GUITAR PICKS & PENCILS | on hiatus

Chapter 5.

Chapter 5

"Don't judge a book just by the cover

Unless you cover just another

And blind acceptance is a sign

A stupid fool who stands in line."

Lyrics: E.M.I (SEX PISTOLS)

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First lesson of the day: Chemistry. Whoop-pee. Ren was already sure it was going to be a "wonderful" morning. More so with all that rain outside...

She was sitting beside Nick and, just to distract herself, took out a damp piece of paper from her pocket and began to dry it with her palm

"What's that?" Nick asked.

"Mum's shopping list."

Ren held up the scrap of paper and Nick picked out mostly food names amidst slightly disturbing ones like "Tampons (extra absorbent)" and "anal wart cream". Ren refolded the paper.

"I was thinking of heading to the high street after school to grab those few things. Then, I'll get back on the 91-bus after that."

"Don't think you have a chance," Nick pointed outside at the dark, grey, rain-splattered windows. It might have just been the age of the Great Flood out there.

"Maybe." Ren shrugged.

Just then, the door opened and a student joined the room. Joey Reid. The look on his face showed that he didn't exactly want to be in the classroom and Ren knew exactly why. Still, when his eye accidentally caught hers, he managed to wave her a shy, polite "hello" with a not-so-very wide smile. Ren returned the wave just as politely and watched him take his usual seat.

"Oh, no ... it's Joey," she moaned to Nick and found him staring out the window.

"Huh?" he airily said and turned to her. "What? Did he blow you a kiss now?"

Ren glared at him. Oh, he was so sarcastic...

"No," she sourly said. "He just waved "hi", that's all."

"So?"

"So... so, nothing," Ren huffed, realising she really had nothing to be worked up about. She was about to say something else when their friendly, neighbourhood Chemistry teacher Mr. David traipsed in.

"Morning, lovelies!" he exclaimed, setting. "Now I have this feeling I paired you all up with the right lab partners. Those Monday practical reports all had notable, notable improvements! Namely from Miss Ferrell and Mr. Hahn..." he eyed them surreptitiously. Discomforting?

Hell, yes.

"Oh, I am pleased!" he smiled but even an idiot could detect that undertone of malice. "Now I just wonder if you worked well because you and your new partner had "chemistry" or because I set you all an "incentive"? Well, I don't really care... get back with your previous partners and work on this fun little activity."

Protests arose once again with much grumbling, of course. Ren slumped lower into her chair. It was a bad day, a bad day to partner up with Joey once again. Beside her, Nick grew very quiet (and very tight-faced) as Hazel cast him the look of a hopeful kitten.

A kitten with claws at that, Nick shivered, remembering the way she wouldn't let go of his book.

"Hurry up!" Mr. David hassled, clapping his hands like a time keeper.

"Oh, for f_ck's sake..." Nick muttered under his breath, not moving like the rest.

"For f_ck's sake, yeah," Ren agreed and her toes curled in her boots when she saw Joey getting up and coming over. "You'd better go," she urged and only then, did Nick depart from her side. Joey came over, looking uncomfortable and uncertain.