The Ambrose Clique - now published on Amazon

7 - Intimidation and Interrogation

- updated - 

The social studies classroom was strange. Tables were lined up in long rows, and instead of notepads and pencils, they were covered in row upon row of laptops. At my previous school, the only technological lesson we had was IT and that was taught on clunky, old computers that outdated the staff.

The helpless feeling of being the new student was coming back, I stood awkwardly at the front of the class whilst students filed in. The seats were being taken quickly and I feared I'd be sat next to a complete stranger. There were more in this class than psychology so it looked like everyone was done with counselling and had decided to come back to class.

There was an impatient sigh at the back of the room from Aurel, who was watching me from her desk with a frown. She huffed and got up, grating her chair against the floor noisily and attracting glares of many students. I gulped as she made her way towards me, the crease between her eyebrows was even deeper and angrier up close. Pain shot up my arm, as she roughly grabbed it and yanked me after her, guiding me back to where she was sat.

"Looking so helpless won't get you far."

"Isn't someone sitting here?"

"She can move." She was curt and pushed me onto the seat without giving me a chance to think. She sighed again as she sat and busied herself with turning on her laptop and fiddling with her black handbag, eradicating any chance of a conversation. I watched her, absent-mindedly remembering I didn't have my log in code. I thought about asking Aurel for help, but a soft cough behind me distracted me.

A girl was stood behind my chair, her hands on the back. She was staring at me sullenly, glowering without saying anything. She coughed again, Aurel turned her head and glared at her.

"Yes? Do you need a cough sweet?" I was beginning to understand that Aurel was not a patient person.

"This is Kendra's seat." This girl's attitude was almost a match for Aurel. Almost but not quite. Aurel raised her eyebrows.

"And?"

"Well, she's sat in it." She waved a hand, indicating to me.

"Well, Kendra should get here earlier then." Aurel swivelled round to face her laptop, ending the discussion. The girl huffed as she moved to another row. Aurel didn't speak again.

It was about halfway through the lesson when they came in. I'd settled in, finding that I had to make my own user and password, and we were discussing crime. Our teacher was a soft spoken elderly man with a grey moustache and a tubby belly. My classmates called him Arthur, so I guessed we called our teachers by their first names at Ambrose. He was writing some examples of crime when three abrupt raps on the door interrupted us. Before he reached the door to open it, our headmistress entered, followed by two police officers.

"Her name is Thea," Aurel's deep voice was low in my ear. I resisted looking at her, keeping my eyes focused on the board. Thea looked around, searching our faces until they landed on Aurel and I at the back. She smiled.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Arthur, but these officers would like to talk with two of your students. Don't let us disrupt your lesson, please carry on as if we are not here." She had a calming voice, yet it was full of authority. Arthur looked flustered at the arrival of police officers.

"Of course, Thea. Eyes on me please." He continued to ask questions and tried to pick the discussion up but everyone was slightly withdrawn as we watched Thea make her way through the class. As I suspected, she stopped in front of Aurel and I, kneeling down to look us in the eye.