The Science Of Keeping Secrets (Old Title: Project Nerd Conversion)

ONE ⭐ Put on a Poker Face

I guess Irvin wins this round. Turd.

I take out a new pencil and get to work. God, I'm so behind on everything, which is bad, since I can't afford to be left further behind in calculus. I'm not really bad at math or anything; it just so happened that something else is taking up a huge space in my head. And no, it's not my bitchy boyfriend. It's bigger, more personal, and ten times more sensitive.

And that is why no one in Empire Academy should know.

I'm about to reach the end of Faust's scribbles when she suddenly announces, "Before I forget, turn in your homework, class."

My aching hand freezes on my notebook. One by one, my classmates start to get up from their seats to put their papers on top of the teacher's desk. Irvin also makes his way to the front. Meanwhile, I stay seated, trying to act natural and debating whether or not I should fake a fainting episode. I feel drained of life, anyway, so might as well put it to use.

However, before I can decide, Faust begins to count the papers. A new jolt of terror wracks my body.

"There are only seventeen papers here," she says, frowning. "Who didn't hand the homework in?"

She surveys the class with her mouth pressed into a thin line, and my heart stops beating for a second. Now that I look at the sheets of lined papers in her hands, I remember that I have my copy in my bag. It would've been great if I had this memory blast yesterday, instead of while Faust is recounting them.

Now is probably the best time to say that I'm sick and I need to throw up. No one questions that. Maybe I can even—

"Miss Fox?"

Oh, no. Please let the bell ring. Please let something happen. Anything.

"Miss Savannah Fox?"

"She's calling you!" Irvin hisses, nudging me hard on the ribs. "Don't just sit there!"

"No!" I hiss back, wondering if it's too late to hide under our table.

Well, I don't think it is, but Irvin does. He grips me by my upper arm and tries to get me to raise my hand. I resist vehemently, but being the brute he is, he ends up victorious.

The usual faint hum of conversation in the classroom dies down completely as I shakily keep my hand up. Fortunately, my classmates are decent enough not to stare at me, but Faust's gaze is enough to make my stomach lurch with nerves.

She breaks the silence by loudly shuffling the papers, pushing back her chair and getting to her feet. Her beady blue eyes are fixed on my face, like she's trying to drill a hole on my forehead. Her nostrils are flaring, and black leathery wings are beginning to spring out of her back. She opens her mouth and fire spews out. . . .

Okay, so maybe the last bit didn't happen. She didn't turn into a monster, but I'm telling you, she's close enough.

The teachers in Empire Academy all have these common qualities: extremely smart, strict, and sickly sweet. They could roast you and your entire bloodline while smiling like beauty queens. Faust is a pro when it comes to that.

"Miss Fox, please stand up." She flashes me a lingering smile. "No homework, huh?"

The cream-colored walls seem to be closing in on me as I get to my feet. My face is burning, like someone's lighting a blowtorch right under my chin. More of my classmates look at me, and since I'm at the back of the room, the sight of them turning is both very obvious and unnerving. If my heart starts to beat any faster, I swear I'm going to die. Which wouldn't be so bad if you think about it.

Nevertheless, I put on a poker face. I have to be unbothered. Part of being the coolest girl in school is acting unfazed by anything. It's what got me the parties, the crowns, and the boys. This isn't the first time I got confronted by a teacher, I remind myself.