SMARTS

Chapter Fourteen

As we arrive in English class, I see a very stern Mrs. King pointing towards the chalkboard at the front of the class. In capital letters, it reads “SIT DOWN QUIETLY AND START READING. NO TALKING!” We separate from one another and go to our seats quietly, following instructions. Mrs. King is not a teacher anyone should disobey... ever. I pull out my copy of “To Kill A Mockingbird” and begin reading. I quickly glimpse at the rest of the students – majority of which seem to be read comic books – and everyone looks very sad, also just a bit scared.

 I look at the clock which reminds me there is still an hour left of class. I sigh. I know for a fact this period will pass by excruciatingly slowly. About five minutes later, I am startled at the ringing of the fire alarm bell. Is this a drill, I think. It doesn’t matter, anything to get me out of English class. We line up quickly and head towards the exit, buzzing with excitement. Once outside, I join Jamie and Avery, and we search for Logan, Joseph, and Jacob.

While we search, I look over the school – no smoke. I assume it was only a drill but I am thankful for spending less time in English class. Once we find them, we all sit together on the grass in a circle. I find myself shivering as I realize I have no jacket and the weather has become dramatically chillier. I bite down to prevent my teeth from chattering while we wait for Mrs. King to instruct us to enter the building once again.

After five minutes, we still haven’t been told to head back to class. I decide to lie down on the grass, hoping the earth will somehow warm me. I close my eyes to prevent them from watering in the cold. I know I am still awake, yet it feels so peaceful. I ignore the temperature and focus in on the voices I hear, and the sound of the rustling leaves. I let myself relax for the next ten minutes until we are finally told to go back to class.

My watch tells me there are still forty minutes of class, so we all decide to take the longer way back to stall class a bit longer. We finally arrive almost ten minutes later to class and Mrs. King waits for a few more students – who also took the longer way – before beginning to talk.

Once the remaining classmates scurry into class, Mrs. King stands up straighter. “Whilst outside, the teachers all were discussing how it was in fact a student who falsely pulled the fire alarm. I have been instructed to ask if any student in this class was out of the room during the fire alarm.” She waits patiently although we all know nobody was outside, Mrs. King had a no bathroom break policy. “Good,” she starts, “however, if anyone has any information about who did sound the alarm, they must come directly to me or another teacher in the school. Is that clear?”

The class nods in response and we pull out our books to once again start reading. It feels as though it has been days before the time finally passes, but once the bell rings, everyone sprints out of the classroom. I wait for Jamie this time and say goodbye to everyone else. We walk towards Jamie’s locker, then to mine, before heading outside to walk home. After today, the only thing on my mind is getting home. I cannot wait to go home, eat a warm dinner, and go on my laptop. Thank goodness I don’t have any homework tonight.