Expectations (wlw)

Chapter 11

“Aren’t you tired of doing nothing?” Fairul whispered in my ear, pinning me down on my own bed.

It’s the sixth day of the week-long break, and Fairul and I spent it like we were hibernating. This morning we were both sprawled across our own respective bunks, waiting out the hours. Eventually she decided to sprawl across me instead.

I shoved her by the shoulders. “It’s not like there’s anything better to do.”

“There’s me.”

“What?”

“We--” Her voice rose as she peeled herself off of me, “--should go and check if we can get some time done. For my crimes.”

“Our crimes. I could have stopped you.”

“I’m touched. ” She put her hand over her heart and pretended to swoon. “Why didn’t you, though?”

My mind’s eye flashed to that night in the woods. The strongest feeling I could recall was wanting to know where she would take me.

“I was confused and scared. Also, you hated me at the time.”

“I still do,” she said with a half smile, and winked at me.

She tried to get me back after I slapped her thigh, but I leapt off the bed and out of her reach. I tossed her clothes over. “Put these on.”

“No.” She crossed her arms and pouted, looking every bit like the spoiled brat I took her for, in what felt like such a long time ago.

“We have to go talk to Doctor Arden. This was your idea.”

“Trousers aren’t required.”

“Tell it to Arden.”

Fully clothed now, we descended and made our way to the offices. Frankie was there behind his great desk, tapping away at a keyboard out of sight. Fairul steered us in front of it.

“Good morning, Francis. Mister Francis, sir. Hope your holidays are going well.”

He looked tired, as he always does, when he greeted us in turn and asked if we had an appointment.

“I didn’t know you could do that,” exclaimed Fairul. Francis stared straight at her and sighed.

“He’s in there.” He tilted his head to Arden’s door. Turning to me: “Do keep her in check, Miss Samantha.”

I nodded, because I didn’t know how else to respond, as Fairul had me by the shoulders and was walking us over to the headmaster’s office.

She knocked and poked her head in through the doorway when he answered.

“Merry Christmas, Doctor,” I said, when he greeted us as we stepped in.

He exhaled and enthusiastically put his hands on his hips. “What brings you two to my humble office?”

His humble office was just as nuts as I remember it, except there’s a length of tinsel draped here and there, as is required by the season. Now the room was dangerous and festive.

“About those community service hours, Doctor.” Fairul looked at me.

“We were thinking, because we’ve got so much time on our hands and nothing else to do, we could work some of those off now.” Beside me, Fairul was nodding.

Arden touched his fingers to his chin. “A fair idea! But what would you do?”

My roommate had a ready answer. “There’s Yuletide decorations strung up all over the hallways, and we figured they have to be gone by the time break ends, yes? Christmas hasn’t happened yet, but no one’s here to celebrate it anyway.”