Evermore

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓

I hold my hand out to her.

"Hand it up, you know the rules." I tell her, she looks up at me, shoulders dropping.

"Miss, please—"

"Sophia, hand it up." I say and she looks around the classroom as some students start giggling while others whisper to each other.

"No—it's mine, you can't take it from me."

"Maybe not, but I can sure as hell give you detention for it. Would you rather stay at school longer, not being able to go on that stupid phone or would you rather stop being a show off and hand it to me. Now." I raise my eyebrows at her and she looks at me.

"Me staying at school longer means you will have to as well. Are you really going to punish yourself because you want to punish me over a phone?" She asks and they all start gasping and giggling. I bite my lip looking over my shoulder to all of them, the room goes silent and I look back to her again.

I search her eyes and she shifts in her chair.

"Stop being a show off, Sophia, it won't earn you a seat at lunch. Now go outside the classroom, I'll speak to you in a second." I say and more giggles again. She stands up, stomping towards the door like a five year old who's been refused of having candy.

"If I hear so much of a whisper, god help me, I will give you all the rest of the booklet for homework. Do your work and zip it." I say, following Sophia out of the classroom.

I shut the door as she leans against the other wall, her arms crossed while she rolls her eyes.

"What was that?" I ask walking closer to her, she glances to me before looking away.

"Hm? Why so quiet now? You were so quick to talk back when everyone is listening, don't be afraid now." I tell her and she looks at the floor, I keep looking at her waiting for her to look up but her eyes stay on the ground.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry is not going to cut it, you don't disrespect me or anybody in my classroom to show off, thinking you might get a seat with the 'cool' kids because they had a little laugh amongst themselves. You're not cool nor are you funny. I expect respect—"

"You think you respect anyone in class? You basically called me a loser in front of the whole class, you do anytime anyone speaks up to you. You shout at us for asking a simple question." She drops her hands to her sides and I scoff.

"Oh yes, I'm in the wrong for speaking back to you children when you attempt to act cool in front of your classmates. It may work with your other teachers, but I won't allow any of you to try mortify me in class because I will do it back. I answered the question annoyed because I gave you all instructions two times and nobody listened." I raise my voice at her and she looks down the hall.

"You're supposed to be the teacher. You're the adult but you speak back to us—you're more immature than anyone in this school." She comments and I hum.

"I'm giving you a weeks detention—"

"What?!"

"Yes, maybe from it, you will learn to close your mouth when you're supposed to." I hum looking at her and she goes to speak again, I raised my eyebrows and she shuts her mouth as her shoulders slump.

She stomps off back into the classroom and I drop my hands, taking a breath in. At least from this, I have to stay longer in school. I can stop by Carson's on my way home too, I just can't deal with Diana right now.

✺

"Hey, Lilahs upstairs." Carson messes up my hair and I slap his hand away from me. I fix my hair shutting the door behind me before rubbing my eyes.