Hidden (Short Story Series #2)

Chapter Four

Smack! Boom!

Papers flew everywhere. Poor Berny. Today wasn’t his day. He scooped everything up the best he could and plopped it all down on the desk he and Aaron shared. Aaron being who he was, he helped Berny sort everything out.

Once everything was okay, Mr. Jackson took his place at the front of the classroom. He wrote the page numbers we had to read on the board and passed out a worksheet we had to finish afterwards.

I was flipping through the pages of my book when I felt a wad of paper hit the back of my head. Again?! I angrily turned around and glared at Aaron. He looked around innocently. Once he met my eyes, he mouthed, “Me?” and pointed to himself.

I rolled my eyes and turned back around. Another piece of paper hit me, and I heard Aaron cracking up laughing. I actually found it hard to stay furious. I couldn’t help but start to snicker also. I quickly picked up a wad and threw it back at him. I whispered, “Quit it!” with an unconvincing glare.

He threw another paper ball at my face. It bounced off my nose and I blinked. He started to crack up laughing.

“Class! Quiet! You have an assignment to finish!” Mr. Jackson yelled from his desk.

I closed my mouth and turned back around, only to feel something hit my head again.

Oh, it was on.

o .  O  . o

I walked out of the classroom, half my supply of notebook paper gone and the teacher’s recycling bin full. I had a warning slip in my pocket. If I got two more warning slips, I’d get a detention. It was all Aaron’s fault; he started it. But he got a slip too, so I couldn’t complain.

Rebekkah fell in step next to me. Once we got to the English classroom and sat down in the back, she asked me the same old question, “How was Chemistry with Aaron?”

“You know, there are other people in the class besides Aaron,” I said.

“I know, but he’s the only one I care about,” she said. “Were you able to find anything about the necklace yet?”

“I haven’t met with him since last night, so no,” I said. “Did you expect me to figure it out overnight?”

“Gosh, I was just asking,” she said. “How come you’re so irritated? Did something happen last period?”

“I guess, but that’s not why I’m irritated,” I said.

“Wait—what happened last period?” she asked.

“I got a warning, but it doesn’t matter,” I muttered. “I’m just frustrated because of your obsession with Aaron.”

“Forget Aaron for now!” she said. “How did you get a warning? Who gave it to you?”

“I had a paper fight with him,” I said.

“Him as in Aaron?” she asked, her eyes growing wide.

“So what?”

Her mouth gaped open. “Did he get a warning too?”

“Yeah.”

“Did he cry?”

“Um, no. Why the heck would he cry?” I asked, remembering Aaron’s face when Mr. Jackson handed us warnings. He was trying to hide laughter, not tears.

“He’s never gotten a warning before!” she exclaimed. “He’s the goody-goody! He wasn’t upset or anything?!”

“It’s just a warning,” I said calmly, hoping she’d follow suit.