Unexpected | ✔️

51- The Old and the New

"And so when's negative, you're going to switch these numbers... Are you even listening to me?" a nasally voice squeaked. It sounded like nails on a chalkboard. 

I jolted awake and leaned into my arm. "Yes, I am," I lied, only earning a glare in return. "Look, Shelly, it's not you, okay? Doing these tutoring sessions before school isn't going to work. I'm exhausted."

She aggressively began packing up her stuff. "I told you chess club would interfere with this. If you have a problem, I'd suggest finding a new tutor," she huffed before dramatically storming off. I didn't even bother to hunt her down.

She was the third tutor I managed to chase off. The first one hated all the questions I asked, the second one was just as confused as me, and now Shelly expected me to wake up at four in the morning just so I could adhere to her whacked up schedule.

I groaned and put my head down. It wouldn't hurt to take a short nap before class.

But before I knew it, the shrill school bell woke me up. I lazily grabbed my stuff and walked to class, yawning on the way. My eyes could hardly stay open.

"Wilks, this is school, not a slumber party," Dylan hollered from across the hall. A few of his football friends laughed as if it was the hardest diss they've ever heard. This resulted in me flipping them off and walking to class without sparing them a second glance.

Yeah, I flipped people off now. It was an interesting concept. My finger felt alien the first few times I did it but I was basically a pro now.

Mr. Cullen looked amused at my lazy entrance. I couldn't care less as I slumped in the seat next to Jasmine's.

He and I were on weird terms. I still visited him once in a while, but not as much as before. My journals began running dry, especially because nothing interesting was going on in my life. When Dean and Reece both left, I had nothing to write about. He definitely noticed me pulling away and tried with every ounce of his being to cheer me up but it never worked.

Now, I was changing my lifestyle. I was allowing myself to be happy. I may have seemed exhausted today, because I woke up before the birds did, but I was slowly becoming myself again.

"Any update on the Ferris Wheel chick?" I asked Jaz. She excitedly looked at me but her facial features quickly morphed into guilt. I was used to this by now. For whatever reason, my friends believed that they were bragging every time something good happened to them. "Jaz, you don't have to hide stuff from me. I'm happy as long as you're happy, okay?"

She easily grinned then went on to tell me how she hasn't texted her yet, but she was planning on doing it today – because apparently, you have to wait three days before you text someone? I never got that memo but I let her ramble on because she was clearly excited.

And better it be Ferris Wheel girl instead of Taylor. That girl seemed to be placed in my life to personally target me. I swear she ruined my life without even knowing. 

Well, not ruined, but she was a personal demon sent from hell itself.

"Ladies, if your conversation is over, I'd like to begin teaching," Mr. Cullen interrupted, earning a few snickers. I sheepishly slumped down in my seat, unaware that we were causing a disturbance, and Jasmine raised her brows in amusement.

At this point, I think he kept calling me out in class just to get a reaction out of me. He'd been doing it a lot lately, especially for reasons that didn't normally cause for a callout. But I don't think he remembers that I never talked back to him. I'm just not that type of person.

Maybe he got our after-school sessions confused with class.

"Gosh Bella, I'm so sick of you not paying attention! That's it, detention," Mr. Cullen huffed, turning back to the board. My jaw dropped open and I gaped at his back. What did I do? Nothing! I turned to Jasmine and she looked just as confused as me.