Good Criminal

Good Criminal- Chapter 1

Good Criminal- Chapter 1

I slam my locker hard, removing some of the frustration of being at school. The blue metal door squeaks on its hinges and slams shut rattling the rows of lockers surrounding it.  Bringing my books to my chest, I turn around taking a deep breath. Just the overpowering smell of perfume and aftershave is enough to give me a headache, let alone a double lesson of Science.

            I start making my way to Science block C. Pupils automatically start moving away from me as I near them. I am used to this; I always have this effect on people. Call it natural instinct or whatever but people staying away from me is like an unspoken law. I suppose this must be what it feels like to be Jesus when he parted the red sea. Although Jesus had to slam a stick on the floor, I don’t even have to do that. Pupils fear me, I don’t know why but they do. They don’t even know who I am, I wonder how they would react if I told them I’m a criminal. Better yet, I’m the most wanted criminal. I start imagining hundreds of teenagers digging holes and burying their heads in them like ostriches.

            I swing the door open of the Science room. Pulling my books closer to my chest I narrow my eyes as I look for an empty seat. Most of the seats are taken but I notice one at the back of the classroom. Making my way over there I ignore the stares, glares and discreet glances towards me. I keep my eyes pinned onto the empty seat near the back where I have the whole row to myself.

“Miss Black, are you late again?” Mr Greyhen asks, slips out a frustrated sigh.

Why do teachers hate me too? This might sound strange coming from me but I’m never trouble, I always listen and I never chat. So why do they have to pick on me? I have literally done nothing wrong. You know what? If he assumes the worst of me then I am going to live up to his expectations for once.

“Yeah, so what you gonna do about it?” I ask using the same tone as him.

I pull a stool out from beneath the grey table tops. Placing my folders down on the desk I look up towards the front of the classroom. Mr Greyhen is sat on his green swivel chair staring at me while opening and closing his mouth like a gold fish. He’s obviously mad at me because his face and neck have gone red, I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw smoke coming from his ears. I take this as a good sign and place my butt down on the stool ready to start the lesson.

A few minutes later and Mr Greyhen has finally remembers how to speak. He clears his throat which is pointless because it still sounds like a frog speaking the English language. “So class, today we are going to look at the gene-“

The door bursts open and the new pupil walks through the door, “Sorry, I got lost sir.”

I pretend to look down at the desk but really I am studying Dan through my brown wavy hair. Unlike most girls who are checking him out, I am simply doing what any criminal would know to do, that is analyse him, make sure he is no threat.

Mr Greyhen narrows his eyes at Dan Ryder but Dan takes no notice and walks towards me. Why does he have to sit here? I take it Dan hasn’t got the same vibe everyone else gets which is ‘avoid me’. He swings his bag over his head and plops it on the desk. Someone should really tell him about the ‘no bags in the science lab’ rule.

“Mr Ryder, why have you bought your bag to the science lab?” Mr Greyhen shouts.

Dan remains completely cool and looks around the room. “I didn’t realise sir.”

“Don’t call me sir! I have a name which is Mr Greyhen,” says Mr Greyhen angrily.

“Sorry Mr Greyhen, I didn’t know your name,” replies Dan as if being shouted at by a teacher on your first day is the most natural thing in the world.

Dan pulls out his stool and I cringe at the noise because it’s really not helping my headache. He sits down pulling out a pen from his bag. This is going to be a long double lesson.

.~.~.~.

 “Look, have you found anything else out on Dan Ryder?” I ask my anger starting to rise.

Jacob must be the hardest person to talk to in the world. He has to say something completely random, rude and inappropriate or off subject.  Frustrated at talking to Jacob I slam my hand down on his desk making his laptop jump in the air.

“Wow, you have some serious muscle on you girl,” Jacob states but wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. I roll my eyes, and then glance around his messy bedroom feeling slightly awkward.  I swear he says those type of things to wind me up!

“Just answer the damn question, it’s not hard!” I say sounding irritated.

I watch Jacobs face as he considers my question. His blonde wavy hair has grown a bit since I last saw him. Nothing else has changed; he still has that cute face of his which makes girls drop to the floor at his command.  He works as an intelligence commander, sounds important but he basically directs a team of spies, for me, mainly. Unfortunately this means he can be really stubborn.

“What will I get in return?” Jacob asks.

“What do you want?” I reply. By this question I am simply wondering what he wants rather than agreeing to do it.

“Umm,” He pretends to think about it, while stroking an imaginary beard. “You, in my bed.”

“No,” I answer immediately. No way in hell am I sleeping with him, eww! Firstly, he is like a brother to me. I don’t think that feelings very mutual though.  Secondly, I am a virgin so I am definitely not giving it to him, not that he knows that. Thirdly, with the amount of people he bangs he could be a walking STD. He denies that but I don’t believe him.

“Why not?” Jacob whines. He looks up at me giving me the puppy dog face. Cute, but no.

I ignore his question, “what else would you like?”

“Actually there is one thing,” Jacob looks up at me through his fringe his brown eyes looking slightly serious.

“Yeah?” I ask suspiciously.

“Okay... I looked Daniel James Ryder up through the public records but found nothing. No health records, no parents or family, no previous schools. Only thing was his birth certificate which was as it should be.” A frown crosses Jacob’s face just like mine as we puzzled over the situation.

“It’s like he doesn’t exist,” I comment.

“Exactly what I was thinking,” replies Jacob.

We don’t know anything more about him except his birthday which is hardly going to deny him being a threat. Somehow we need to find some information out. For all we know he could be a criminal! But how will we get more information out about him? I can’t think of anymore records there will be of him on the public services.

“This is risky, Rachel. But you need to go undercover and find out about him,” States Jacob while he frowns at me from his black desk chair.

“Why me? And what’s in it for you?” I ask, slightly taken off guard.

“You’ll be perfect because you’ve already met him and he goes to the same school as you. What’s in it for me? Another client,” he answers.

I suppose he’s right. I do go to the same school and I have the perfect alibi if anything happens. I could do it. But it risks my whole ‘normal’ life I’ve built up.

What does he mean another client though? Why would someone else want to know who Dan is? That only makes me more suspicious. What if something goes wrong? I shake my head at myself. Life being a criminal is something short lived yet enjoyable. At one point something will go wrong and I’ll die and it’s a risk I’m willing to take.

“Alright, I’ll do it,” I announce, more to myself than to anyone else.

This should be interesting...

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