9:32 am
Vernon noticed it was unusually quiet in the library. Usually there would be the occasional argument or whispers between the six detainees. But this was just too quiet. He got up from his desk to check on the six detainees-only to find they were passed out asleep in various position. He glowered at the sight. They had broken the no sleeping rule. Spoiled little PRICKS!
"WAKE UP!" he yelled.
None of them responded. Vernon thought pensively. Surely there was only one way to get their attention, given that they had been in the library for over two hours.
"Who has to go to the lavatory?" he asked.
Everyone raised their hand.
"Alright, let's go," he said gruffly. "You still have about six hours and twenty-eight minutes left."
The six detainees stretched and yawned, trying to rid the stiffness from falling asleep. Sheila shucked off her Army jacket as she was starting to feel hot. Bender cracked his neck and shoulders. Claire, Andrew and Brian rubbed their eyes sleepily.
"Last call for bathroom break!" Vernon announced in an attempt to hustle the detainees.
"AMEN! Speak now or forever hold your pee!" Sheila said, imitating a Southern Baptist minister.
Some of the detainees snickered. Claire shook her head. Vernon glared at the redhead; her voice imitations and disruptive behavior were starting to irritate him.
Once the detainees were out of their seats, the vice principal escorted them to the bathrooms. Brian walked in front. He was trying to start a conversation with Vernon, who ignored him.
"Alright, that's three minutes for the girls," he announced. "Two minutes for the boys."
"How come the girls get an extra minute?" Bender complained.
"They're the opposite sex, dodo," he answered.
"Why thank you, kind sir," Sheila quipped in a fake British accent, pretending to curtsy. "Such a gentleman."
More snickers came from the detainees. Even the disheveled girl cracked a smile.
"Knock it off, Donovan," Vernon said annoyed. "Just because you're a lady doesn't mean I won't hold back on giving you detention next Saturday."
He turned to the girls, his hand held outward to the bathroom.
"Be off, ladies," he said gesturing to their restroom. Then looked at his watch. "Haga naga! You're on the clock."
The girls rolled their eyes. Jesus! He was making this detention seem like they were at work. The girls and boys divided up and went into their bathrooms.
GIRLS BATHROOM
Claire went to the mirror to reapply her makeup. The basket case went into the stall, ignoring the two girls. Sheila went into the next stall to use the toilet, then came out to wash her hands. She saw that Claire's makeup was laid out on the shelf under the mirror. Her eyes widened at the sight. My God! How could someone need THAT much stuff? Sheila didn't wear much except for simple lipstick, sometimes some mascara and a little eye liner or eye shadow. But all in all, she preferred to keep things simple.
"Do you have any skin cream?" Claire asked. "My neck is really sad."
Sheila shook her head. "Sorry," she said.
She looked at Claire who complained about her supposedly 'sad' neck. She didn't see anything wrong. She kind of envied Claire. Her skin didn't have freckles that wouldn't stop popping up. She checked the mirror to make sure she didn't have drool on her chin after falling asleep in detention. She flicked a long strand of hair out of her face. She looked at Claire, trying to start a conversation since she barely got to talk to her in detention.
"You have really flawless skin," Sheila commented.
Claire glanced over at Sheila with a look of surprise. "Really?"
Sheila nodded genuinely.
"Thank you," she said, smiling.
Claire's chocolate brown eyes assessed the Comedian. She had great features with high cheekbones, an oval shaped face dotted with a smatter of freckles, green eyes and copper hair. Her lips always seemed to be smirking as if she had a joke or trick in mind.
But her whole appearance was a whole other matter: very common like a bumpkin, no sense of style and in desperate in need of a makeover. Her makeup consisted of a dusky pink mauve lipstick that she probably just dug out of a bargain bin without thought. A spackle of gold eye shadow with no eyeliner or mascara. Her nails seriously needed a manicure: they were cracked and chipped with ragged islets of cheap cherry red nail polish.
"I wish my skin was like that," Sheila said. "Mine won't stop producing freckles. It's like...every morning I wake up..." Sheila made a popping noise. "...a freckle."
"Are you sure they're not zits?" Claire asked, studying the Comedian's skin.
"Nope," Sheila said. "Zits I can handle because they're easy to get rid of. Freckles are unfortunately forever."
"You could try staying out of the sun," Claire suggested.
"Believe me, I try," Sheila said laughing. "Unfortunately, the Donovan family comes from a LONG line of red heads, freckles and..."
Claire stared curiously at the last sentence. "And what?"
"Drunk comedians," Sheila joked.
"Your parents are alcoholics?" Claire said, obviously failing to see the humor.
"I was joking...sort of," she said.
"My parents drink a lot. Mostly dry martinis. After they fight."
"Same here, but my Dad usually drinks beers," Sheila said.
"I thought you had a stepdad."
