever he was capable of touching. That perseverant attitude is one of many traits that created the relationship shared between him and his best friend.

The same friend that had her eyes glued to him from the glass barrier of the gym doors, confining the tennis practice indoors for the afternoon. With every move his lanky body made across the floor, her eyes were sure to follow with interest and intrigue. No matter how many times she watched him practice, she always made sure to watch with as much interest as the last, with as much interest as promised for the next. Just as much as she was dedicated to be there for him, even for the little things, he was dedicated to her. It took them a while to develop such a mutual standard for each other, and only recently have they learned that there are exceptions for their extensions.

Re-arranging prior engagements did not fall on the list.

As the grand finale whistled from the lips of the tennis coach, Meru Lang looked up and down the yard of the mall area outside the gymnasium. Some students lingered for after school activities. Some with instruments in their hands, props decorating their attire from the drama production, flags used for the marching band, and others with sports duffels at their feet, over their shoulders, or at their sides. Meru had her duffle hanging limply from her loose grip, every now and then swaying against her hip when she would avert her attention elsewhere. She was a distance away from the doors leading outside, and although with the immense chitter-chatter amongst the students in the yard, she could clearly hear every roar of thunder and echo of the last raindrop meeting the next.

Earlier in the day the storm had not been so bad. According to the weather forecast, Wednesday would have been the calmest day in the approach of Hurricane Janet. Compared to the days before, this day was no different from the rest. The reason being why Meru cast out today was due to the lack of thunder and lightning throughout the morning. Apparently, it only let out for just those previous hours. Thankfully so. Meru was positive she would have stared out the windows of Lennox’s Trigonometry class if there were a full swing thunder and lightning show.

“Aeron better not forget the umbrella.” Meru spoke to herself when she heard the last of the tennis team retire to the locker rooms from behind her.

Before she could notice her demise by re-directing her attention towards the gymnasium behind her, a familiar sprite of a voice caught her attention. “Meru!” Ellison Vanderbilt cheered, everything joyous spread across the pale girl’s face. “Guess what?”

When the student body historian finally reached the student body vice president, Meru took the heavy equipment used for broadcast journalism and leant against it lazily. “You and Kyler took care of this week’s shot?”

Ellison nodded, smiling exhaustedly with a small swoosh of an exhale. “Finally. Yvette and I have been working on it for almost a week. It’s about time Kyler decided to do something about it.”

“It’s his job.” Meru shrugged.

“It’s also your job too, miss student body vice president. You slept today during Council.” Ellison taunted with a smirk, Meru scoffing quite inelegantly. “But, I actually have a favor to ask of you. See, because this shot was on a deadline, Kyler got all perfectionist-ic on me and of course, we butted heads.”

“As per usual.” Meru added, throwing a curious glance at the only crooked leg of the tripod she was leaning against.

“And I’m certain he won’t help me after our little confrontation.”

“I wouldn’t want to be around you either if you attacked me.” Meru tapped the tripod leg with her shoe, Ellison grinning bashfully. “Miss Viola will throw a bitch fit if she finds out you damaged another piece of the broadcasting equipment. You know she hates Mrs. Bogal.”

Ellison rolled her eyes. “Almost everyone who isn’t in broadcasting or journalism hates the old hag. Anyways, I need the student body pres or student body vice to sign off on a release form.”

“What for?”

“Yvette and I are going to spend our free period tomorrow interviewing some athletes about the rival game on Tuesday and we need to turn in the Mason announcement video for Friday before two o’clock tomorrow…”

“No wonder Kyler was bitching.” Meru put the pieces together before sighing out. “I guess so. We’ve been on a crunch lately, anyway. I should be used to signing off on things now.”

“You should, you lazy ass. You don’t do anything important but.” Ellison laughed, mock punching Meru’s right arm which evoked a small chuckle.

“Alright. Well, do you have all the paperwork on you?”

