"You're going to make me do bad things to you, sweetheart." | Frank Rider is the new teacher. His favourite word is 'detention'. He's iniquitous, rude and vicious. To get on his bad side would be suicide. Unfortunately for Cleo, she's already dived...
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CHAPTER LXXVI
"Happy birthday," I greeted Velvet as I slid in my chair beside her. The straps of my backpack slid off my shoulders and I twisted my waist, angling in her direction. "So, a cabin trip, huh?"
She wore a silky burnt-orange nightgown, dyed silver hair in curly twists framing her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were bare aside from fake eyelashes and her eyebrows were dark. Adorned on her neck were three gold chains, cheap in material and faded in colour. On the side of her neck was a blooming bite mark. "Yeah. Are you up for it?"
"I have nothing better to do. I'll bring your present then. Is Dracula coming, too?"
She brushed a hand across her neck, mouth curling upwards slightly. "I told my parents it was a mosquito bite. Don't think they believed me."
"Guessing it's a pretty pair of legs in a dress, huh?"
"And a tongue that would make God whimper and moan." She laughed, quickly repenting. "That was fucked up. I apologise, God. But she was amazing. I think I'm heads over heels in love with her. You would love her if you met her, Cleo. She's intelligent, beautiful and so open-minded and accepting. I've never met anyone like her before. It's not even about the sex. It's like, I like being in her company. I feel at peace. Does that make sense?"
"Sure. How long has it been?"
"Two weeks."
I raised an eyebrow and then shrugged. "I've seen Twitter love materialised quicker so I guess I shouldn't judge you. You're happy. That's all that matters. In the end, it's all we want. Someone we can love who'll love us back. Why don't you invite her to your birthday trip? We'll probably embarrass you and Leif will hang himself above your birthday cake, but it'll be memorable. Speaking of..." I nudged her as Leif entered the classroom and made a beeline for her.
"Happy birthday, Velvet!" his cheeks were flushed, blonde hair slicked back, ears sticking out, in a checkered blue and white shirt and black jeans. He handed her a pink gift bag, blue eyes enthusiastic and obsessed.
"Thank you," she took his gift from him. I noticed her visibly cringe when Leif strayed, expecting her to tear open the present and gush with adoration and love for him.
I played Captain Save-A-Hoe. "So what did the principle say?"
"What?" he was quizzical.
"Oh, didn't you hear? Your name was called out from the intercom speakers like ten minutes ago. I heard it's something to do with your last paper and plagiarism. Seems like they think you copied and pasted a whole section from another student."
His eyes bulged out of his sockets. "I would never!" Stressed, he spun on his heel and rushed from the classroom, shoving shoulders with half the students in the hallway judging from the curses.
