The Demon in Class 2-A

Part Two: Outcast (2-1)

One

The day concludes as normal school days do. The final chime of the bell over the intercom alerts Mila to pack up her belongings. The science teacher leaves with a final farewell and Mila's classmates burst into chatter amongst themselves. She puts her notebook in her book bag and zips it closed. Rachel taps on her shoulder.

"So what's the plan?" she asks, "How much student council stuff do you have today?"

"Not much," Mila replies, "I promised to listen to the art club's proposition for some kind of art show they would like to put on and how they can sell some of the work shown. After that I was planning on going home and finishing the history assignment."

"But you already have it practically done don't you?" Rachel asks, "We should go to the café when your presidential duties are done."

Mila thinks about this option. A latte and a croissant sounded very much appealing.

"Why not?" she says.

Rachel gives a cry of enthusiasm.

"I'll meet you at the school gate in about half an hour," Mila says.

"Deal!" Rachel says and runs off, then comes sprinting back after forgetting her backpack.

Mila seals her pencil in its case and places the case in her bag as well. She stands and puts the bag over her shoulder. Her mind tries to argue reason and warn her not to give in to the sudden urge but she does not listen and dares to sneak a peak at Caelan. She sees that he has not gotten up from his desk but is instead looking out the window unblinking, as if hypnotized by the afternoon sky. He does not appear angry or upset by the sudden way everyone had given him the cold shoulder. At this moment he does not seem deterred by the poisonous glares from earlier. He is absentmindedly playing with a lock of his long messy hair by his right ear. At this particular moment he is at peace. He seems to suddenly snap out of his trance and Mila immediately redirects her attention to the classroom door. She begins to walk.

"Mila," William says.

"What is it?" she asks curiously, turning her attention to her classmate.

William shuffles over to her and drops his voice.

"Is the new guy safe to be around alone?" he asks, "I have to mop the floor still and you heard Mr. Philips. He told the new guy to help me."

Mila looks past William's shoulder. Caelan is packing his things away and has set his bag on his desk. He then looks at her and William expectantly, as if he knew they were discussing him. Mila summons her courage, unsure if he is fitting of the rumors that had quickly circulated around the school. She decides against fear.

"Caelan," she says, a tone of sternness present, "You are going to help William with the floors in here, right?"

She watches him nod.

"The mop and bucket is in the storage closet behind you," Mila instructs, "You can fill the bucket about halfway and you should be alright."

"Sounds good," he replies, almost happily that someone is talking to him again.

This does not escape Mila and she feels the same way she had when she had seen his tattoo. She watches Caelan fetch the supplies from the closet, the bucket and two mops, and go to fetch water from the bathroom sink.

"There you are," she tells William after Caelan leaves, "You should be fine."

William looks completely unconvinced.

"What if he really is in a gang?" he asks.

"Then maybe he'll shank you and will increase his workload having to mop up your blood," Mila says and smiles mischievously.

William looks like he might faint and wobbles slightly.

"That isn't funny," he says.

"Wasn't trying to be," Mila replies and exits.

She is not sure if she should give credence to the rumors that had spread so quickly. The question still remains though. What kind of high school student has a tattoo of the word Demon on their neck? What kind of high school student has a tattoo in general?

She quickly walks to the student council room to begin her duties with that thought in mind.

Caelan is mopping efficiently. It is just he and the other student William in the classroom now. Caelan can see that William is visibly uncomfortable. He is not doing a great job and his shoulders seem incredibly stiff as he works. Caelan clears his throat of some minor phlegm build up which makes William jump.

"Are you scared of me?" Caelan asks suddenly after this occurs, "Or are you normally this jumpy?"

William tenses up again.

"No," he replies in an almost whimper, "No, why would I be afraid of you?"

"I don't know," Caelan says, "You just seem nervous about me being here."

"What? No way!" Williams cries out in a way that made Caelan think he was holding a gun to the kid's head for an answer.

Caelan shrugs and replies quietly, "Alright."

They mop together a while longer. The silence making both of them wildly uncomfortable. When the job is finished Caelan takes the mop water to the bathroom and gently pours it down the sink then returns to the classroom and puts away the bucket and the two mops. William was no longer to be found. Caelan sighs. He inspects the floors to ensure a good job is done. He sees that the area that William overlooked was not done very well. Caelan sighs again and goes to retrieve the bucket to do it properly. On his way to fill the bucket at the sink he hears two students talking at the urinal. The boys are talking excitedly.

"Yeah I heard about the new kid," one says.

"Is it true?" the other responds.

"Not sure, but what if it is? What if he is some kind of pet project for the school to improve their image or something?"

"You think Principle Stevens would allow that?"

"I don't know. But the next time I see the new kid I'm going to take a real good look to see if the tattoo is real or not."

Caelan stops dead in his tracks at the sink and looks at the two guys at the urinal. He feels his whole body get cold. His heart pounds in his chest and his ears grow hot.

"Wonder if he really is in a gang."

"Ask him," one laughs.

"You ask him," the other laughs.

The urinals flush and Caelan quickly turns the sink on and pretends not to have eavesdropped. The two boys notice him and grow quiet themselves. Only the sound of the running water fills the restroom. Caelan can feel the two boys staring into him. He shuts the tap off and gives them a quick glance and then leaves. On the way back to the classroom he wonders how they could have found out about the tattoo. He thinks on who spread the news. Mila's face appears in his mind. His stomach sinks and he sighs.

So she did see it. Great. And now everyone knows.

He mops William's sector offloor silently and understanding why everyone's mood toward him had shifted soquickly.