Ellison led Meru to one of the stone benches a few feet away from them and pulled out a familiar Council folder. As Meru looked through all the forms Ellison and Yvette would be handing out, along with the last minute Homecoming assembles for Friday, Ellison set up her camera and tripod when some of the athletes recognized the two and began to flock. Meru cast them out automatically, concentrating on the papers Principal Roeth had administered to the Student Council. If she were paying attention to those flocking towards Ellison, she would have had been aware that her demise was watching her.

“Mr. Lennox!” Ellison gasped, removing her sight from behind the camera and peering around the cheerleaders she was interviewing. At the familiar name, students parted sides to reveal the renowned teacher standing with curious eyes staring down the Masons with an even more inquisitive smirk. “I didn’t see you there. Would you mind being on camera for the Mason’s announcements?”

Encouraging the handsome man were the voices mostly belonging to the Mason’s cheerleading squad. Flaunting their persuasive words and coy smiles led him to no sway. And neither to the man standing a few feet from him, which immediately earned more drive of persuasion upon notice. Both blue-eyed teachers would have been flattered if it weren’t for the fact that most of the bashful eyes were immaturely aged. Nevertheless, they were no longer disguised in a crowd and could no longer peacefully watch one of their students perform behind-the-scenes of the weekly Mason’s announcements.

Without receiving a prominent response, the mathematics teacher looked to his flaccid friend beside him before shrugging. “Why not? What are you shooting, Miss Vanderbilt?”

“Oh, I’m just shooting some of the views on Tuesday’s rival game. Along with Friday’s Homecoming game and dance Saturday. Okay, are you ready?” Ellison whirled a tiny finger gesture at her former teacher before clearing her throat awkwardly. Her AP Chemistry teacher seemed to be made of stone as he stood just outside of camera range. “Mr. Lennox sir.”

“Hey.”

“Just three years ago you were the tennis head coach. As I’m sure you know, Tuesday’s rival game against the Eastern Tech Mavericks will be heavily anticipated. Do you have a prediction?”

“Does it really matter?” Mr. Lennox spared a laugh, to which every girl standing near instantly smiled to. “We’re going to win, hands down.”

Cheers from the nearby students clouded out Ellison’s next question, only to be answered with another laugh from the teacher. “I was no expert at the sport. Truthfully, the players on the team taught me more than I taught them. When a real tennis instructor applied for the job, I happily stepped down.”

“However, we haven’t had a cleaner tennis season since you were coach. Do you think you’ll ever coach again? If not tennis?”

“Well, I’m quite flattered on those statistics but I wouldn’t coach again.” he answered with a thoughtful scruff to his stubble, smiling at all the sour awes from behind him at his confession.

“Those words break a lot of hearts, Mr. Lennox.” Ellison said with a pouted lip. “Aside from tennis, will you be attending tonight’s Homecoming game? If not for the game, perhaps for the very promising halftime show?”

“I guess only those who show up will know, won’t they?” Mr. Lennox approached with a small smile. Ellison quickly held up a flash card to which the teacher glanced at briefly before diverting his attention back on the camera. “Tickets against the Pikesville Panthers tonight will be five dollars at the door, so I hope you bought your tickets beforehand. Due to the weather, hot chocolate and popcorn will be served for free. All other cart food will be one dollar which be donated to this season’s festival on October 17th. Remember, the game starts at seven o’clock. Show up ten minutes early to place your biddings and to collect your raffle tickets for the dance Saturday. For those who have my class later today, be sure to study for the pop-quiz on theories. Have a great Friday Masons.”

Ellison stopped the recording and grinned at her former teacher. “Thank you Mr. Lennox. I’m sure throwing in that advice will strike home for students like Meru.”

At the familiar taunting voice, Meru glanced up at her last signature. As soon as her eyes flashed across a familiar pair of cerulean blue orbs, she immediately masked her expressions. That is, until she realized another pair of cerulean orbs belonging to one of her favorite teachers, who stood not too far either, gathered her interest. “Hi Mr. Lennox.”

