A Dash of Complications

Chapter 3: A Hookup for Revenge

i decided to keep the original title of this chapter for the spunk of it

Chapter 3: A Hookup for Revenge

IT WAS THURSDAY, the first day that the home economics class was meeting since school began.

Last year, the school decided to make a requirement for seniors to either take study hall or home economics, which had been implemented with the purpose of hopefully teaching us some valuable life skills.

Of course, I decided home economics over study hall, because, firstly, food.

Secondly, food.

Despite my profound appreciation for food, with my ability to cook—or more accurately, my lack of ability to cook, I'd say I was in for a world of disaster.

Skimming the classroom, I found Kieran chatting with one of his friends at the back of the class. I made my way towards a table located on the left side of the classroom in the middle row. I slid into the barstool and occupied myself with my phone, hoping that Mark would get here in time to sit next to me.

When the bell rung, Mark dashed into the classroom like The Flash himself and headed straight for the seat next to me, panting and looking like he had just ran a marathon. He dropped his head to the counter, trying to regain his breath.

"What happened to you?" I asked,  prodding his cheek with the rubber of my pencil scientifically, like he was an odd specimen.

"I thought I had English class, so I walked there and then realized I had home ec. Bolted here from the other side of campus."

"You do realize that tardiness doesn't count this week, right?" I laughed. Mark's eyes flew open and he gaped at me. "Some senior you are."

The chattering simmered down when Mr. Tyson steppes forward. He stood at the front of the class, announcing his expectations, who he was, and some other things I tuned out of. Eventually, he began to distribute a stack of papers through the class. When the stack arrived on my desk, I sighed melodramatically and grabbed two sheets before getting up and sliding the rest to Vera, who sat at the table next to me.

Vera released a loud and dramatic sigh, one that rivaled my own. I couldn't help but watch amusedly, as she flicked her paper away and nonchalantly glanced over at her partner.

She blinked once.

Then again.

Finally, shock slapped itself on her face. Vera gaped openly at Sadie, who sat next to her. "Holy shit, girl. You've already written a paragraph, and it's only been one minute. The fuck?"

Sadie flushed red.

I choked on my laughter, hastily pressing a firm hand around my mouth to suppress it. This only ended up making me sound like a seal. Vera's attention flickered to me, her lips curving into a purposely taunting smirk that I knew was only meant to trigger me.

At the table behind her, Stetson sjot me a glare, probably irritated at the seal-like sounds that I'd been making. Pinching myself hard, I forced myself to sober up and avoided looking at her face.

Returning my gaze to my blank paper, I frowned, wondering what in the world the assignment was again.

"What was the assignment again?" I whispered to Mark, leaning towards him so he could hear me.

"Read the board. The assignment is written on there if you bothered to look up," Mark responded, eyes trained on his paper studiously and hand flying across the page.