I Did(n't Do) It

Chapter 5: Theatrics

You guys are going to be SOOOOOO surprised. Oh my lanta -- I am hella pumped. Are you ?? You totes are. Okay, keep reading (you're welcome).

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"Did you have fun at Emily's?" Eric asked, biting into his sandwich, giving Violet a side glance.

She sat there, staring at her food. A fork in her right hand, a glazed look over her eyes.

"Violet?" Eric asked, nudging her with his elbow.

She jumped, looking startled that someone was with her. "Huh?" She asked.

"Did you have fun at Emily's?" He repeated, ignoring the fact she was completely hazy.

"Umm" She took a breath, contemplating if she should tell him about it. She decided against it, "It was really good seeing them, I'm glad we all got to finally hang out." Smiling at him she went back to eating her food.

"That's good!" Eric replied

"Oh!" Violet said, remembering how she left him at her house. "I am sorry about that - leaving you, I mean." She laughed uncomfortably, "How was that?"

"You're fine." Eric said, "It was nice." He stopped, thinking. "I really wish you would have been there, though."

"I'm sorry, I just haven't seen them in a long time - much less had a sleepover with them."

"I understand." He said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Hey, I'm gonna go to third period. I'll see you later?" He asked, giving her a kiss on the cheek as he stood up to walk away.

"Love you." Violet said, throwing her food away to follow suit into third period.

Joe walked up behind Violet and linked their arms. "Off to Health we go!" She said, skipping while dragging Violet with her.

Near the middle of the class, Violet leaned over to Joe. "Hey, have you seen Emily lately?" She asked, concern masking her face.

Emily leaned forward, "Not since last night."

Violet and Joe jumped, whirling around to face her.

"I'm surprised you're asking about me." Emily said, staring at Violet. "I thought you didn't care about me."

"Well that was stupid." Joe said, "Violet cares for everyone. Right Violet?" She turned toward Violet, who shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

She ended up nodding as a response, twisting back to the front of the class.

"I can tell you're lying, Vile." Emily said to her back, "I could see it on your face."

"Emily, don't say that." Joe said, "No one has called her that since middle school."

"I say we bring it back" Emily suggested, shrugging her shoulders. "It seems fitting. Vile means unpleasant. And unpleasant people steal other people's boyfriends-"

"He wasn't your boyfriend." Joe stated, "You weren't together. You barely had enough courage to look him in the eyes."

"Joe.." Violet said, trying to avoid conflict.

"No." Emily said, sitting back and folding her arms across her chest. "I like this - this.. Fire. It's nice." She rubbed her hands together and stood up. "It's refreshing."

"What is going on back there?!" Mr. Bachelor asked, clearly unamused that there were students talking while he was presenting. "We are on the topic of manipulation in relationships and if you don't care to pay attention then you can leave."

"I'd love too." Emily said.

"We would love it for you, too." Joe said, smiling at her.

"Maybe I'll go see Eric again." Emily said, pretending to think out loud.

"Again?" Violet looked at her.

"And when was the last time you saw him?" Joe asked, smugly.

"Last night." Emily stated, grabbing her bag and walking to the front. "After my 'run'." She put quotation marks around 'run' and winked at Violet, laughing as she walked out of the classroom.

"Well that was quite a show." Mr. Bachelor said, standing there. "But." He continued, "This is not a class of theatricals, if you want that you would need to go down the left wing of this school and into Theatre. Now back to our presentation." He turned towards the powerpoint, "Psychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics.

There's a man named Friedrich Goltz, he was a German Physiologist. He published 'Beiträge zur Lehre von den Funktionen des Nervensystems des Frosches', which translates to 'Contributions to the doctrine of the functions of the nervous system of the frog.' Does anyone know why this is important?" Mr. Bachelor stood there, his eyes floating over his class full of glazey-eyed, unmoving student bodies.

After seeing that he wasn't going to be getting any answers from students - satisfactory or otherwise - he continued, "Mr. Goltz did an experiment on frogs. It was concluded that if you put a frog in boiling water, it would jump out. But if it is put into cold water which is then gradually brought to a boil slowly, the frog will not perceive the danger until it dies.

This - my friends - is an abusive relationship...."

His voice slowly faded into laughter as Violet thought about her date tonight.