Lola

“you know a lot about recreational drugs for a freshman”

She looks up at him from the pipe and slowly exhales smoke.

“Yeah. I guess so.” She responds and shrugs.

He studied her wondering how it is that someone who looked so innocent could be in this lifestyle. She had straight brown hair down to her shoulders and sharp pretty brown eyes to match. They had a mischievous glint in them for sure, but when she smiled anybody would trust any words that escaped those pink lips.

She looked up, catching his stare but he didn’t glance away.

“You’re a pretty little thing, you know that?”

“If you tell me I’m too pretty to be doing drugs I will hit you.” She retorted and he was pleasantly surprised by her feistiness.

He held his hands up in defeat and shrugged.

“I wasn’t going to, who else would skip school with me if you stopped doing drugs?” He smiled as he saw her face lose the defensive look and a small smile appear.

Now it was her studying him.

“So how did you know I would say yes to this anyways?” She asked.

“People talk. I may have heard a few birdies discussing your party habits..” He responded.

She rolled her eyes and didn’t say anything in return.

She held out the pipe towards him and just as his hand hardly touched it a voice barked behind them.

“Lola? Thomas? Why aren’t you in school?”

Lola jumped and with a sudden shatter the pipe slipped from their hands and broke in front of them, the all too apparent smell of marijuana lingering in the air.

Lola spun around to see Mr. Harrison, the school’s policeman. His brows were squished together and his lips were tight. They were busted.

“WELL?” He demanded, knowing there was nothing they could really say but pushing it anyways.

Thomas’ mouth was half open and suddenly for a cool older kid, he seemed all too foolish to Lola. Regardless, she too stood quietly with not a word to say. They were caught red-handed.

“Come with me.” Mr. Harrison resounded and stood to the side to allow them to pass through in front of him.

Lola caught Thomas’s eyes and they exchanged a ‘FUCK’ look before proceeded to follow the officer shamefully back to the school building.

-------------

Mr. Jerkens sat facing Lola with his hands clasped together on the desk in front of him. He’d asked Thomas to wait outside in the lobby for the time being.

Lola knew she should be worried about the consequences but somehow fear never came easily to her. She was confident if she played this right she would be let off pretty easily. For now, she focused on looking nervous as she stared at the ground, avoiding her principal's authoritative gaze.

Mr. Jerkens was tall and thin with a hooked nose and a few wisps of hair among a mostly bald head. He had on thin rectangular glasses and an ugly brown suit that Lola couldn’t imagine why anyone would willingly wear.

Finally, he spoke.

“Lola, you have top grades and are a top favorite among teachers here, along with the students.” He started and Lola meekly nodded, still not meeting his eyes. It was true, she had a perfect record and school came easily to her.

“To see you involved in things such as this, well frankly it upsets me quite a bit. Thomas... Tom is not the best influence and I know he is older than you so it may have seemed... cool.. to skip school with him but I hope you realize that it can lead you down a path of very very quick failure."

Lola finally looked up and met his eyes.

"Yes sir, I understand. I won't do it again, I promise." She quietly said while putting on the most apologetic and genuine look possible.

She immediately saw his face soften and she almost let a cocky smile play across her lips but held it back. She knew exactly how to appeal to people to get out of trouble.

"I suppose since it is your first offense... I could let you off with a warning this time." He concluded slowly and Lola nodded and thanked him with gratitude filling her big eyes. She knew exactly what he saw her as in his eyes. Poor little good-girl Lola, being influenced by big bad Thomas. It was all she could do to not laugh.

She again thanked him and quickly left her seat before he could change his mind.

As she walked out Thomas looked at her expectantly.

"What did he give you?" He asked, genuine worry in his eyes.

She winked and finally let the smile she’d been holding back play on her lips. Shrugged once, and turned to walk away.

Confusion spread over his face but before he could ask again, Mr. Jerkens appeared at the door and motioned for him to join enter his office.

She turned her head back and met his eyes one more time before he walked in. Hopefully he wouldn’t get anything too serious, she thought. He was cute.