Dracon (1st book of the Draconon Series)

Chapter 14

It had been two days since Frederick had come into my life and told me to get the GED, or else he would make me stay away from working with the group. But boy, was I bored during the time that I had to be here because I knew this stuff already and would pass the GED if I took that very second.

So, instead of paying attention in class, I decided to draw the teacher and how the teacher had looked when I came into the classroom. I drew her leaning over a computer, looking at something.

Her brows were furrowed, and there was a little crease between her eyebrows that was more prominent than when she wasn't concentrated. The teacher, Ms. Lowell, had her bottom lip between her teeth and was chewing on it while concentrating on whatever she was doing. And, she was so concentrated on what she was doing that she hadn't paid any attention to us entering the room. Her bright green eyes were darker than normal, and I could see these flecks of worry as if whatever she was doing or reading made her nervous.

A small strand of brown hair fell into her face, but again, she paid no attention to it until her timer signaled the start of class. She had moved the piece of hair out of the way before she took everyone's name that was here and then went over to what we would "learn" today.

Unfortunately, I had learned what she was teaching by myself and had taken a couple of "makeshift" tests that covered the material. This happened thanks to the librarian, who had loved my thirst for knowledge and helped me find anything that I could get my hands on and study.

"Miss Greene?" the teacher asked, and I didn't lift my head from what I was doing, working on the computer. "Are you paying attention?"

"No, Ma'am," I replied. "I have already learned this stuff and had passed a mock test that... an acquaintance of mine had made up for me."

Ms. Lowell sighed and walked in front of me. She didn't touch my drawing book, which I was glad about, but she did start to make me feel less comfortable, so I stopped drawing her and looked up to meet her green eyes. Her arms were folded across her chest, and a strand of brown hair was back in its place in front of her face.

I cocked my head and placed the pencil down. "Yes, Ma'am?" I asked. "What can I do for you?"

"Do you want to take the GED?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "If so, why aren't you paying attention?"

"Because Mr. Long wants me to take these classes to prepare for it," I replied. "However, I am sure that I will be able to pass the GED without doing these."

"Then why are you here?"

"Again, Mr. Long wants me to. I don't think he... understands that I would have been fine if I didn't take them."

"Then why don't you tell him to "fuck off" and not take these classes?" someone asked. "I mean, I would do it if I was confident in my abilities to pass the test."

"Because it is part of a deal I made with him," I replied, glancing at the person who had spoken before I looked at the teacher. "Besides, I did the practice test you laid out for us that we were supposed to do after the lesson."

Ms. Lowell frowned and held out her hand. "Let me see," she said, and I obliged and handed her the ten questions sheet she had given us.

Slowly, she nodded her head and looked at me, and handed it back to me. "What about the homework for tonight?" she asked. She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head while she studied me.

"Done as well," I replied. I reached into my bag where I had stuffed it when I was finished with it and handed her the crumpled up piece of paper.

"Teacher's pet," someone coughed into their arm, and I merely rolled my eyes at the person. "Why don't you go and leave us?"

I didn't reply and kept my gaze on the teacher. I watched as she looked over my homework, and she nodded her head every so often while she worked looked over my work. I stayed silent and raised an eyebrow when she looked at me.

"It looks good," she said, nodding her head. She handed it back to me, and I stuffed it back into my bag because I had a feeling that she would pick it up tomorrow. "The test will not be until a couple of weeks. What will you be doing? I am sure that you will be bored being here watching everyone doing work."

"If it's not too much work for you, do you mind getting me like longer tests, even if I might have done them before?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why are you listening to Mr. Long and staying here?" she asked, not answering my question. "I have meant to ask you. How do you know him anyway?"

"I work for him," I replied, "as a secretary." I shrugged. "This is his way of saying that I can keep my job if I go to some school."

"And why not just college now? Some of us are trying to learn here."

"Because I have no other schooling like homeschooling," I replied, turning my attention to the male dismissively. I shrugged my shoulders. "And go ahead and learn. I'm not doing anything "bad," and I am not interrupting anything. I will stay silent except for the pencil scratches that I have been doing for the past..." I looked at the clock and then looked back at him. "Forty minutes."

"May I see what you have been doing?" Ms. Lowell asked, and I hesitantly turned my sketchbook towards her.

"It's not done yet..." I said, pushing it towards her. I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat, and watched her pick up the sketchbook. "This is what I got so far."

Ms. Lowell looked at the drawing and let in a shocked breath. She studied the picture, and her cheeks turned slightly red before she looked at me. "It's good. Can I keep it when you are done?"

I hesitated but nodded. "Of course," I replied. I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "So, it's ok if I continue this?"

Ms. Lowell nodded and handed me the book. "Of course. I will make sure to have extra work for you tomorrow."

I nodded and took the sketchbook from her. "Yes, Ma'am," I said. "Thank you."

Ms. Lowell smiled and nodded before she cleared her throat. "Ok," she said, looking at the other students. "Let's continue, shall we? Who can tell me what the executive branch does?"

I bit back a sigh and started to finish with the drawing. I had no idea why she was letting me continue it, but I wasn't going to complain.

It kept me quiet and not a pain in the ass. Besides, the executive branch carries and enforces the laws of the States.