The Class Reject: A Damsel in Disguise (Featured Story)

Chapter 26

"I though you said we were walking," Miren said, watching  Rinzen fade from the passenger window. Jeno shrugged. 

"Just when I thought you were getting over your uptightness," he humored dryly. Miren raised an eyebrow.

"I could say the same about you." She sighed, trying to feel calm. She thought about asking where they were going. But she knew she'd just be subjected to another one of Jeno's attempts at sarcasm. So she turned her attention to the windshield.

"This is a nice car," she said instead, her hands gliding over the cool, black leather seat. Mercedes-Benz.

"Yeah," Jeno considered blankly, his eyes focused on the road as he drove. "Too bad it's not mine."

"What?"

Jeno managed to smirk slightly at her shock. "Oh, calm down. We're here."

She tried to relax her stiff form as she exited the vehicle. But they were at Rosemunde. And the place was pretty much synonymous with hell. Miren rolled her eyes. No wonder he didn't tell me where the meeting was...

"Stop scowling," Jeno said, closing his door and walking to her side. "We have to go to room 103 in Currie Hall. Lead the way."

She rolled her eyes, before taking the lead. They walked pass a stretch of greenery and made it to a building that was left of the main office.

Currie Hall was where she had taken most of her science classes, such as AP Physics with Penelope.  They walked toward the end of the hallway, and as Miren noted the freshly waxed tile floor, the gray walls, and navy and maroon colored posters on them, she couldn't help but feel a devastating sense of deja vu. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. She didn't respond. They both knew the answer to that foolish question. Jeno pressed on. "I would have told you, but I didn't want you to run away in the other direction.

She slumped her shoulders, slouching like a defensive turtle. "I'm not afraid of this place."

"You sure?" It didn't matter. They were already here. Miren opened the door to the mini-lecture hall in an effort to prove that she really was unfazed. The eyes of the homecoming court met their forms. Now they couldn't escape.

Miren sat down in the back row, trying not to look too hard at the people in the room. She knew Penelope had to be there. And Parker. Artemis. Life would be simple if she just looked ahead; the brick wall couldn't hurt her.

Walking off the elevated platform in the front, Theodora came to Miren's side. "Miles! Why are you sitting way back here?  Move up, we have some important things to discuss."

Miren rose to her feet with a sigh. Asking for obscurity would always bring her unwanted attention, wouldn't it? Theodora motioned at an empty seat on stage next to the pudgy announcer girl Miren remembered from the assembly.

"Hi!" Karsha said, her voice lively and loud. "You're Miles, right? Nice to meet you."

Miren nodded. "Likewise." The girl smiled before engaging in a conversation with the copper-haired boy sitting next to her. Miren tried to relax in her seat.

But honestly, it wasn't that bad. People were being polite to her. Or him. She shook her head lightly, refusing to let her thoughts bum her out.

Luckily, Theodora had assumed the stage, and people started looking at her. Miren turned her gaze to the audience. She found Jeno, who was seated next to Levi. Toward the back left of the room was Axel and some other nominee laughing giddily about something that was probably profane. Or maybe they were high. They were probably high.