Royally Switched *Heavily Editing*

Jayden Carter

• Jayden •

My alarm blared at me, the cliche beeping grinding on my emotions so early in the morning. I cracked open one eye, as I picked up the infernal machine and threw it out the open window opposite me. I heard it crash onto the pavement below, making me chuckle as I rolled onto my back with hands under my head. I took steady breaths, relishing in the silence before getting up for the day ahead of me. I pulled on my faded grey skinny jeans, a white v-neck shirt and my leather jacket. I pulled on my trainers, which lay on the floor in a pile of other shoes, before donning my tattered messenger bag on my shoulder. I walked past the kitchen, yelling a quick 'bye' before closing the front door behind me, before starting the walk to school.

I slouched in my seat, doodling in my notebook as the teacher spoke. I had already read ahead of the syllabus today, so I was simply listening out for anything I could have missed.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, I didn't have to check it to know who it was, as I turned my head to shrug at my sister across the room. She threw a crumpled sheet of paper at a student in the front row, pointing the blame at her neighbour sitting next to her with a cartoon-like shrug. I gave a quiet scoff, watching the scene unfold before continuing to doodle.

There was a knock at the door, as the head teacher peeked her head in the door and requested our teacher to step outside for a moment. He obliged, excusing himself from the class.

I sighed, hearing my sister stand up and start to dance to a song from her phone's speakers. A few classmates cheered, but I simply let my forehead rest on my desk.

Mr Johnson walked back into the class with a smirk as he made his way to the front of the class once again. "Do you want to explain to the class why you're asleep on your desk, or you are dancing in my class, Carters?

I took a deep breath. "I wasn't sleeping, I'm just shocked that I share DNA with Sam. I don't want to watch her faceplant,"

"Hey!" She called, standing on her desk now. "You take that back, brother!"

"Hay is for horses, sit your butt down and shut it, little sister."

"I'm literally two minutes younger than you, banana breath!"

I burst out laughing, "That the best insult you got, little sister? Come on baby sis!"

"Stop!" Mr Johnson yelled, breathing heavily and practically red. I imagined him with steam popping out his ears like in cartoons, which made me burst out laughing. Sam joined in, which set off the whole class into laughter.

"Enough!" He presses a button on his keyboard, where a high frequency emitted for a few seconds and stopped. The class was silent, all covering their ears or holding their heads.

"Both of you Carters, do you think my class is amusing?"

I shook my head. "I personally don't, I cannot speak for my little sister however. can you not teach us something useful sir, perhaps how taxes work? Or something we will use in our adult lives."

He pointed to the classroom door. "Get out of my class, Carter, both of you, and return only when you are going to apologise for your rude and arrogant behaviour. You should only come back when you deem yourself worthy of my time and energy. For now, visit the headmaster's office,"

I got up, slinging my messenger bag onto my shoulder, and walked to the door. Same followed, but paused at the door.

"So sir, just for clarity here, if I may. Myself and my brother are to stay out of your class indefinitely until we apologise for whatever we did and deem ourselves worthy of your time? How will we know when we've achieved this?"