Graffiti Night

Fun...

When we reach school, the grounds are empty.
"What period is it?" I ask. Mac shrugs. We walk into the main building and I part ways with Mac to go to my locker. While I'm at my locker, I hear the storage room door creak open and then bang closed. I stop grabbing my books and look around. There's no one around. Was it a ghost? I shake my head, shaking off the stupid question and grab my English books. I close my locker and lock it. As I'm walking down the hallway, I notice water creeping from under the storage room door. A shiver passes through me as I walk closer to the storage room door. I pull open the door and go to turn the light on. But before I can, somebody or something grabs my hand. I let out a scream as their hand covers my mouth and the storage room door closes. My books are ripped out of my hands and the light flickers on, taking a moe,nt to warm up properly. I struggle and try to turn around to face whoever it is. I manage to get out of their grip and whip around to them. I let out a gasp as I see his face.
Dylan.
"Hey babe," he smirks.
"What do you want?" I ask. He hands me my books.
"Oh, you know, just needed to say hi, because I can't do that anymore without someone threatening to beat me up."
"So you're scared now?"
"I wouldn't say scared," he takes a step closer, his arm snaking around my waist and pulling me closer, "I'd say it's made me hungrier." I push on his chest, trying to get away, but he doesn't let me go.
"Dylan," I warn, "don't make me call Oli."
"Oh, is that his name? Oli? Wow, what a name for someone so... bold." He smirks. I am tempted to punch him again, but I hold back, seeing as his nose is already purplish-blue from my other punch.
"What happened to your nose?" I ask, chewing the inside of my lip. He laughs coldly.
"Don't play stupid games with me, Amber." He says, shoving me up against the wall. I scowl at him and give him a hard shove, making him release his grip on me. I push past him, bumping my shoulder against his arm as I walk out of the storage room and back into the school corridor. I go to my class and enter. My English teacher, Mr. Johnson, is up the front of the class lecturing everyone, again, on how to write a proper essay. It seemed as though that was his favourite task to do. Give lectures about how to write essays. He finds it so fascinating. And every time he does it, he manages to chuck a new word in there, making it sound even more sophisticated then it was the day before.
I walk forward, making sure the door slams behind me. Mr. Johnson looks at me.
"Is there a problem, Miss. Brooks?" He asks, watching me carefully. I look out a sea of eyes. Some look as though there is a lullaby playing and they are soon going to fall asleep. Others have perked up on my arrival, waiting to see what ridiculous stunt I'm going to try pull off this time. I look back at Mr. Johnson.
"Mr. Johnson," I begin with a smile, "do you see that boy over there?" I point to the shaggy brown haired guy with bright blue eyes, known as Mitchell, who looks as though he is about to start snoring. Mr. Johnson follows my finger to Mitchell.
"Yes, I do see him." Mr. Johnson says, looking at me to continue.
"What does he look like he's doing?" He hesitates before answering.
"Sleeping."
"Yes, and do you know why that is?"
"No, actually I don't. I make the lessons perfectly fun."
"Do you, Mr. Johnson? Do you really?" And with that, I walk down the isle to my single desk and take a seat, leaving Mr. Johnson speechless and extremely awkward. He blinks a few more times before taking a deep breath and continuing his lecture.
The bell rings soon enough and I race out of the classroom before Mr. Johnson can stop me. I find Mac waiting by my locker already. Then I see he's talking to Georgia Cooney. A minion of Mandy Fuju. I slowly approach, and when I'm about 5 metres away, he leans forward and kisses her cheek. I'm in shock. So much shock that I walk to my locker and bump roughly into Mac. I send him to the ground. He stands up and clears his throat. I stifle a laugh and open my locker. He runs a hand through his hair and waves goodbye to Georgia. When she's gone, he turns to me.
"What the fuck was that for?" He hisses. "I looked like an idiot."
"You are an idiot. And you know our rules. We don't go near any of Mandy's bitches! You know that, Mac." I say, tuning and facing him. He leans up against the lockers.
"Yeah, I know. But she's not like them. She's dif-"
"Mac, I don't need to hear about how she's different. I don't care. She's part of that group! We don't go near that group unless we're humiliating them."
"Amber," he says. "Just give her a chance."
"No." I say, turning back and grabbing my lunch for my bag.
"She's coming over after school today." He says really quietly and quickly. I punch his arm.
"Ow! What was that for?" He whines.
"What?!" I exclaim. "Well, I'm not leaving your room."
"Amber! Don't be like that."
"Well, guess what? It's not you role to tell me how to be and, tonight, I'm gonna be third-wheeling it like crazy." I smile. I close my locker and walk away. Mac tags behind me. I sit down against the brick wall of the building and open up my lunch bag that Mac packed for me. Mac plops himself next to me and looks at me. I ignore him and reach into my bag. My fingers wrap around something rough cold and hard. A rock. I pull it out. On it is a piece of paper, folded in half. I pull it off and unfold it.
SYKE!
That'll teach you to get out of bed...
Lots of love, Mackie poo <3
I look at Mac. He is trying to contain his laughter. He gives in and bursts out into a fit of laughter. I punch his arm hard again.
"You asshole!" I yell. He pulls his phone out of his jacket pocket and holds it in my face.
"Smile, you're on camera." He laughs. I hit him and try to grab his phone, but he stands up and starts running. I jump to my feet, dropping the rock and paper, and chase after him. He doesn't stop laughing as we run around the school grounds. He finally stops behind the toilet block, where we usually hang out when we wag our classes. I leap onto his back and he spins around. He stops and puts me down. I rest my back against the cold brick wall and close my eyes. Mac sits next to me, taking my hand and interlocking our fingers.
"So, are you going to get out of bed for the rest of week to come to school?" He asks. I open my eyes and smile.
"Nope." I grin. He chuckles, shaking his head.
"I didn't think you were. But come on Amber. You've only got this week and then you've got two weeks of holidays." He points.
"Yeah. And after those holidays, we have our final exams!"
"Who cares?"
"Me. I have to take them. They already know that I'm going to fail."
"It doesn't matter, does it?"
"Well kinda. I want to do the best I can, but that's impossible."
"Well, which uni do you want to go to?"
"I don't know. One with art, I guess."
"Well, there are plenty of universities that don't require a high score or any score at all." I shrug. Mac pulls out his cigarettes and puts one between his teeth. He offers me one, but I shake my head.
"I'll just share with you." I smile. He nods and lights his cigarette, taking a long drag and blowing smoke rings into my face. I cough and take the cigarette from his fingers. I take a drag and let smoke fill my body. I cough it out and take another drag, before handing it back to Mac. He takes it with a grin.
"You're getting better." He says. I laugh and shake my head. We are silent for a while before I speak.
"So, I'm meeting up with Oli tonight." I say. Mac nods slowly.
"Cool. Make sure you're back by 2 am." He says.
"Since when have I had a curfew?" I ask.
"Since just then." He snaps. I stay silent. He hands me the cigarette without looking at me and I snatch from him, immediately bringing it to my mouth and taking a long deep drag of it. I cough a but but it doesn't feel as bad as it used to the first time I smoked. I stand up.
"Let's just get out of here." I say. Mac looks up at me and smiles.
"Sure." He says. I don't smile back. I'm annoyed that he's trying to control me. He stands up and goes to take my hand but I yank it away and glare at him.
We grab our bags and head back home.