“Hello Meru. I’m glad to see your reputation fails. You’re doing vice work?”

Meru’s smile widened further, unbeknownst to her. “Just my signatures. Did you already grade my test?”

Mr. Lennox nodded and left Ellison to pack her equipment up to stand near Meru. Unfortunately for Meru, his friend wasn’t far behind either. “I won’t have the scores up until Monday, but you got an eighty-seven.”

As quickly as acid takes to the skin, Meru’s eyes sparkled in joy. “I haven’t gotten a B on a math test in two years.”

“As much as I’d like to congratulate you, I have something I would like to run across you. I understand you have AP Chem with Daniel tomorrow.”

Meru’s energy deflated to a minimum of zero from the calm remorse that quickly spread across Lennox’s face. She could have mistaken the expression for her science teacher if it weren’t for the obvious humane glint in Lennox’s eyes, which she was positive it could not be found in her science teacher’s. Just as cold as Sauvageau’s eyes, her energy diminished to below freezing when the man in question left his conversations with fellow students to stand beside Lennox. Just as before, his eyes never left her. If she had the power to, she would make sure Sauvageau would never cast a look her way ever again.

It always starts with a look.

“Yes.” Meru sighed out, not bothering to hide her displeasure.

“Have you studied for tomorrow’s test, Miss Lang?”

The sound of his French accent sent unwanted shivers down Meru’s spine. Unlike most of his female students, it wasn’t a cascade of the butterflies. Meru was sure after their incident, she would have built an immune system to him in his entirety but with every encounter, the shivers of displeasure increased. As well with her hatred for the older man. It was only October, but with this ascending rate, she was assured she would never hold a worthy shield against him.

Biting back the edge of her tongue, Meru forced herself to ignore him and keep her undivided attention on Lennox. “What do you want to run across me, Mr. Lennox?”

Sauvageau’s dull expression didn’t falter from Meru’s typical attitude. “Our after school sessions have paid off, and SATs are just around the corner, as well with applying for colleges. Do you plan on furthering your education once you graduate?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if I excuse you from tomorrow’s lesson to talk about that, would you?”

Meru had a hard time hiding her smile and every other expression releasing pure happiness. It didn’t go unnoticed. Sauvageau simply rolled his eyes at the elation that surged through his student. That as well, didn’t go unnoticed. “I wouldn’t mind one bit, Mr. Lennox.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow sixth period.”

Meru waved goodbye to Lennox, and with every passing second that he headed towards the doors to the storm ravaging the parking lot, her smile decreased. She refused to acknowledge her science teacher’s unwavering stare. She was positive that his eyes bore into the side of her face, steadfast from blinks. “Make sure to study, Miss Lang. There won’t be a curve this time and I won’t excuse you from missing the test.”

The moment Sauvageau turned his back, Meru conjured a face at his back and quickly drew her eyes to the files in her lap. Even though he couldn’t see her, she was sure he knew by now that she had a habit of mocking him. If he did know, she didn’t care. At least then he would have just an inkling to how much she disliked him.

“I must say, Meru,” Ellison chuckled once she packed the last of the broadcasting equipment away. “I thought Kyler was only joking about the tension between you two. You really don’t like him.”

“That’s an understatement.”

Meru stacked the papers neatly into the folder before sheathing it into Ellison’s bag. Once she helped her with her bags and helped deliver them to the journalism room, Meru and Ellison went their separate ways. Apparently, the Council had volunteered their time in helping the sophomores reach their float deadline.

It isn’t Meru’s fault, so she didn’t feel any guilt whatsoever when she walked away from Ellison’s offer.

