Unthinkable

Unthinkable ~ Chapter 12

A/N: I know it's been a crazy long time, but I'm determined to finish this story. I have a lot of interesting ideas for where this is going to go and I have a lot of scenes planned out, so for whoever decides to stay for the ride, I hope you enjoy! Also I will try to be editing a lot of previous chapters as I go along or after I finish writing the whole story, so it's definitely not even close to finished yet. Hope you guys like it!

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"Well, class, today is our first ever English class Open Mic at Maudsley High!"

I laid my head on my desk as everyone started to cheer and applaud. I'd heard of these types of things before, but I was too preoccupied by the thought of the test that would be given to us the next day to really get any excitement about such an event. I'd need to study all night to even have a chance of passing.

"Step right up! Don't be shy. You can read any piece of writing you wish. Just jump right in when you feel like it."

I looked around the room. Despite the excitement evident in the atmosphere before, no one seemed like they were eager to jump up on the platform. I leaned back in my chair with a quirked eyebrow at the sudden hush of the room. Wow, these kids are definitely not the outgoing type. The teacher started to look desperate, so she shuffled through a drawer at her desk and pulled out a piece of paper. I squinted my eyes to read the small print as she pinned it to the blackboard.

"Alright then, I guess no one will win first prize for ten points extra credit added to a test of your choice!"

Now, she's speaking my language.

 ~~~

"What the hell am I supposed to write about?" Maybelle made herself comfortable on the couch in my living room as I swung my feet below the rocking chair nearby, brushing the soles against the hardwood floor. The teacher had told us that the Open Mic will be held that next Friday, due to the obvious hesitance among the students to just jump up right that second. This would give them time to think of something to write and share, something good enough to win that extra credit prize.

"I don't know," she replied, kicking her feet up onto the couch. "It's a Spoken Word contest, baby girl. Aren't you supposed to write about something you're passionate about? That means something to you?"

I shrugged as I tapped my chin rapidly with the end of my pencil. "I've never written anything like this before. I can barely talk to people without fumbling over my words, or worrying I'd say something ridiculous." I started to lightly chew on the writing utensil in my hand.

"Wait," Maybelle cut the air with her sharp voice, an abrupt urgency lacing her words. Her head whipped to look at me. "Don't you have a test tomorrow?"

I stared at her for a moment, and then swore under my breath before hopping off the chair and shuffling to my room. "I'm sorry, May, you wanna come back tomorrow? We can brainstorm ideas."

She flashed me a smile and nodded before picking herself up off of the couch and sashaying to the front door. She was wearing one of her iconic flower dresses, and it created the illusion of her gently floating as she walked. I shut the door to my room, knowing that the next few hours would be hell.

~~~

I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't concentrate at all on what was trying to be conveyed by this jumble of letters plastered on my textbooks because these idiots were at it again. I couldn't stay focused on my work for one goddamn second because my mind kept wandering to the faint argument happening outside my room. At some point, I remember just tossing my pencil across the room and letting it smack against the wall on the other side before falling straight to the ground. The hushed voices ceased for that split second, but then started up again in a lower volume.