𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑤𝑒 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤// 𝑔𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑠

ᴘᴀᴘᴇʀ ʙᴀʟʟꜱ

Knox had apologized the next day. He promised not to ever talk about Chris like that or try to get with her. Nicolette felt relieved when Knox apologized. They both apologized to each other and worked it out. Next Nicolette apologized to the group for blowing up like that but they told her that she had every right and shouldn't apologize for that. We all sat around the table eating our food and having side conversations. Chatting through mouths full of bland food, talking about teachers we like or hate or how we plan to run away from the school without any suspicion. An echo of ringing from a bell jumps from wall to wall throughout the dining hall. Kids of all ages bumped into another trying to get to class on time. Once Nicolette and I found our way out of the chaotic dining hall we embarked on our way to the first class of the day. 

(time skip)

We sit around the table in the common room. Twirling my pencil out of boredom and lack of awareness. Wishing I was doing something fun, rather than this stupid trig. Neil and Todd working on something together, Charlie and Cameron bickering over something, Meeks and Pitts working some more on their radio, and Knox squealing about Nicolette's relationship. I rest my head on the table and let out a groan, a long, drawn out groan. Someone's elbow nudges my arm and I let out a groan as to say no. Then the hand rests on my shoulder and gently pulls me to sit up right in my seat. Their face leaned to face me, eyebrows furrowed as if to show their concern. 

"Do you need help?" Pitts points to my trig worksheets. I slowly nod my head, clearly frustrated.  He scoots his chair closer to mine and start to explain it. 

"So you're trying to find X, and it looks like you know tan12 and tan0." I nod. 

"So the X would be tan12 x 6, which would get you 0.213 x 6 and multiply that together to get X is equal to 1.278."  He finishes writing the equation on my paper. I look up at him and shower him in praises. He smiles and we continue working out the problems together. 

(The next day)

"Everyone open your text to page 21 of the introduction" Mr. Keating states flipping through his book. The rest of the class oblige. "Mr. Perry will you read the opening paragraph of the preface titled "Understanding Poetry".  I flip through finding the page and tap the beginning of where he has mentioned. 

"Understanding poetry, by Dr. J Evans Pritchard, PhD. To fully understand poetry, first we must be fluent with its meter, rhyme and figure of speech. Then ask two questions, one  how artfully have the objective of the poem been rendered and two, how important is that objective? Question one rates the poems perfection, question two rates it s importance. And once these questions have been answered determining the poems greatness becomes a relatively simple matter." Neil reads allowed while Mr. Keating walks up to the board, chalk in hand ready to write. While Neil carries on Mr. Keating begins to draw the scale. I hear the scurrying of students getting out their rulers to copy the board. I doodle it, not worried about the precision of my scale. He continues his scribbling, while I watch, my cheek resting on the palm of my hand. My eyes flutter, I fight against my drowsiness, the drowsiness winning. I close my eyes, still listening to Neil read the paragraph aloud.  

"Excrement." I tune back in as I hear this word slip from Mr. Keating's mouth.

"That's what I think of Mr. J Evans Pritchard. We're not laying pipe, we're talking about poetry. How can you describe poetry like American bandstand, I like Byron, I give him a 42, but I can't dance to it." We listen and laugh as he goes on his rant. Gerard gives me a side glance and I send one back at him. 

"Now I want you to rip out that page" Mr. Keating states monotonously. My eyes dart back to the teacher standing in front of us. My eyes are wide and filled with astonishment. Never have I ever thought that a teacher would ask us to destroy our textbooks. 

"Go on, Rip out that entire page." The class shares glances around the room, none of us not knowing what to do...well all except one of us. The tear of paper filled the room so quickly, so loudly. I turn my head and I see Charlie paper in hand and smirking. 

"Thank you Mr. Dalton, people tell you what don't just tear out that page, tear out the entire introduction." I thought my eyes couldn't open any wider, but boy was I wrong. I heard a rip right next to me, then rips from across the classroom. They started yelling, throwing paper around. I stared at my paper contemplating what I should do. A hand the grips my paper and tears it and I let out a loud gasp. I turn and I see the paper in Gerard's hand. I reach for his book and tear pages out. He reaches for mine but I snatch it and start ripping pages out. I crumble up the pages and start rapid firing at Pitts. I break out into a smile then laughter. Startled by my sudden action he doges and starts picking up the crumbled up balls on the floor. He then hits me right square in the face. Really hard. My head flies back and I start nervous laughing due to the embarrassment. Charlie is behind me clutching his stomach and laughing like there is no tomorrow. Neil noticed and asked if I was okay. I gave him a thumbs up. The culprit is right in front of me laughing his tiny ass off.  

"I'm so sorry Vivian, I don't even know how I threw a paper ball that hard." He apologizes in between laughs.  

"ARE YOU OUT FOR BLOOD!" I whisper shout at him which causes him to laugh even more. I slouch back in my chair, ignoring my friends around me. I just stare into space, thoughts racing through my head. A teacher barges into the classroom and starts blowing up. He shouts at us for being foolish, but Mr. Keating comes out of his office and clears up the mess. 

Class continues on. My face is red out of embarrassment and my eyes are locked on the English textbook in front of me. A note slides into my view from the right. I open it and it says,

"Dear Vivian,

Please forgive me for what I've done! I'm so unbelievably sorry that God has cursed me with unmatchable strength. You forgiving me would brighten my day and clear my mind of the storm that is brewing. I'm so so so sorry that I embarrassed you, if you want you can embarrass me back. Just, don't be mad at me, please.

Sincerely yours, 

Pittsie 

(P.S.) mark yes or no below if you are still mad, so I know whether to run out of class or not."

My mouth formed a small smile. I reached for my pencil and checked the yes box. If this was someone else I would be so upset, but Pitts is different. I couldn't be mad at him. He just had a face that you couldn't be or stay mad at. He knows I wasn't mad, but he still continued with the bit when he saw my answer. He frowned and scooted a little to the right, away from me. I cracked a smile at his little action. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear as I began doodling. I drew myself with pointy teeth and pointy fingers chasing a tiny scared Pitts. I ripped the little doodle out of my notebook and gave it to him. His mouth dropped and his eyes widened. He put his hands together and began to say a little prayer. I let out a giggle as I watched him. 

The bell rings and he quickly finishes up his prayer. I look away and start to put away my books and I turn back just to see him flying out of the classroom. I break out into a fit of laughter and grab my books. I dash out the door and try to catch up to him. 

Curse his long legs.