By the time Meru returned to her bags resting untouched on the bench most of the students had left to rest peacefully in their own humble abodes. Others were more than likely waiting for their parents to pick them up in the dreadful storm, or waiting for the after school bus to arrive. Although Meru was legal to drive, she was one of the heavy few who waited for the bus to arrive. She made a habit of utilizing the bus whenever she stayed late after school for many reasons. One, she didn’t trust her older friends who offered to drive her home. They mostly had alternative motives when they offered her the passenger seat. Secondly, she would much rather be driven around than to drive herself. She realized that when she first achieved her driver’s license. The only person she trusted wholeheartedly was her only true friend.

Who happened to be feathering his damp hair with his fingertips as he approached Meru. “There is no hot water.” was the first thing that came out of Aeron’s mouth. “It’s not even fifty degrees out, and I’m freezing.”

Meru rolled her eyes but enveloped her much taller friend in a hug nevertheless. “Do you always complain when it’s raining out?”

“The first thing I’m doing when we get to your house is taking a shower and drinking hot chocolate.”

“Yeah, how about no.” Meru stated as she swiftly took siege of the umbrella that shielded them earlier in the morning. She grabbed her bags and made a start towards the doors where the late bus pulled up. “I’ll only fix you the hot cocoa. Although my dad loves you, I don’t think he’d fancy you showering -naked- in my bathroom.”

“No, I’m positive he’d be fine if I took your shower for me.” Aeron argued, swiftly removing his umbrella from Meru’s grasp. “He’d only scorn me if I persuaded you to shower with me.”

“And what makes you think you’d have to persuade me?”

Aeron scoffed and quickly side-stepped Meru’s attempt at taking back the umbrella. “I have to persuade you to do a lot of things. One of them being, leaving my property alone. The last time I let you handle my umbrella, you broke the handle.”

“It was cheap plastic.” Meru shrugged to the accusation, inhaling deeply once she put her hands on the chill metal bar of a handle to the door. “I don’t remember it being this thundery earlier…”

The moment the duo stepped outside, their body temperature dropped as well with their goal to stay dry in their stride towards the bus parked on the opposite end of the parking lot. Unlike Meru, Aeron prepared himself for the current weather and monsoon season. He wouldn’t have a problem staying dry, but the protected skin sheathed from the heavy rain shivered from the drop in temperature. Unlike Aeron, Meru had a high tolerance against shifts in climate and drastic temperature escalations and drops. She was perfectly fine standing in shorts and a long-sleeved t-shirt in the below fifty weather. However, she wasn’t protected from the heavy rain as Aeron was. Although she adored watching the rain streak down a windowsill, she absolutely despised getting soaked by Mother Nature.

Either way, the two friends had already lost their battle. The one who usually came to terms with it, sighed heavily. He always gave in to Meru no matter what.

“You owe me green marshmallows with that hot cocoa.” Aeron voiced just loud enough to be heard over the thunder.

Meru unwound her arms from around her torso and looked up to Aeron who had his umbrella cast out towards her. Immediately, she grinned and snatched the umbrella before releasing its folds. As she shook out the umbrella, it was obvious how instantly thrilled she had become with the minor invention. She giddily bounced back and forth on her heels while sparing a giggle or two in between her eccentric humming. She had the tendency of overwhelming herself with the slightest of gestures. Surely her actions would announce her as immature, but her tactics towards taking serious matters at hand -although rare- spoke otherwise. Luckily for Aeron, he saw all sides of Meru on a daily basis.

Like Meru rhythmically patting up puddles with her shoes.

Despite her silly actions, Aeron found himself smiling fondly at his friend. Before Meru completely lost her wits hopping around under the awnings, she jutted her right elbow out towards him. “Ya ready to go, mate?”

He linked their arms together before drawing his hood over his head. The moment they stepped foot from under the awning, they were hit with the storm’s unfaltering gust. Meru immediately threw her free hand onto the top of her hat the moment Aeron’s hood was blown back. If it weren’t for Aeron’s firm hold around Meru’s arm, she would have tumbled onto the pavement. The slick action of him pulling her back into his side made the two crack up.