"I do. But I have a Dad as well. My parents got divorced when I was ten."
"Oh." Claire said.
Then cleared her throat, thinking about Sheila's skin when she complained about her freckles.
"I have some foundation if you want," she said, looking through her endless make up supply.
Sheila was about to answer when a crunching noise coming from the stall interrupted their conversation, making them turn. Claire glanced at Sheila who looked just as confused as her.
"Um...are you OK?" Sheila asked.
No answer from the other girl. Sheila arched an eyebrow. The crunching just continued.
"Can't you talk and go at the same time?" Claire asked.
Claire looked at Sheila as if to wonder what to do, earning a shrug. Eventually Claire opened the door. The girls found the basket case standing in the stall, just eating a bag of Doritos. She looked at the two girls with dark lined eyes. It was weird that someone would even consider eating in a bathroom. Not to mention disgusting. Eating! Over a toilet!
Claire gagged and stepped back. Sheila just stared in disbelief, unsure of how to react to this situation. Unsure of what to say. She felt uncomfortable, but decided to try to talk to her. After all, she hardly knew anyone and her grandfather encouraged her to make friends. She felt bad for not talking for her in detention. She wondered what her name was. Sheila cleared her throat, looking at the disheveled girl.
"Um...hey," Sheila said, waving in a weak attempt to be polite.
The disheveled girl just kept staring with an expressionless face, crunching her Doritos. She was very pale, her black hair hung over her face, her eyes were dark, lined with black eye liner. Her clothes were way too big: a black sweatshirt, a gray A-line skirt that covered her legs; she wore black leggings and a pair of dirty converses on her feet.
The dark haired girl sized her up, silently, studying her. Sheila became more uneasy by her presence.
After a long silence and intense, awkward staring, Sheila decided this conversation wasn't going anywhere.
"O-OK...sorry I bothered you," she said uncomfortable. Then ended on a polite note, "Enjoy your snack."
When Sheila went to turn back to the mirror, the girl suddenly spoke:
"You ever find a dead body?"
Claire stopped doing her makeup and turned her head slowly towards the weird girl, staring incredulously. Sheila's eyebrows raised up, blinking a few times and turned slowly around. Amazed that she could talk. Given she was sitting two desks away from her and Brian, but she never bothered to talk to her. She figured she wasn't interested. But that was no excuse not to talk to her.
Wow! That came out of the blue. She thought. Then cleared her throat, deciding to play along with this question, "Animal or human?"
"Does it matter?"
"Mostly animal," she said. "Why?"
"Just wanted to know if we have anything in common."
"God, why are you such a freak?" Claire said in disgust to the basket case.
"We're all freaks in our own way," the basket case said. "What's freaky about you?"
Claire rolled her eyes and went back to putting her makeup on, ignoring the weird girl. The girl's black eyes went to Sheila, waiting for an answer. Sheila decided to at least try to get to know her despite her overwhelming discomfort. She had to think of some lie to defuse the awkward situation. Her father often told her stories and tall tales as a child.
"I saw a UFO once at band camp," Sheila answered.
"Bullshit," the basket case said.
"No. It's true," Sheila said. "I have a photo of me in my band uniform and..."
"I meant your UFO claim is bullshit."
"Well, it is true," Sheila asserted her lie. "I was sitting at the campfire, roasting marshmallows and stargazing with some friends...and then out of the blue, there it was...a shiny saucer with flashing blue lights. I remember it like it was yesterday."
"I was abducted by aliens once," the basket case said.
Sheila nodded, faking a smile and pretending to be interested. Claire rolled her eyes. This girl was too weird. But hell, she was going to be stuck with her. Mr. Vernon then shouted, breaking the uncomfortable silence between the girls. Sheila rolled her eyes. Claire grabbed all her make up and put it back into her bag.
"What's the rush, Dick?" Sheila remarked quietly. "It's not like we have anything to do."
*****
BOYS BATHROOM
Brian, Andrew and Bender went to the restroom. Bender flipped his dark hair and chose a urinal near the sinks. The two boys looked at each other uncomfortably.
"You ladies need a formal invitation to pee?" he jeered, looking at the two of them.
The jock rolled his eyes and picked a urinal that was on the opposite end, leaving the center one open. Brian looked uncomfortable and glanced at the stalls. He went in, trying to remain unnoticed.
"What's the matter, Dork?" Bender teased. "You afraid to pee out here with the big boys?"
Brian ignored the delinquent's snark and closed the stall behind him. Andrew let out an involuntary snigger.
A few minutes later, Brian came out with his head down to wash his hands. Bender finished and stalked over towards the sink where Brian was washing his hands. He leaned against the wall and cocked his hip. Like a predator, he watched the blond's blue eyes dart nervously. He lit up a cigarette, taking a few drags, then blew a stream of smoke towards Brian. The nerd coughed, waving the smoke away.
