The Jealousy Plot

52) Unfriendly Encounters

"So who's going in first?"

"Come on guys, it's not like he's going to be in there"

"Of course he's going to be in there dipshit, he's been our teacher the past three semesters"

"But philosophy?"

"There is no subject better for him than that, he loves lecturing"

"How is it even possible to have him for two whole years?"

"Can someone just stop being a pussy and walk into the damn classroom?"

"You do it then Danny Fanny"

"Fuck off Brooks"

"Why are we even arguing about this?" I speak up. Belle, Danny, Zack, Nicole, Brandon, Luke and I are all in a clump outside our last class of the new semester, philosophy.

"You guys, he's not going to be in there" Belle chides in. "He teaches four completely different classes that conveniently align with our schedules? That's borderline creepy".

I roll my eyes. "We can't stand out here forever" I say, walking through the door that seemed like a portal to a new world at the way my friends were treating it.

"Besides" I say, turning back around to look at them. "Belle's right. There is no way Mr. Solender is going to be our-"

But I stop myself when I turn back around to see the one and only Mr. Solender leaning back casually on his desk with an amused smile on his face.

"I called it! Cough up ten bucks Woods" Danny calls out as he follows me into the room. Zack reluctantly hands over the money before finding a seat.

"Ms. Adams" Mr. Solender states in a pleasant voice. "You might want to tell your friends that the bell is about to ring and if they are not planted in a seat at that time, I will, with a heavy heart, mark them tardy for my class, no matter how many times I have taught you guys before".

"Guys, get in here" I shout behind me and Luke, Brandon, Belle and Nicole file in. I pick a seat in the front row and Luke sits in the one behind me. "A little excited for our first philosophy class, aren't we Sleeping Beauty" he teases.

I shoot him a playful glare. "Bite me" I say back. "Maybe later" he whispers in a low voice in my ear, sending chills down my arms.

It has been a week since the trip and Luke seemed calmer and happier than I'd seen him in a long time. Both of us turned in our NYU applications and now all we had to do was wait for a response.

My attention turns to Mr. Solender when I notice him writing 2 words on the board. Human Existence

"You'd think the guy would realize that a class full of seniors who have already applied for college aren't going to be doing shit in the class, especially on the first day" Danny mumbles across from me.

"And you'd think that a student who has had me a total of three time already would realize that I won't tolerate any slack in my classroom Mr. Warren" Mr. Solender says as he turns back around, looking straight at a now paler Danny.

"Well played Solender. Well played" Danny mumbles but Mr. Solender has already moved on swiftly into his lesson.

"Human existence" he says loudly. "We have been around for multiple centuries and yet we are still evolving, becoming more aware. Can someone tell me why our existence seems more significant than other species?" he asks.

Because we are more intellectually gifted" I speak up.

"Exactly" Solender states, pointing towards me with his pen, his way of saying good job. "As a human species we are notorious for having a higher intelligence than others. Compared to other animals and species, we are highly intellectually gifted".