“I think you’ll have to share those green marshmallows when we get home.” Meru chuckled, wrapping her arm tighter around Aeron’s slim muscles. “Say, where did you get this umbrella?”

“Why? So you can buy me a new one once you break this one?”

Even though Aeron couldn’t hear her, Meru scoffed and muttered an indignant reply. “No, dummy. I want one for myself. I think it’s about time I have my own umbrella, and since my parents won’t let me borrow their plethora of umbrellas, I want one just like this one. It’s huge.”

“It’s actually Annette’s.” Meru awed at the name of one of Aeron’s older sisters. “Her and Amelia have the same one… and I guess since they carelessly left ’em here, I’ll let you borrow the other one.”

“Yay!” Meru giggled, bouncing in her step which caused Aeron to stagger into a puddle. “Oh, sorry. But yay! You sure Amelia won’t mind?”

“She won’t find out until they come back for Thanksgiving, and by then, Janet and her bitches will have been long gone.”

Quirking her lips, Meru hummed thoughtfully. Her fast-pace thoughts were cut short from a strike of lightning livening the gray skies. Smirking to herself, she rose the umbrella higher over their heads and smiled cheekily at Aeron. “You don’t say, huh?”

Not catching on, Aeron shrugged his already dampened shoulders and nodded while pursing his rain glittered, plump lips. “Yeah, and besides, Amelia likes you the most. Actually, a couple of days ago, she wrote me a letter-- MERU!” Aeron hollered in shock from their portable roof being stripped of him.

Laughing hysterically from Aeron trying to catch up with Meru’s zigzag sprint towards the bus with his hands hovering above his head, she would’ve tripped if it weren’t for her body being too numb to register the hole her foot tripped into. Instead, she laughed harder and taunted her friend.

“MERU! Dammit! Give me back my umbrella!”

“RUN TALL BITCH RUN!”

Sitting unscathed from the storm watched Meru’s Trigonometry and AP Chemistry teacher, the latter not in the least impressed with one of his student’s behavior. Without so much as straining a muscle, he looked to his friend in the passenger seat of his car. “Now do you understand why I’m hard on her? She’s an imbecile.”

“She’s a teenager, Dan.” Lennox scoffed the idea away. “She’s allowed to have fun and enjoy her adolescence.”

“She’s ignorant and painfully naïve.”

“Well that’s her problem.”

“Not when she brings it to my class.”

Lennox sighed heavily. He nor Sauvageau had a blind eye to their students and what they thought of them. They knew the rumors that floated around and the majority of batted eyelashes were meant for them. It wasn’t anything new that the majority either loved them as teachers, or hated them. The latter being for Sauvageau’s repute. Although it didn’t require much energy towards maintaining the safe standard, Lennox was physically drained. His physical stature could state otherwise, but the lack of Zen occurred in a monthly cycle. It had been a while since he had anything decent to drink and he was pushing his limits.

“You’re a good teacher, but it’s obvious you don’t like her. Roeth could do something about you out-casting her if Meru brings it to him.”

“Yeah, whatever.” he mocked Meru’s typical retort, to which, Lennox furrowed his brows. “Have you seen her test and homework scores? She needs improvement.”

“If you try talking to her like a civilized being, she might actually learn to respect you as her teacher. As for her grades, critic her better instead of writing low-end threats on her tests. I know, she’s showed me.”

Sauvageau ignored the dreary look his friend cast him before switching the gears from park to drive. “It’s called harsh criticism. She didn’t get it before in her previous Chemistry classes, so she’s getting it now.”

“You just don’t like someone questioning everything.” Lennox laughed before turning the dial on the heat.

“As stated beforehand, she’s ignorant and painfully naïve.”

“Which isn’t your problem.” Lennox stated airily, watching the students hastily board the after school bus before it was out of sight within seconds.