Twisted Smiles

I

Tic-toc. Tic-toc. Tic-toc.

I was called once again to the principal's office. I sat at the table and wondered what could've been the reason this time. A few motives crossed my mind.

Possibility A, it could be the fact that I arrived late... again. They say we're supposed to be in school twenty minutes before our class starts. Unfortunately for me, I'm poor. I can't afford to live in Moscow, where the school is located. I live in Novomoskovsk, which is a more suburb area two hours away. I can almost never get here earlier. Well, can you blame me? It's not like it's my fault I like to sleep in. I'm not much of a morning person.

Possibility B, I never do what I'm told to do. I don't do it on purpose, of course. I just don't know how. They tell me to do something but don't explain how it's done. I'm sorry, but I don't have a crystal ball. And whenever I ask anything, they simply threaten to replace me. It's ridiculous to be in this situation, but I don't have much of a choice. I could either accept what I have, or things could be worse. Much worse.

And there's also possibility C, the fact that I don't take shit quietly. Not in this place. I indeed talkback my colleagues who pisses me off and go out of their ways to make my life hell. I have enough complications to add another.

Tic-toc. Tic-toc. Tic-toc.

My fingertips fiercely tapped the wooden table helplessly.

Snowflakes slowly made their way to the ground while I sat there and desperately searched for something to distract myself with.

Anxiety is a bitch. No matter how fast you wish time to fly, it actually does the opposite. Goes by in such slow motion it gets you pulling your hair out in frustration. It's like a bug that craws inside of you and bites off you psychological stability. Until you're left with nothing but emptiness and despair.

At last, the door opened and he came barging in. He strode to the opposite side of the table, put his hands on his hips and stared down at me with a frown on his face.

"Mackenzie, I called you in here because I've heard you're selling drugs to the students?"

My eyes widened. Totally not what I'd expected. He didn't give me time to react, though.

His nose flared as he spoke. "Are you out of your mind?" Well, yelled, actually. "Do you have any idea how this school could be jeopardized if this gets out? I could have expected anything from you. Anything at all. Except this!" His frown deepened. "Answer me!"

I took a deep breath and tried to make sense of the situation. My thoughts were all over the place. Sure, I've tried some things in my life, but that was the past. And I certainly have never sold any of it. I am well aware of how much shit I would be getting into if I ever did. I'd probably not even be alive by now. Or I'd have a lot of deaths on my hands. Either way, messy ending.

I looked up at him and stared him squarely in the eyes. "Where did you get that idea from?" I demanded.

"Tell me if it's true."

"Of course not!" I shot up from the chair and gave him a death glare. "I could be crazy in a lot of ways, Mr. Kozlov, but this is far beyond acceptable."

I turned my back on him and stormed out of the room. I walked across campus towards the parking lot as fast as I could. My whole body trembled. It was hard to rationalize what I had to do. My vision was blurred. All I knew was that I had to find my way to my car.

After what felt like a million twists and turns, fresh air finally hit my bare face and my brain slowly started functioning again. Once I reached my car my biggest challenge was getting the door opened. It was difficult to insert the key in the keyhole with how hard my fingers shook. 

Once I got it in, I tore it open and stumbled inside. I put it in gear, turned the heater on full blast and sped my way home.