My Lifeline

2

My maths class is probably the most dullest room I have ever laid eyes on. The walls are bland and grey, the paint slightly peeling, the desks are wooden with names and engravings carved into them. Some look to be over ten years old. My teacher looks just as old as this classroom does. At any time, I think he might just fall asleep. I don't blame him, I've only been here for five minutes and I already want to close my eyes.

I rest my head on the old, bumpy table and stare across the room out of the window which looks like it hasn't been cleaned since before the summer.

How is this school still open?

I decide to switch my position and hide my head in the crease of my arm instead, trying to forget about my surroundings which I can't seem to escape from.

I wonder if I'll feel happier once I'm out of school and working. I highly doubt it. I don't know what I want to do with my life. I never have a clue what the hell I'm doing.

The class is full of students quietly talking amongst themselves as they wait for our teacher to start talking.

I almost jump out of my skin when the door suddenly flings open and hits the wall with a loud bang. Every other student in the room seems to have the same exact reaction as me. I'm relieved that I wasn't the only one. That would have been embarrassing.

William, Brains and Ryan all walk in together. Beck isn't with them, he must have a different class or he has a free period. They're all laughing and talking in an extremely loud volume which almost makes my face grimace.

They go to sit down at one table together, but our teacher quickly shoots up to stop them.

"No!" he shouts, making every student in the room jump once more. "You think I don't remember the havoc you all caused last year?"

Ryan pulls down his eyebrows and laughs in our teacher's face. "Mate, I don't even know you."

Brains snickers and pushes his glasses up his nose, William just simply chews the gum in his mouth and looks the least impressed.

Our teacher, who's name I don't know, points at Ryan to warn him. "I'm not your mate, my name's Mr Peters."

"Okay, Mr Peters, I don't know you, so you've clearly got us mistaken with someone else."

"You may not know me, but I do know you. You all made quite the names for yourself in this school. I know all about your tricks and behaviour, so if you think I'm going to let you sit together, you're wrong. You want to act like five year olds? Be my guest. I'll treat you as such."

I raise my eyebrows at Mr Peters' sassiness. Although he seems like a grumpy sod, I have a feeling I'll like him.

"Chill out, man," William mutters under his breath as he rolls his eyes.

Mr Peters doesn't react to that comment. He just kind of glares in William's direction and then points to the seat beside me. "You, sit there."

William gives the teacher an over-exaggerated, sarcastic smile before he throws his bag down on the floor and takes a seat beside me.

I try to scrunch myself up as much as possible so he won't even know that I'm here. Not that I should be worried, he's never taken any notice in me before. I think I'm invisible in his eyes. I'm also quite glad about that.

"You, over there," he demands to Brains.

"Yes, sir," he says in a sarcastic tone with a cheeky smile present on his face.

"You." He lastly points at Ryan who's trying to intimate our teacher with his harsh and scary expression. "Over there." He points to the front, far away from the others.