"Was THAT really necessary?" Andrew said, rolling his eyes.
Bender ignored Andrew's dumb question and kept his attention on Brian. Ever since he got a kiss from the Teacher's Pet, he decided he was going to poke fun at him.
"Y'know, that Teacher's Pet is pretty cute," Bender began with a smirk.
"Mm-hmm. Sure," Brian said timidly, pretending not to be interested.
"I noticed you were checking her out, dweeb."
Brian looked up from drying his hands; his blue eyes widened, then shook his head quickly at this remark.
"I-I wasn't checking her out," he denied.
"Hey, man! It's cool if you were," Bender said holding up his hands. "No need to get so testy. She's pretty funny...and cute, right?"
"I guess..." Brian answered, shrugging.
Andrew decided to break the tension that was going on in the bathroom between Bender and Brian. It was pretty obvious Bender was going to start something.
"So, was she your first kiss, Johnson?" Andrew asked, still at the urinal.
The nerd turned bright red, rubbing his neck. "I...uh..."
"It's cool if it is, man," Bender said, studying the nerd's reaction.
"So, it's true then?" Andrew said, zipping up.
The delinquent smirked, deciding to poke at him some more. Andrew was listening to the conversation as well while he washed his hands.
"So...do you like her?" Bender asked.
"It's OK if you do," Andrew said with a casual shrug. "We won't judge you, right, Bender?"
The athlete looked straight at the delinquent, half hoping he wouldn't further embarrass Brian since he was under immense pressure already.
"Yea, man..." Bender said with false reassurance. "It's cool."
"I...m-maybe," Brian squeaked.
After a beat, Bender decided to push the limit, given Brian had admitted that he liked the new girl.
"So...y'think the carpet matches the drapes?" Bender said.
With a confused look, Brian turned to Andrew for an answer. The athlete raised an eyebrow, looking just as bewildered.
"Depends on what type of drapes they are," Brian said innocently.
"What are you talking about, man?" Andrew said confused.
Bender chuckled as he saw how confused the athlete was and naive the geek was after posing his question.
"Seriously, Sporto?" Bender said, shaking his head. "I thought you jock straps were waist deep in ladies. I would think you know what a girl's carpet is by now."
Andrew eventually realized what the delinquent was talking about and rolled his eyes in complete disgust. God! Bender was such a pervert. Every fucking conversation with this moron had to be sexual or provocative.
"Jesus fucking Christ..." he muttered, shaking his head.
"Girls have carpets?" Brian asked confused, looking between the athlete and the delinquent.
"Never mind," Andrew said uneasy. Then turned to Bender. "Just shut up, man. Nobody cares what's in a girl's pants."
"Sure, we do," Bender said, then pointed at Brian. "Although I think Dork here might need a map."
"What's he talking about?" Brian asked still confused.
"Seriously, Dweeb," Bender said. "Did you just breeze through health class when they did sex ed? You don't seem like the type to miss a class."
"O-oh!" the geek said blushing heavily as he got the hint.
"Look, just because you stick your dick in whoever and whatever you want 24/7 does not mean all of us should have to experience it," Andrew said annoyed.
"Well, it's not my fault Dweeb got lost trying to navigate into what's a girl's pants," Bender said. "I'm trying to help him."
"I know what girls have!" Brian exclaimed irritated. "I'm not that dumb."
Bender blew a raspberry. "Right," he answered. Then in a falsetto voice, making dimples in his cheeks to mock Brian, "Boys have penises, girls have vaginas."
"It's not just that. I know what's there," Brian answered, his ears turning redder.
"Well, go ahead and tell us, Professor!" Bender challenged, crossing his arms.
Brian licked his lips, then sucked them in. He wasn't sure how to describe female anatomy without making a complete idiot out of himself. In Health Class when they did the sexual health chapter, the teacher read off the terms and had them look at diagrams. Everyone would giggle and laugh; poor Brian would become a blushing mess, straight up embarrassed.
He imagined how the scenario would go down: with him saying the anatomical terms awkwardly, Andrew and Bender laughing at him; Bender mocking the way he spoke. Brian looked down at his shoes, swallowing.
"Yea...didn't think so," Bender sneered.
"SHAKE IT UP!" Vernon shouted. "Let's go! Zip it up!"
Bender flicked his cigarette into the toilet, which fizzed, and left the bathroom. He didn't bother to wash his hands.
The detainees joined up with Vernon to be escorted back to the library.
"I hope all of you are nice and refreshed," Vernon said sarcastically. "Now you can all work on your essays."
"Very refreshed," Sheila said. "Like a shower."
"Good," Vernon answered. "Hopefully you won't have to go for a while after that."
All of them groaned as they were escorted back to their prison in the library.