Subject Me To Life [Book One] ✔️ *EDITING*

Chapter Twelve

*Edited* Not proofread*

Chapter 12– Chatty Bird:

I trudge into school on Monday morning, my usual scowl plastered on my face as I take in all the happy faces. Why are they so damn chipper today? So far I haven't seen or spoken to Lilah since I dropped her off on Sunday morning when I took her lying ass home, and for me, that's a win. But all because something good has happened, doesn't mean I'm gonna walk around with a cheesy grin on my face like I've won the fucking lottery. These people express their happiness over the smallest of things way too much and way too often. It's sickening.

I stroll into the first class of the day, which is empty as the bell hasn't even rung yet, and sit down on an empty chair at the back of the room. I adjust my black choker and pull my oversized denim jacket around my body to cover my front, as I lay back in my seat with my eyes closed. I hadn't been able to get much peace in homeroom due to the fight that had broken out between two jocks on the football team. The most pathetic part about their argument was that it was all over some girl who looked smug at the fact two childish boys were fighting over her. Our small, chubby teacher didn't know what to do as she screamed at them to stop. Students from opposite classes had formed a group outside the door to watch the scene unravel. It was chaos.

As the student start to pile in, five minutes after the annoying shrill of the bell had sounded, I hesitantly take my books and equipment from my bag, laying them messily on top of the brown desk in front of me. I've forgotten the name of our English teacher, but she's a tiny lady— who looks like she's been shrunk in the washing machine— with greying hair and wrinkled eyes. She smiles at me warmly as she enters the class, holding a bag that looks bigger than her in her arms. Ever since I'd moved to this damn school this same woman has smiled at me every time she saw me, despite me ignoring her every time.

"Good morning, Kody. Have a nice weekend?" She walks up to my desk as I hand her my homework. I'd gotten many detentions in my old school and they were pure torture; I don't want a repeat of one. Ever. I shrug as I look out the window, the sun is shining but it's cold out. The tree's blow in the wind, red and yellow leaves falling from the branches and covering the sidewalks, some straying into the road or falling onto the windscreen of peoples cars, getting trapped in the wipers.

"Well my weekend was wonderful, thank you for asking—,"

"I didn't."

"—My grandkids came to visit me from Australia. Such little sweethearts they are. We went to the zoo on Saturday, and had a nice day at the amusement park on Sunday—,"

"I honestly don't care."

"—They had the time of their lives, bless their souls. My oldest grandbaby is eight, and his two sisters are three and five. Such wonderful ages," she blabbers on. I give up trying to shoo her away, so instead I just huff and wait for it to be over.

"Mrs. Bell, I think Hayden has a question he needs to ask you," a husky voice grumbles. I look up to find Dakota taking a seat on the chair beside mine as he lowers his bag to the floor. He sits down and folds his arms across his chest, his jumper right around his biceps. I hadn't noticed we shared the same English class first of all, because unsurprisingly he kept to himself at the far corner of the room. However, after our second class, we had a change of seating plan and I got stuck with him.