How To Become A Spy

Chapter Five

The beating of my heart momentarily stopped as I felt my head almost fall out of my hands and slam into the wooden desk. Rapidly blinking, I sat up in my chair in an attempt to wake myself up again. 

Last night's attempt at sleep had proven to be a failure, and after all that gym training, missing out on getting in a few good hours had really negatively impacted the day. 

Sure, Mr. Dennis' English lessons weren't exactly the most lively part of my Monday mornings either, but with graduation so quickly approaching I wanted to get the most out of the last few months of high school. That meant actually staying awake in classes. 

He drawled on at the front of the class, talking about the book we were supposed to be reading for our next exam. I tried to focus on his words, but the combination of his dull tone and my overwhelming thoughts had me switched off in an instant. 

I couldn't stop thinking about this afternoon.  

At 4:00 pm, I was supposed to return to Lynchmond park to meet with Eric. Or not show up at all. The decision was in my hands. And after an entire night and foggy morning of thinking it through, I still had no idea what choice to make. 

The fear and doubt were still there, reminding me every step of the way how crazy this all sounded. It was there to convince me not to show up that afternoon, and that hopefully after today I could put it all behind me. But that other part of me...

The undoubtedly stupid part.

I sighed, directing my eyes to the front of the room. I would think more about it as the day went on. 

"Now, I feel as though I shouldn't have to remind you all that you won't be allowed to take notes into the exam," Mr. Dennis spoke. "The question will be provided to you on the day, so you'll have to by that point already have a decent understanding of the main themes and conventions which means, yes, you'll have to actually read the book."

The room broke out into groans and other sounds of annoyance. As quickly as they were heard, they were soon silenced by the shrill sound of the bell ringing. 

Students immediately got up from their desk, ignoring Mr. Dennis as he continued to urge the class with desperation to grasp at least some form of an appreciation for literature. I kind of felt sorry for him. None of us could have really cared less about the classic novel he seemed to have a deep love for.  Who the hell had the time to read a book with all the other studying we were meant to be doing? It was without a doubt that SparkNotes would experience a spike in web traffic over the next few weeks. 

As I collected my things, I joined the end of the queue of students filling out of the room and into the hallway. With recess finally here, I felt relief to take a break from pretending to pay attention in class and have the opportunity to see my friends.

"Three weeks!" Mr. Dennis called out to the group of students leaving, in reference to the exam. I clutched onto my books tightly, edging forward in the line and feeling a promising hope as I finally caught glimpse of the crowded hallway outside. Before I could make another move forward, an arm shot out in front to block me.

I abruptly stopped, bringing my head up to the teacher whose stern gaze was upon me.

"I can't offer any extensions on this exam, Rebecca," he told me. From the proximity of his above height, I could see his nostrils flaring. "Gymnastics does not come as an excuse to be behind in your study. School should be coming first, correct?"