His Flower [DISCONTINUED]

10: Detention

"Rose."

I groaned and flipped over to the other side of my bed.

"Oh, Rose," Jo sung in my ear.

I continued sleeping.

"Rose, get up. You're gonna be late to school," my aunt shook me.

"Five more minutes," I pleaded in a sleepy tone.

Jo deadpanned, "it's 8:30."

My eyes snapped open. "What?"

I jumped out like I was on fire and ran into my washroom. "School started half an hour ago! Why didn't you wake me up?" I shouted.

"I've been trying to for God knows how long," my aunt said incredulously. "I gotta leave for work. Eat a croissant on your way to school, hun."

She left my room while I groaned at the sight of my bedhead in the mirror. Nonetheless, I got ready in record time. When I ran downstairs, I grabbed the first coat I saw on the coat rack and swung it on, running out the front door. The jacket felt rather large on me. I couldn't help but also notice that it had a familiarly masculine scent. Though, I thought nothing of it. Perhaps it was Jo's. Had she worn cologne?

By the time I got to school, first period was already over. When I burst into second period Biology, I was completely out of breath and nearly doubled over. The entire class stared at me in bewilderment.

"You're late, Ms. Adams," my male teacher glanced at me from above his glasses.

He was a balding and bitter old man.

"I know, I'm sorry," I miserably replied. "I–"

"Detention after school," he said brusquely. "Room 102. Don't be late."

I stared at him in horror. "Wh–"

"Take a seat."

I'd never gotten detention before, and not for something as trivial as being late. I busted a sweat to get to this stupid class. Of course, I didn't say anything, trudging over to the only available seat at the front of the class.

The teacher peered at me. "We're getting in partners for the Biology project. Of course, you wouldn't know this since you were late."

Sure, just hold it against me for the rest of my life, I sarcastically thought in my head.

The old man continued. "I suppose you'll have to be in a group of thre–"

Just then, the door to the classroom burst open. In walked Antonio, fresh bruises and cuts on his face.

"Brown," the teacher glared, annoyed to have been interrupted. "You're late. You have–"

"Detention at 3, yada yada," Antonio rolled his dark eyes.

The class erupted in laughs. Someone even banged on their desk. Antonio's comment wasn't even that funny, and I had no doubt they were only laughing because of how much they adored him. I rolled my eyes at their desperate behavior and faced the front.

The angry teacher stammered for something to say. Meanwhile, Antonio scanned his eyes over the classroom until they landed on me. More so, the empty seat next to me. Everyone watched him as he sat down. A few girls looked envious that I got to sit next to him. Trust me ladies, you can have him.

"Since the two of you were late, you'll be partnering up for the Biology project," the teacher declared.

I frowned at that. While I hated jumping to conclusions, Antonio didn't seem like the type to do his schoolwork, so I'd probably end up completing the entire project alone.