Just Kidding | ✔️

Chapter 8: Dawson

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I instantly regret my decision to open the door leading into Child Development.

     At the back of my mind I imagine turning around and giving up. There is no point in coming to class if I dread it but I still end up pulling myself together enough to venture further inside. Handing my late slip to the teacher I continue towards my seat, I see my dreaded partner at the next table over flirting with one of the cheerleaders.

     My eyes never meet Cooper's but I know he acknowledges my presence as he, moments later, plops down in the seat beside me only to scoff, "look who decided to show up."
     "Can we just start the project. Please?" I sigh.

     "Well then." He raises his hands in surrender. Getting up he walks away and ends up returning minutes later with a crying baby doll. He's holding it out of arms reach with a look of disgust clear in his eyes.

    "Why are you holding it like that?!" I ask. Taking the poor thing from him. If this thing were real we'd already fail the class.
"It sounds just like you only a lot louder and even more obnoxious."
     "Fuck you." I snarl, turning away from him and out of the corner of my eye I can still see he's cringing at the poor baby. "God. You're such a boy."

     "Well, Kyla. That might be because I am a boy!" He growls.

     "I will not have you speaking that kind of language in front of our baby. . ." I look down at the doll that wears an outfit consisting of neutral colors which doesn't really tell me what gender it is so I take an educated guess. "Girl?"

     "You're not funny." Cooper scoffs, crossing his arms over his taunt chest.
     "Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?" I pout, setting the doll down on the table.
     "How about you just focus on the child?"
     "Only if you promise to shut the fuck up once in a while, you insensitive shit."

    Cooper has a look of amusement dancing in his eyes when I look back at him.
     "Insensitive huh?" He grins "and what makes you think that?"
     "You're kidding right? Do you even realize the way you treat the girls here?" I wait for him to say something or just acknowledge what I said but I only receive a glare.

    "I'll tell you what you are, a heartless egomaniac who. .sincerely needs progressional help. Does that ring any bell for you?" I ask.
      "No but I'd wish the bell would ring to end this miserable class so I don't have to listen to you talk anymore." He snorts, crossing his arms over his chest and remaining facing away from me.

     "You know, I don't particularly enjoy your company either but in order to actually graduate it's necessary we try to tolerate each other." I point out and as quickly as I saw a glimpse of redemption in those grey almost blue eyes of his it was replaced with the usual expressionlessness. "You don't enjoy my company?" He grins. I cringe.

     "No I don't. I actually pity you and," I look him in the eyes, suddenly finding humor in his presence "I pity myself when I'm around you. It's clear you have serious issues in your personal life and the only thing that seems to help is fucking with some girl you plan on ditching the next day. It doesn't make you enjoyable or even remotely interesting, Cooper. It just makes you sad." I file through my stacks of papers from each class, ignoring his eyes boring holes into my head.

     The rest of class is left without words between the two of us and I'm thankful for the sudden shrill of the bell to set me free.

    "Hey guys." I greet everyone once I'm at our usual lunch table. "You're in a better mood than this morning. Something happen?" Riley unloads her lunch from a flimsy brown paper bag. I shrug. A smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Just putting Cooper in his place. Nothing new." I shrug and my friends laugh.

"Good to see your hatred for the guy is as strong as ever, Kyla." Chris chuckles.
"Why were you in a bad mood this morning?" Bryce asks and I turn to see the concern dancing across his eyes.

"It's just. . ." I hesitate, meeting Riley's eyes as they widen "It's—"
"My period." Riley huffs, throwing her arms up. "Girl stuff."
"Huh?" Chloe mumbles beneath a mouthful of food.
"Your period affects Kyla?" Bryce blinks. Clearly he isn't buying this.
"Mhm." Riley glances between he and I.
"Okay. What's really going on?" Bryce sighs, impatient.
"Dawson." Even his name sends shivers down my spine. I'm afraid just saying it out loud might cause me nightmares. "He's back."

• • •

     I sit in the back of Mr.Carter's class, wishing that the bell would just ring and put me out of my misery already.

     I made sure to get to class early after lunch which I must say ended in Bryce freaking the hell out as I expected. He doesn't know much about Dawson either, just that I'd go over to his house fine and return to school the next day with a pattern of bruises.

I'm beginning to think he is now well aware that Dawson is particularly hostile. At least enough to get expelled and somehow manipulate his way back into school. When the bell finally rings I shrink back in my seat and pray Cooper won't berate me as he usually does this period.

     I watch as Mr.Carter bounces around the front of the room with much enthusiasm. This man is in his late thirties and has more energy than I do on a regular day to day basis, I'm thinking it's whatever he's got in that navy blue thermos he brings in every day.

    Once he begins speaking and still there is no sign of Cooper, I'm overwhelmed with relief.
Obviously right when I begin to believe I've lucked out, the sound of the classroom door opening grabs my attention and in comes
Not just Cooper.

     The pencil I've held between my fingers for minutes now, snaps, falling to the blank sheet of paper below. I'm staring up at the doorway where two boys are now stood and as confident and carefree as can be, they saunter in.

    "You two are late." Says Mr. Carter, in front of him stands Cooper and Dawson in all their troublemaking glory.

Clearly this is a joke. Right?