Missing Assignment

Chapter 8

I woke up early, earlier than I would have liked, to the sound of footsteps. I quickly take my phone out of my pocket, turn it off, and shove it under my mattress, replacing its spot in my pocket with the phone my parents gave me. It's the same model. With the same case, I even put the same damn sticker on the thing. The difference is this phone has a different phone number, I'm not logged in on anything, and there's definitely a tracker in it. Like hell if I'll ever let them see my real phone.
I flinch as my door slams open.
"Give me your phone." My dad says in a stern voice.
"Why?" I ask.
"Do as you're told, that's why!" My mom raises her voice, and I take the fake out of my pocket. The second it's within sight, it's yanked from my hand.
"I forgot to grab it before leav-" I start.
"Shut up. I don't want to listen to your excuses." Mom says.
"Get your ass dressed. You've got school. I'll be there to pick you up as soon as you get out, too. You're grounded." My dad adds.
I change and get in the car.

I get dropped off late because of an argument and a wrong turn. I really wish I had time to grab my real phone before I left. Everyone is already at their classes by now. Everyone stares at the door as I walk in late. You'd think after almost a year of this shit they'd be used to it by now.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Zackary, late again! You should-" Mr. Marlow's happy voice is fucking infuriating.
"Would you shut the hell up about the alarm clock already!" I snap back before he can even finish the sentence.
"Language young man!" He replies. He's still too damn happy.
Everyone is staring at me. I really wish I had my fucking phone. I could really use a friend right now to get me out of here. As Mr. Marlow goes back to teaching, I pull out my notebook, hoping to come up with a way to pass the time. I open it and see the page full of research from the night before, I taped the prisons' phone number to the page. Suddenly, I raise my hand.
"Yes, Zackary." Mr. Marlow lets me speak.
"I need to make a phone call for my extra credit project, but I don't have my phone since I'm grounded. Can I go to the office to use their's?" I ask hopefully. He nods and writes me a pass to the office, then hands it to me. "Try to make it quick." He says as I leave. The second I'm out the door I run to October's first period, an Advanced English class. I spot her sitting in the hall outside her classroom, her computer in her lap. She looks up when she hears me running.
"Are you running because you're being chased by someone, or are you just being dramatic?" She asks jokingly. I stop and sit next to her and work on trying to catch my breath. Once I finally have enough air in my lungs again, I tell her why I'm here.
"I got out of class to make a call for my project." I start.
"So you used an excuse to come bug me in person." She replies.
"I need your phone." I tell her.
"Why can't you use yours?" She asks.
"I didn't have time to grab it after handing over the other one. I need to do a few things. Please just let me borrow your phone, and I promise to give it back as soon as I'm done, alright?" I ask her, letting out a hint of desperation in my voice. She hands me her phone.
"If you're in trouble-" She starts, but I stop her there.
"I'm fine, I just need to talk to a few people." I tell her, then walk around the wall to call the prison.
I schedule a visit with Robert Jarvison a couple of days from now. As soon as I hang up, I text Cody.

DoxedDreams: hey its Zack your brother knows how to drive right
Codys_Smoke: ye but yru on oct's phone?
DoxedDreams: didn't have time to grab mine
DoxedDreams: let Mars know we're leaving out back a little early
Codys_Smoke: ur dad comin?
DoxedDreams: yeah
Codys_Smoke: I got u. Lib door.
DoxedDreams: what?
Codys_Smoke: ill get donny 2 take us
Codys_Smoke: and u can hav my hood 2 cover ur face
DoxedDreams: I just needed Donny to drive me to the prison in a few days to do the interview for my project
Codys_Smoke: can do both

After texting Cody and securing a ride to the interview, I delete the messages I sent on October's phone and walk back around the corner to hand it back to her.
"Hey, do me a favor?" I ask as she grabs the phone from my hand.
"What kind of favor?" She asks back.
"When the final bell rings, I need a major distraction in the parking lot." I tell her. She nods, and I head to my next class as the bell rings.