✔ DRUNK words, SOBER thoughts ✖ hemmings au

23: Tampered

ARI.

My so-called bestest friend was being an immature prick and I had no clue what his deal was. I was a little flattered with Luke's clinginess; moved that he wanted to spend time with me, but at the end of the day I had prior engagements with Reese. And Luke needed to understand that I couldn't just break a promise because something better came around.

That's not what I'm about.

I slouched in my desk towards the front of the classroom, diagonal from the Albert Einstein cutout Mrs. Hemmings had displayed in her classroom. I quietly listened to my music, taking out a green spiral notebook I used to take notes in as I waited for my favorite teacher to stroll inside. However, after ten minutes of waiting around, the classroom grew anxious in addition to the rowdiness. Paper planes flew across the classroom, outside voices were now indoors, and I think someone was building their own sandwich in the back corner of the room.

Where the hell is Mrs. Hemmings?

My burning question was soon answered when another teacher, Mrs. Donato, walked into the class and took long strides to the front. She was a small, mousy, and sweet old woman who should be at home knitting and watching Golden Girls as oppose to teaching U.S. Government to a bunch of pretentious shithead high school kids.

"Calm down class," Mrs. Donato told us as she bounced her arms up and down in assistance to her demands. Despite the asswipes that comprised this class, they seemed to have a deep respect for the old woman and immediately fell into silence.

"Mrs. Donato?" A familiar, nasally voice rang in my ears and without turning around to look, I already knew that Abecrombie model wannabe and Luke's ex-whatever, Katie McQuaid had spoken.

"Yes dear?" Mrs. Donato smiled, looking straight at the tall, blonde girl through her specs.

I sounded almost bitter. I'll admit it, I was a little jealous of Katie fùcking McQuaid. She was a clear representation of a Victoria Secret model minus the cool accent and I couldn't match up to fúcking Katie.

"Where's Mrs. Hemmings?" Katie asked. At least she asked a relative question other than some air headed inquiry.

"That's precisely why I'm in here," Mrs. Donato stated, "there seems to have been some kind of emergency at her home and can't come in today."

"Woo! Free day!" A kid from the back of the classroom whooped excitedly. The others giggled in agreement.

Mrs. Donato simply smiled and shook her head, "no, not quite. I will watch over this period since I don't start teaching my classes till 2nd period. You may quietly talk amongst yourselves--"

"Woo!" The class erupted into cheers.

"But!" Mrs. Donato added, her voice going up in decibels to grab the attention of my overly, joyous classmates, "but, I want you all to work on school related things. This class, other classes, if you have me for AP Government, there's a test on Friday you could start studying for."

As my peers proceeded on with the task, quickly moving their desks closer to their friends to gossip and chat about whatever and whomever, I stood up. I sauntered right up to Mrs. Donato who sat at Mrs. Hemmings' desk grading papers.

"Um ma'am?"

Mrs. Donato lifted her gaze from the pencil-streaked, 3-hole punched, lined paper before her and landed her eyes to me, "yes sweetheart?"

"You said there was some emergency at Mrs. Hemmings home, you wouldn't happen to know what it was would you?" I questioned, biting my bottom lip in nervousness. Mrs. Donato sighed, shooting me a sympathetic smile before shaking her head.