Hunter Williams' Taboo Adventure

Third Chapter

❝Hold fast to dreams,
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird,
That cannot fly.❞

- Langston Hughes

[ H U N T E R   W I L L I A M S ]

I wished I could say that my Friday morning started out just fine, but then I'd be blatantly lying. It was as if the world had turned against me today, as soon as I stepped through the front door my day was ruined. It was raining cats and dogs, there was mud everywhere and I was bound to slip and break my neck.

Needless to say, I did.

I might have not broken my neck, but I sure as hell ruined my favourite hoodie and that major inconvenience was the reason I was late to English again.

I wasn't really setting the best image for myself, being late two days in a row and getting intensely stared down by Mr. Carter with that scolding glare, that he had seemed to have mastered. I just hoped that he hadn't read my essay from the day before yet, it was a total catastrophe.

I couldn't crack Aurora Leigh despite the countless times I had read it, I don't know whether I was stupid or just a special snowflake - but needless to say, I ended up blabbering and spewing complete nonsense about a woman's struggles to achieve independence. To my relief, I saw the papers sitting comfortably on his desk, sitting in the same spot where they had been when I turned them in. Perhaps he hadn't read them yet, I could only hope.

I must have spaced out during the class because the bell suddenly rang and everybody jumped up from their seats, eager to get on with their days. I tried to follow my peers, but I was soon stopped by Mr. Carter. "Running off so soon?" His voice was a mixture of irritated and sly.

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned towards him, offering him the best smile I could muster up, however, I ended up looking like I had a minor facial malfunction instead. The teacher crossed his arms and sighed. "I am very disappointed in you, Hunter."

Gulp.

"You've been late two days in a row now and your essay was absolutely horrendous. Normally, I would this stuff slide, but I don't want to see you acting like this, especially after our little chat on Tuesday." Mr. Carter rubbed his forehead, it was almost uncomfortable to stay in the room with him. "Did you at least consider getting a tutor to help you with English?"

"I-uh... Yeah." I managed to choke out, I don't know what came over me, but my throat felt constricted rendering me unable to form coherent sentences.