what I’d told Tim half a dozen times. Everyone seemed to believe the lie as easily as Tim had. I guessed it was just a matter of confidence. Only one person didn’t utter a word, but sat hunched over his desk with a deep scowl etched on his face.
Silence descended as a slightly harassed looking Miss Steele paced through the door. Her eyes scanned the room and settled on me. Then she seemed to relax. Pulling her specs from her bag, she slid them over her petite nose. Her hair was unfastened today. It swept over one shoulder and hung just below her breast line. The thing I noticed the most however, was the perfume she was wearing. It was both intoxicating and overpowering, like she’d used half the bottle. It surged up my nostrils and flooded my brain with images of majestic flowers which stretched up towards the sky, glossy black petals open like outstretched fingers. I blinked a few times and the images faded, followed shortly by the scent.
Super smell, I assumed without much thought. It seemed that nothing could surprise me anymore.
I was wrong.
Halfway through the lesson, Miss Steele asked for a volunteer. As expected, every single male in the class put up their hand. She chose TJ.
I decided it was time for a little revenge.
I waited until he was almost at my desk and pretended to drop my pen. As I hopped off my seat to pick it up, I used my heel to slide the stool into his path. His foot caught against it and he let out a cry of surprise as he fell, bringing it clattering down with him. The room erupted into laughter. He clambered back up, with a face like a storm. I feigned innocence. “I’m sorry, I dropped my pen.” I waggled the offending object to emphasise my point. “You dick!” he shouted and shoved me as hard as he could. I didn’t move. I stepped towards him until my face was inches from his. Powerful waves of sizzling anger rolled through my body. “Bring it asshole!” I spat.
Miss Steele was quick to intervene, wedging herself between us. “Stop it this instant!” she hissed. “This is not a playground. I will not tolerate this type of behaviour. Do you understand me?”
Neither of us said a word, our bodies still squared up to one another. I was clenching and unclenching my fists, trying to resist the urge to throw Miss Steele out of the way and break the prick’s jaw. He glared daggers back at me, probably thinking the exact same thing. “I SAID DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?” I sighed, letting the anger ebb away. I nodded as TJ mumbled “yeah.”
“Good,” she said. “Now both of you sit down so we can continue the lesson. I think I’ll do the demonstration myself…honestly I have never seen such immaturity.” She shook her head and marched back to the front. As she passed me, I could have sworn I saw the faintest hint of a wink.
The lesson continued without further incident, although I could feel TJ boring holes into my back. If looks could have killed, I would’ve been six feet under.
At the end of the lesson, Richard Lawrence and Elliot Shaw — two guys from a few rows back I’d barely ever spoken to — came over to my desk as I was packing my things away. Elliot clapped a chubby hand on my shoulder. I tensed up, anticipating the worst. But when I turned, I saw he was smiling.
“I had no idea you were such a nutter pal. Fair play, TJ is a knob.” He spoke in a low voice, making sure the subject didn’t hear as he disappeared through the door, giving me a final glare.
Richard nodded, his curly blonde hair bobbing with it. “I really hate Terry’s lot. I mean this isn’t school anymore, I can’t even believe they get away with this crap.”
I raised my eyebrows, surprised that one: they were even talking to me and two: they were being sympathetic.
Elliot patted my back and gestured for me to walk with them. “So how does this car of yours handle?”
It wasn’t until I’d reached the hub that I realised I’d left my bag in class.
Elliot and Richard were still chatting to me about something or other. Being honest I’d stopped listening, but somehow managed to keep the conversation flowing. It was as if one part of my mind switched to autopilot, whilst the other went exploring. My focus was on Gabriella. Where is she? I wondered. Why does she keep missing lessons?
It was then that I remembered we hadn’t spoken since she’d left me the message. I’d tried to call her the night before but her phone had cut straight to voicemail and I’d been too nervous to leave a message. I decided to try again.
Except I couldn’t find my phone.
Where is it? I panicked, pawing at my empty jean pockets. Then I remembered I’d put it in my bag before Science…which was still in the classroom. Crap!
“Sorry guys I got to go.” I left them standing in the hub, sharing a confused expression. I threaded back through the hallways, making sure I kept my speed below superhuman levels. When I reached the room, the door was closed and the window blind down. Great, I bet it’s locked and I’m going to have to hunt Miss Steele down. But when I twisted the handle, the latch clicked and the door inched open.
Miss Steele was facing the outside window. And her whole body was shaking like someone had electrocuted her.
“Oh god!” I gasped, clamping a hand over my mouth.
As if someone had cut the power, Miss Steele stopped pulsing. She whirled around and glared at me. As she did, a gold signet ring she’d had clutched in her fist clattered to the floor.
“I… I forgot my bag,” I said in a strained voice, pointing a trembling finger at the offending item under the table.
The teacher bent to pick up the ring. When she stood up again it was like a cloud had passed. Miss Steele presented me her award winning smile. “Of course,” she said slipping the ring back into her pocket. “I hope I didn’t frighten you.” She cleared her throat. “This is actually quite embarrassing. The thing is, I suffer from epilepsy. I could feel a seizure coming on, so I shut the door and closed the blind.” She leaned forward and used a sender hand to sweep a wisp of hair from her face. “I don’t like people knowing you see, I worry they’ll think it may affect my ability to teach…silly really.” Moving the hand to her chest, Miss Steele gave an exaggerated sigh. “I’m sorry you had to see that Alex.”
“Uh, it’s fine. Don’t worry.” I smiled and edged over to my bag. I wasn’t convinced. Pulling the bag from under the desk, I asked if she needed me to fetch the school nurse. She assured me that it had passed and she would be fine. “Oh and Alexander?” she added as I went to close the door behind me. “Yes Miss Steele?” “Let’s make this our little secret.”
7
That evening, the first one came for me.
It was dark by the time I climbed into the Audi. I took a relaxed drive back to Mason Avenue, enjoying the roar of the engine and the tight handling, not relishing the swap back to my juddering heap. When I reached the Peugeot, I swore loudly.
It had been trashed.
The windows were smashed in and the car was up on bricks, wheels stolen. The CD player had been ripped out. Wires poked out of the backing like curious worms. The worst part was that whoever had broken in had felt the need to urinate on the front seats. The acrid smell hit my sensitive nostrils like miniature daggers, making me gag.
I stood still for a moment, thinking. This was a problem. I mean, I didn’t know how long I was going to have the Audi for and I certainly couldn’t drive it home. There was no way I could explain it away to Mum and John — the rich uncle lie wouldn’t exactly work. Plus there were far nicer cars lining the street, why choose mine?
The only option I could think of was to drive my car closer to home, walk the rest of the way and explain that I was trying to keep fit. I’d have to get my car fixed at some point…once I had some money. I guessed I could always eBay some of the clothes.
Still seething, I ground the car to a halt on Trinity Road — a quiet street not too far from my house, but still far enough for me to have calmed down by the time I got home.
Grey terrace houses ran the length of the road on one side. Lining the other was Susurrate forest. The dense trees created a canopy of leaves, thin slices of pale moonlight cut through the darkness.
