Chiara [PUBLISHED] ✔️

Twenty-one

Mrs Felicia left us with an assignment about Lermontov's A Hero of Our Time. She thought it was appropriate for the time we lived in and I agreed.

"I want you to really think about Pechorin and how he would be represented in the 21st century. What would today's perspective of the mockery of a hero be?" Mrs Felicia put the book back in her leather bag and fixed a stray hair of her tight bun.

I knew one person that was certainly a mockery of a hero, I thought and glanced at the back row. Josh looked like shit. The usual smugness was replaced by instability. He looked like he was about to crack every time our eyes met. I understood his anger, but I was also perversely glad he was pissed off.

"Before we go, I want to recite a quote from the book and I want that to be the starting point for your brainstorming." Mrs Felicia obviously knew it by heart, because the book lay forgotten in her bag. "Nothing counts for me. I grow used to sorrow as easily as I do to pleasure, and my life gets emptier everyday."

Wasn't that fucking apt for everyone in this school, I thought as I gathered my stuff.

I had a free period until lunch and I wanted to use that time to work on my assignments. Chiara said she would take me shopping. The thought of shopping with Chiara filled me with both dread and excitement.

Keeping my head high, I walked past Josh.

"Jacqueline."

Fuck.

"Yes?" I turned to him. He looked even worse up close. His eyes were red and glossy, his lips cracked and his skin pale. Was this guy even sleeping?

"A word?" He dropped his notebook in his gym bag. At least he bothered to come on time and bring the books.

"We have nothing to talk about." I tried to keep my voice still, but I was already drowning in nervousness. Partly because I knew way too much about him at this point and partly because this was the first time I saw him this much on edge. He oozed unease.

"On the contrary." Josh jumped out of his seat the moment I turned around to leave. "I think we have plenty to talk about."

As all the students left the room and Mrs Felicia quietly walked past us, Josh and I were alone.

"Five minutes." I willed strength into my voice. "I have homework."

"I'll trade you."

"What?"

"I'll give you the school play if you give me Chiara." Josh smirked as my mouth dropped.

"Are you a four-year-old? What's the matter with you?" I snapped, unable to believe he thought this was a serious proposition.

"I don't give a shit about this play." Josh shrugged and I wanted to punch him in the face. "And you'd do a much better job. But you can't handle Chiara and you know it."

Doubt sparked through me.

"You can't trade a person, Josh." I held my head high. "I understand you haven't been instructed in the basics of morality, but people aren't things."

"What happens when Chiara wishes to be surprised?" He raised his eyebrow. "What happens when this school bores her and she wants to be whisked away on a tropical island? She is a woman, after all, she wants somebody who can wow her. And you can't afford that."

Oh, the sheer audacity of this fucking prick.

"Listen, Josh," I kept my voice sweet, "you might think you have power, but things have drastically changed in the last few weeks. I know things now. I know your word means nothing, your threats are empty and this play," I gestured towards the atrium dramatically, "it's mine."