𝘉𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘵-𝘋𝘰𝘶𝘹

Chapter 6 - Luke

Daisy and I separate once we get to Maths, and I walk into class sheepishly as it's beyond the start of lesson. Everyone is talking busily, and something seems off; the seating plan has been changed. I'm sad, because I have become really good friends with Fran, the girl who I was previously sitting next to, and, with a new seating plan, there's always a risk of being sat next to someone you don't like. For example, if someone gets sat next to Luke.

There's five empty chairs, and I'm praying to God and Jesus and whoever else there is that I'm at least sitting next to Spencer, no matter how annoying he is. The Maths teacher looks up expectantly. 'Oh, Jolene! The new seating plan is on the board,' He informs me. I look at the seating plan, eyes scouring nervously for a good place. I find my name. Find the person I'm next to.

My stomach drops. It feels like someone hit me in the head with a brick.

Luke.

My jaw clenches and I sit down in the chair next to the Year Bully's empty one. As quickly and quietly as possible, I pull my book and pencil case out of my bag and place them on the desk.  Putting my head down, I begin scribbling the starter task. After what feels like an eternity, I hear Sir request silence because lessons have started. Luke isn't here and I hope he's skip-

The door bursts open. Aiden and Luke walk in. Sir looks at them over his wire-framed glasses. 'And why are you late, boys?'

'Sorry, Sir,' Luke says. 'We were speaking with a teacher.'

'Sit down. Which teacher?' He asks curtly, staring at Luke and Aiden expectantly. 

'Ms. Brown,' Aiden offers, sitting on the chair three feet away from Luke, seeing as that's his allocated seat. They're grinning at each other. I feel like everyone is staring at me, which they are, as their gazes are towards Luke and his reasoning for being late into the lesson, with most people knowing the actual reason why they are late. Their looks feel like either second-hand embarrassment or sympathy. Last time nobody sat next to Luke, but his attitude towards Maths (obviously) didn't change.

Sir makes a note of the teacher's name, looks at Luke with dismissive annoyance and proceeds to talk us through the lesson, algebra being our current topic. It takes me back to Year Seven, when we had only just joined the school. I still don't really like algebra, but it's easier now. Bored, I start thinking about GCSEs, and knowing I'll do well in Art and probably History. I'll get at least higher than a five on the rest of the subjects I chose. Once Sir is done showing the equation, I copy it down into my book to refer back to. It looks easy enough.

He gives us questions to answer, and I get to work, also glimpsing at Sir. We all have a suspicion that Luke, Aiden and the others ran away from Ms. Brown, so the likelihood of her catching them was slim. They always escape the teachers. Sir doesn't look like he's received an email back, so he starts to speak and-

Abruptly, he stops as he's reading what has popped up on his laptop screen. I guess he's had an email back from Miss. His expression hardens and he looks at Luke. 'Luke, did you lie to me?'

Luke looks at Sir with a belligerent expression. 

'Nope,' he says and carries on with his work, like he couldn't care less about the consequences of his morning. Probably because he really doesn't care.

'Well, Ms Brown says that she couldn't find you because you ran away.' Standing up he goes over to his whiteboard, 'which would mean you have a late detention. Both of you.'

'What?' They both yell together. Luke slumps back in his chair. Huffs. His cold, green stare lands on Sir, although Sir manages to ignore him. I try my hardest to not shake or fumble when I get things out of my pencil-case, knowing that everyone is looking in the direction of Luke again -- so also in my direction.