Social Experiment

03 | The Proposition

"The key rhetoric appeals in the book are ethos, pathos, and logos. They all appeal to different things: for example, ethos appeals to character while logos appeals to logic." Although the teachers voice is cheerful, the class is deadly silent, boredom strewn on the faces of the students. "Molotov uses these devices, successfully expressing Pnin's childlike qualities primarily through the hyperbolic scenarios, like in chapter two," Ms. Hayes eyes light up as she talks, walking around the classroom animatedly. "Does anyone have an example?"

The shrill bell cuts off any answer, and Ms. Hayes looks as disappointed as she does whenever she hears the bell, and frowns at students as they begin to get up. I smile fondly at my teacher; she was a kind woman in her mid-thirties with golden brown hair and a smile constantly adorning her face. She absolutely loved her job and tried to connect with each of the students. 

Teachers like Ms. Hayes were the reason why I put so much effort into my schoolwork. Of course, I wanted to do well and go to a good college at the beginning of next year- going to Drexel with Stephanie was the goal- but the teachers who genuinely cared about their students made me want to try harder. Work harder. Make them realize they were making a difference.

Once everyone stopped bustling around me and got out the door, I myself got up from my seat and began packing up my book bag.

"Time flies," Ms. Hayes mutters, but smiles at me mischievously. "I swear the clocks are fast."

I crack a smile. "It felt plenty long to me."

"Yeah, I'm sure. At least you get to go home and relax now; I have to stay for a few more hours." My teacher complains to me lightheartedly, and rounds her desk before sitting down gently in her favorite chair covered in a paisley patterned fabric.

I shake my head and hold up my science binder. "I have to see my Environmental teacher about a grade first. I'm not free yet."

She scrunched her nose in distaste. "I was never good at science. I guess that's why I'm English teacher."

I zipped my backpack up and slung it around my shoulders, running a hand through my blonde hair. "Yeah, well you make a good English teacher. I'll see you Monday, Ms. H."

Ms. Hayes smiles widely at me and waves cheerily. "See you Monday, Lauren."

I walk out of her room while bracing myself for the usually bustling halls, but I let out a breath of relief when I see that the hallway was thinning out fairly quickly. People rarely loitered in the halls after school on a Friday, so by the time I crossed the courtyard and made it to the science wing, there were only a handful of students still around. When I reach my destination, I peer inside the classroom, but don't see my teacher anywhere.

I mutter obscenities under my breath for the wasted time before turning back to head toward my locker instead. When I turn the next corner, I see two people in the otherwise empty hall, making out against the doorway, which only half concealed them. I stop mid-step, ready to turn around and go an alternative route to avoid the couple, but when the guy shifts, I see the side of his face.

That's not a stranger, another student in my large high school. To my horror, I see Thomas standing in front of the girl, devouring her mouth.

Before I can stop myself, I splutter, "Thomas?" and hope that it really isn't him. 

His eyes open and he pulls away from the blonde to look at me. Thomas' dark brown eyes hold no emotion; in fact, he seems relaxed as he observes me. My heart thumps faster in my chest as I stare at him with wide eyes. He looks back at the blonde previously in his arms and tells her to go away, which she surprisingly does, and then turns back to me.