Mrs. Archer Xavier (REWRITING)

Chapter Seven

THE ONE WITH THAT ONE GUY IN HISTORY CLASS

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There was a knock on my door at 7 am, and I swing my door proudly. She smiles as I show off my uniform. "I'm ready," I say with emphasis, using both my hands to present myself from my head to my little flat black school shoes. "I told you I can wake up early," I add smugly and she rolls her eyes.

"Let's go. Joey'll meet us at the cafeteria!" She excitedly tells me, dragging me out of my now redecorated and personalized room. "Wait, my bag!" I exclaim, pulling back to grab it from my table. I close the door, hoping I had left all my inhibitions here while I get over with the day.

"I like your headband," I shakily manage to get out while we run across the hallway to the elevator that is about to close. "Thanks, I have it in every color," she replies without looking back at me but manages to stop the elevator doors. "So I've noticed."

"Have you seen your classes already?" she asks, impatiently leaning back and forth on her heels and toes. "Yeah, I have U.S. History for first period," I answered and a glow radiates from her face as if I got the answer right at a game show. She squeals, "We have first period together!"

"Really? My schedule's kind of confusing. I have 11 classes for two semesters?" I unsurely respond, unable to match her energy although I am glad. Usually, it'd be a different class every semester. "Yeah, it's the school's thing," she grimaces, not exactly happy with it either.

"But, we probably have Ethics together too!" She cheers up again as she pulls me out of the elevator. I have got to try and stop being such a bummer. Is a month of grieving over my life and what could have been back home long enough?

We got to the cafe and Joey was already in there. "Hey~" Heaven sings as we waltz into the cafe. It's pretty empty. After all it was, hold on, 7:15 am. Our first period doesn't start till 8, those who started at 7 are obviously in class already. "Good morning," I greet, sitting across of her.

"You managed to wake her up," Joey jokes and I frown. "Hey. I woke up on my own, actually," I retort with pride. She and Heaven giggle.

This is Joey Rooney. Her parents are doctors.

"What are you getting?" Heaven queries as she scans the menu from where we were sitting. "There's so much to choose from," I reply, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the options. At home, you either get a veggie kind, a meat kind, a sandwich kind, one with rice, or pizza. Also, fruit of the week and a juice box.

"I think I'll just have a Cheese Danish."

After breakfast, Heaven and I say goodbye to Joey since we didn't have first or second period with her. We'll meet her at lunch.

Heaven takes the lead to the class because I literally forgot the tour she gave me when we met. "Here we are! I told you I knew where it was!" she beams at me, making me furrow my eyebrows. "You didn't know where we were going?"

"What? I didn't say that," she replies with the pitch of her voice changing. Before I could even say anything she opens the classroom door and drags me in. "No one's here," I state the obvious. "We can sit anywhere, right? Or is there a school thing about that too?"

"Nah. It's still college. They won't even know our names," she giggles as we trail to the top and back of the class. I hear the door open and close but I don't look back. If I look back, we might get challenged for our seats. I know a lot of people who would have liked the back row.

"Ly, Avery," a voice calls, and my heart drops for a second. With widened eyes, Heaven and I look to the front of the class. We might have jinxed things, so early in the morning. Heaven shoots him a smile, almost like a defense mechanism.

"Good morning, Mr. ... er ..." I trail off, staring at him, hoping it would help me remember but it doesn't and he just stares back at me. I chew on the inside of my cheek while I stare at his balding head. He looks at me as if he was still expecting me to finish it. Heaven snorts, her smile getting wider. For all I know, she doesn't remember either.

"Look, I don't remember your name, okay?" I blurted by accident — well, kind of out of spite. It's only almost 8am, what was his problem?

Heaven gasps before giggling behind the book she brings up to her face. I purse my lips, partially horrified. I was never the type to pick fights with teachers. I'm pretty sure he was about to eat me alive for it, but a dark brown haired boy walks into the room, so he closes his mouth even though his hand was still raised.

"Morning, Evan," the boy greets, smug. He was not smiling but you could tell he was proud of himself. At least someone here woke up on the right side of the bed. Evan's eyebrows knot tighter.

"It's 'Mr.Willis' for the three of you" he sneered, looking at me once then back at the boy. This easily ruins his mood. His face goes dark and he rolls his eyes since his back was turned against Mr. Willis.

Heaven stars moving into the row we chose to sit. Obviously, I take the chair next to her. Mr. Willis should have said something earlier on if he did want to have a seating arrangement for the class. I plop the thick book on my desk, making a 'thud' that catches the professor's attention. Again.

"Mr. Xavier, I've heard about you," he says, far from what I thought he would go with. Whew. I steal a glance at the boy sitting at the opposite column and a couple of rows ahead. Xavier doesn't say anything, looking as if he's tuned the professor out.

I look at the professor and my heart almost drops. He was looking at me — at least at my general direction. "How about you sit up there with Ms. Avery and Ms. Ly?" he 'suggests'. He and Xavier have a stare off for a minute or two. "Why?" the boy groans but is already on his way to our direction.

Heaven already moves to the chair next to her, so I do the same thing.

"Fuck," he cusses under his breath, tossing his seemingly empty bag under the table then pulls out the chair. "This way I could keep an eye on you three," he explains while staring us down even though we were at a higher level. Is this the worm the early bird is supposed to catch?

The room starts to fill in and Mr. Willis' attention diverts to greeting other students. I take that time to turn and look at Xavier. It's like 6th sense or something but he turns to me faster than the speed of light and glares. "What?"

"What?" I mimicked but out of sheer fear. He shakes his head and turns the other way. By the way, he smelled like power and pride. That's the only words I can use to explain it. It smells like I'm-rich-know-your-place-or-else. I'm kind of scared.

He buries his face into his arms and I turn to Heaven. Before I could even say anything to her, Mr. Willis calls my attention again. He has his lectures in hand, preparing for the class. "Are you by chance related to Jason and Josephine Avery?"

I lick my lips and sigh. There's only two ways this would pan out for me.

"Yeah, I am," I answer and he nods. "I see. I'll be expecting a lot from you then. I'll let this one slide today," he utters then picks up a pen to write notes on the board for the day.

So it's that one. The standards. I thought I could've gotten a free ride through the class. History is not my strongest suit.

I swear I heard Xavier chuckle, but when I face him he still has his head in his arms.

What the hell is wrong with these people?

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a|n: so this one is actually partially edited. how do you like the book so far?