The Heart of Hades

Chapter 1

      I close my eyes as I hum, "You take me by the hand, I question who I am."

      I can't remember where this line came from, and I can't even remember the rest of the song for the life of me, but I can't get it out of my head. If I go too long without humming or playing it in my head, I start to get anxious and I can't think straight. Although, even when I do that, I can't think straight either. I can't win.

      I feel like it's something important....

      A dark presence comes over me and I turn my attention towards the real world, which unfortunately, currently involves my history teacher, Mr. Hagan. I look up at him and right into his eyes then look back away. Rule #1: Never and I mean Never look into a teachers eyes.

      "Since you think it is okay to fall asleep in my class, I can justly assume you already know everything I have to say and I will send you to the office without it bothering my conscience that I might deprive you of your education." He says in that low voice everyone hates. He moved so his face was inches from mine and continued, looking furious. "Detention before and after school for a week."

      The only thing I actually got from that was: I can use really long sentences and big words without taking a single breath.

      That and: I have a really sexy cologne on.

      He turned around and waved his hand toward the door, as if he was some god on his high horse acting better than everyone else and the world was his servant. He didn't need to. I can tell when I'm not welcome. I didn't want to stay anyways.

      For the love of God, what is wrong with him? Almost every student has been sent to the office; some of them don't even have him as a teacher! But he is always at the right place to bust you and he will bust you for anything.

      He may be 20-something years old and hot, but he is officially the most hated teacher in the Most Hated Teacher's Hall of Fame. Even the teachers hate him. Do you know how much paper work they have had to fill out since he came around?

      Lucky for me, today is Friday. The office has just been sending most the kids home early because if they kept them, there would be no room in detention or the office for the actual bad kids.

      I'm one of those kids that has been given permission not to even check in, thanks to my practiced "Halo effect" of having relatively good grades that goes with being sweet and quiet.

      Ms. Hoffman nods at me as I walk out and I can't help but wonder how many kids have done this today.

      Most kids take advantage of their early release and go to the bowling alley or the mall, but I just like to go home. There is nothing much you can do before 4:00 anyways, and none of my friends were not kicked out today anyway.

      Half an hour later I found myself in front of the home I grew up in. Born and raised in a tan two story house in good ol' Minnesota. Anyone is welcome, just don't walk in our front yard. That's where our dog Jayke goes and does his business.

      After switching the laundry over, I jump on my computer, then debate as my mouse hovers between two tabs.

      Online Math or blog?

      I've gotten a little behind on my blog, and my faithful followers are probably just dying to taste more about my currently bland, boring flavored life, with a side of dog crap flavored teacher. And by "faithful followers" I mean my 3 best friends along with the miscellaneous people who run across my blog and never think of it again.

***********

      As I finish up the last of my math assignment, including and old one, I can't help but swell with pride for myself for resisting the temptation to blog before of homework.

      Now for laundry and dishes, I tell myself this, but as I glance over, the computer wins. I pull up my page and a notification pops up; Aric24 is Online my computer tells me.

      A smile spreads across my face and I open up the chat. Whatever plans I had before can wait. As my most mysterious follower, he is almost never online.

Aric24: Hullo
Bright17: Hey
Aric24: Why r u on at 2:41? School isn't over til 3.🕑
Bright17: One Word-Teacher
Aric24: That guy again
Aric24: He needs to get a life
Bright17: Desperately :-)
Aric24: Literally
Bright17: I was just updating. Sneak Peak?
Aric24: Sure
Bright17: 2 sum it up: I...zoned out. 1 week of detention b4 and after school.
Aric24: If u tell me where u live i can come over and deck him for u....😇
Aric24: makes hopeful face😮
Bright17: tempting but no
Aric24: Seriously though, when can we really meet?
Bright17: I don't know. Someday, maybe
Aric24: I look forward to the day day I get to meet my most beautiful friend
Bright17: Brown hair and brown eyes is probably not a normal persons definition of beautiful. No one with brown eyes in the history of ever has been told that they have beautiful eyes
Aric24: Well then I guess I'm making history

      Up until my mother pulled up in the driveway, most the rest of the conversation was spent debating of the definition of beautiful, though somehow we managed to get into politics and debates about our current president.

Bright17: gtg
Bright17: Bye!
Aric24: See ya!

      I close the computer and jump towards the kitchen, scrambling to make it look like I actually accomplished something. I manage to make the kitchen look presentable before my mom walks in, and I'm doing the dishes like a good girl.