Haunting

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

“School,” Shannon moaned into her pillow for the first time in two weeks. She had actually enjoyed being at home so much that she had briefly considered home schooling. She would have considered it longer if all home school kids weren’t the world’s biggest freaks.

She rolled out of bed, pulled on her uniform and she laughed when she saw Reggie engrossed by her physics text book.

“Please, no,” Reggie begged when Shannon picked the book up and placed it in her bag. “I want it, I need it. You don’t even like it.”

“I’m sorry Reggie, but I really don’t want to fail.”

She left Reggie lying despondent on her bedroom floor and weaved her way through the ever increasing crowd of builders and trades men in her home.

“Shannon!” Thaddeus called as she passed him in the hall way. “Nice uniform.”

Shannon flipped him off and continued out the door.

Flick and Ben were sitting in the English classroom again and they were unfortunately joined by Monique the other Ben.

“Welcome back,” Monique sneered as Shannon joined them.

“Aha,” Shannon said and sat down so she was blocking Monique from the circle. “You’ve missed me haven’t you?” she said to Flick.

“Oh, absolutely. Life just hasn’t been the same without you.”

“Even though we’ve only known you two weeks,” Ben added, Flick’s Ben, not the other one.

“But I’m memorable,” Shannon said as the teacher, Mrs Goldsmith, entered the room.

She smiled when she saw Shannon perched on her desk. “Welcome back Shannon,” she said in a completely different tone than Monique did. She actually sounded happy about Shannon’s return to private education.

“It’s good to be back,” Shannon said and pulled out the work packet she had to do during her suspension. “This is for you.” She handed it over.

“Thank you,” she said with a kind smile. “Carry on children.” She waved her hands and sat down at her desk to read Shannon’s work.

“So,” Flick said, her eyes moving between Mrs Goldsmith and Ben nervously. “How are… things?”

By Flick's tone Shannon could tell “things” meant Reggie. She smiled and blushed.

“Aww,” Flick said and clapped her hands. “You’re in love.”

Shannon buried her face in her hands to hide her blush. “I am,” she said. “She is so amazing, and it kind of sucks, you know?”

“Not really, but I guess it can’t be perfect.”

“Hang on,” Monique said, interrupting them. “She?”

“Yeah,” Shannon confirmed, a frown forming on her face.

“You’re a lesbian?”

“Yes.”

“Huh,” was all Monique said.

Shannon was not a fan of the loaded silence; she could practically see the gears in Monique’s head turning. Shannon suspected that if Monique wasn’t such a bitch she would probably like the girl.

Shannon spent the rest of the day waiting for the shoe to drop, waiting for whatever Monique had planned to happen, but when the final bell rang she was still waiting.

She had a meeting with the principal and had to fight her way through the crowd of students filling the hallways. The meeting didn’t last long, but the hallways were deserted as she walked out into the student parking lot.