Nothing But Trouble

13/favors for answers

ch13: favors for answers
blake ren

"Your test will be this coming Monday." A chorus of groans followed at the news but an unbothered Mr. Spence continued to stroll down the rows of desks, handing each of us our study guide.

Lucas and I made eye contact from opposite sides of the room. We were both thinking of the same thing, our little secret agreement clouding our thoughts. We had taken a handful of quizzes these past few weeks but it was time for our first test. The deal was to purposely mark 20-25% of the answers wrong. That way it just seems like maybe the two troublemakers chose to study this time, rather than getting a good grade and sparking the faculty's suspicions.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. I packed up my things and filed into the hallway with the rest of the student body, ignoring Lucas as he walked behind me to our next and last class of the day. I saw Violet at her locker, talking with two other African American kids that I didn't know. I was going to stop by and ask her something that's been on my mind recently but they all bursted out into laughter and I decided I could just wait until I hang out with her and Riley later tonight when we meet up after my shift at Delaney's.

That little Lucas enthusiast eventually ended up worming her way into my heart. I tried to resist but the girl was very persistent in getting me to like her. Riley immediately took a liking to her the second we got her away from her bandmates and it was like how important is Lucas anyway if he's going to stop me from being friends with her.

Like as if Lucas could sense the mean things I was thinking of about him, I was suddenly staggering forward a few steps when he gave me a flat tire. Surprisingly, he readily stopped me from face planting into the person cutting in front of me to dash into their classroom by grabbing the sides of my hips with both hands.

I leaped away from him in shock. "Watch it," I sputtered. I stuffed my clammy hands into the pockets of my oversized jean jacket. He wore a look of guilt before his face hardened.

"Fine, next time I'll just let you fall," he snapped, a layer of annoyance coating his words. He brushed past me and stalked off to our seventh period.

I rolled my eyes at his pouty behavior, contorting my face mockingly at his broad retreating back. Lately that guy's just been such a pain in the ass, more so than usual at least, and everyone would like to know why. Just last week he got into a fight at some bar downtown and has been walking around with a black eye. Now it was just a little purple bruise underneath his eye but initially it was a pretty nasty injury.

        Something's been making him lash out more. He's managed to land himself in detention like five times within the last three weeks. He came to school late last Wednesday, and was only here for about thirty minutes because the teachers soon realized he was intoxicated. He was really lucky all they did was send him home with a note saying don't come back until Friday. Whatever his problem is, it's killing everyone's fun.

        I glanced up at Easton when he appeared next to me, seeing his eyes follow Lucas down the hall. I looked back too but he disappeared into our English classroom. "Any luck?"

        Easton readjusted the one backpack strap hanging off his shoulder, and looked at me with a face that let me already know his answer. Nope. "Rumors have been saying he's affiliated with gang business now and he had to kill somebody so he doesn't care about anything."

        "Fucking hell," I scoffed. It was definitely not gang related business that's got his panties in a twist. "Maybe it has something to do with his at-home life."

        "I dunno, maybe. Hey, what is Violet bringing for movie night by the way?"

         "No clue. I'll ask her after work."