...how to deal with unwanted

Daydreams and the occasional glare from Mr. Howard filled the my first few hours in school that day. Before long, it was time for recess.

I bought myself two bags of Doritos from the school shop, which had to suffice as breakfast. About two minutes after I had sat down at a table it was filled.

After the usual groans and exchange of information between the new arrivals, Hans said to me, "I've been thinking about the back-to-school party."

"And?"

"Originally I planned to organize a costume party-"

"Then you realized Halloween is next month."

"Ditto. Therefore. I thought, 'how do I use a thousand dollars to organize an unforgettable party?' That's when it hit me, the best idea ever, the jewel among the-"

I sighed. "Can you get on with it and stop your attempts to disguise the fact you're flunking English?"

A sheepish grin formed on Hans' face as sniggers rippled over the table. "Right, sorry. The idea I have is...a pool party."

I stared at Hans, then dug my fingers into my ear. After bringing it out, I frowned at it. "Funny, there's no wax on this, so I didn't misinterpret your words. You want us to throw a pool party?"

"A pool party would be great-"

"Oh, sure it will. Who'll forget the party they caught pneumonia after attending?"

"What are you-" His eyes widened, then he hastily shook his head. "I don't mean a pool party outside! You know that resort, 'The Blue Diamond?'

"Yeah. My family owns it."

"I rented part of it for a night. It has an indoor heated pool, a good Dj, snacks, alcohol...everything you need to have a good party!"

I blinked severally. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a part of my brain acknowledged that I had been wrong.

It didn't feel too good.

Nevertheless, I said, "That's...not a bad idea for a party."

He smirked. "Never again doubt my party planning ability. That's my thing!"

The condescending tone of his voice triggered a dart of annoyance in me. With it came unpleasant memories of the past, specifically of all the times he verbally bullied me.

My mouth instinctively opened, spitting out, "You're right, I shouldn't have doubted you. After all, considering party planning is the only thing you're good at, of course, you have more than sufficient energy to put into it, right?"

Laughter and jeers flowed across the table. Despite this Hans still grinned, even as people took jabs at him as they condescendingly patted him on his back.

However, a spark of anger was apparent in his eyes.

A smirk split my face when I noticed that.

You are a stick, Hans Davis, and I'm going to break you.

. . .

"Angelo, could you tell me what year the Korean civil war started?"

I shrugged at the man in front of the class. "You fought in it, so shouldn't you know?"

"Don't be ridiculous, I fell asleep in the Victorian ages and woke up after the Vietnam War!"

Laughter sprung up in the class. Even I couldn't stop myself from cracking a smile. That's what I liked about Mr. Bill, my history teacher. Although his greying hair and slightly lined face led to jokes about his age, he was quite laid back about it, choosing to appreciate the joke as humor rather than see it as an insult.

The area around his mud-brown eyes crinkled as a smile broke out across his face. "Jokes aside, what's the answer?"

"1950."

"Good. I don't know why so many teachers complain about the fact you don't pay attention in their class when you're still among the top students. Honestly, I wouldn't mind if all my students do what you do. I wouldn't mind using this period to catch up on my sleep."

"You could also read a newspaper then."

"Nah, I move with the times. I read my news online now."

More laughter broke out across the class as other students began to shoot him with comments.

Mr. Bill was one of the only teachers who bothered to get his students interested in his lessons. From giving interesting unexpected pieces of history to cracking funny historical jokes, he always engaged his students in his teachings.

Apart from his personality, I didn't want to leave his lesson at that moment because it was like a luxurious preparation before I was to be sent to death.

In other words, it was a nice experience before I had to face the horrors of Miss Delane and her literature class.

. . .

Miss Delane's lesson was...absolutely uneventful.

When I first walked into the class, I was shivering a bit. However, nothing happened. She didn't even pay me any attention when I walked to my seat. Aimee didn't spare me a look as well.

Honestly, it was insulting.

Thankfully, that was nothing more than a drop in the emotions that flooded through me when the bell rang, signifying the end of the class.

Quickly, I gathered my books then hurried towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

Before I could step over the threshold, a hand grabbed my shoulder and whirled me.

I furrowed my brow at Aimee. "Where else? Class is over, so I'm leaving."

Her red lips pursued as her eyes narrowed. "Maybe you've forgotten-"

"-all the threats I've been receiving?"

"No- wait, yes!"

"I wasn't sure they were real, or I was just dreaming-"

"Okay, enough with the rhyming!"

"Aimee dear, could you please move? I have a staff meeting in ten minutes, and I'll like to eat before then."

Miss Delane didn't even bother to look at me as she said those words.

Aimee said, "Oh Miss Delane, wait! Angelo has something to say to you-" She shot me a pointed look, "-don't you, Angelo?"

Miss Delane's nose wrinkled. "Oh, Mr. Smith. Well, what is it?"

Taking a deep breath, I nodded. "I do have something to say to you."

Smiling as widely as I could, I said, "Thank you for the wonderful lesson, Miss Delane."

For a while, none of them said anything. Miss Delane stared at me with a confused expression on her face, while steam poured out of Aimee as she shot me murderous looks.

After an eternity, Miss Delane rose an eyebrow at me. "Is that it?"

I nodded.

"No, it isn't!" Aimee crossed her arms. "Isn't there something else you want to tell Miss Delane? You know, like an apology?"

I scratched my head, then shrugged. "I can't imagine why I'd want to do something like that."

"Oh, let me jog your memory! Miss Delane, do you think I should stop harassing Angelo, and maybe get out of his hair?"

"I have literally no idea what you're talking about," Miss Delane replied after a pause.

However, I knew exactly what her words suggested, so I almost screamed out loud. Her words broke down the wall of lies and excuses I had enshrouded myself in, releasing the words trapped inside.

Restraining myself from gritting my teeth, I sighed. "Miss Delane, telling you how wonderful your lesson was isn't what I wanted to tell you. In fact, that was a lie-"

"Angelo-"

"-right, not important right now. "I-I guess what I want to say is... I'm... going to play Romeo in your play!"

"Excuse me? Are you demanding to do it?"

"No, no, he's not!" Aimee said, just as I said, "Is there a problem with that?"

Miss Delane waved Aimee off before fixing me with a steely look. "Why would I want to have you play such a prestigious part?"

"I honestly can't imagine why you-"

"-wouldn't!" Aimee interjected.

Miss Delane ran her eyes over me. "And how am I sure you wouldn't...repeat the horrors you did yesterday?"

I sighed. "Truthfully, there's no indicator that I-"

"-would!" Aimee interjected again. "Look, Miss, what Angelo did was just out of nerves. He wants to do this play-"

I scoffed.

"-so if you give him another chance, he'd give it his all."

She fixed Miss Delane with puppy dog eyes after she fell silent.

Unsurprisingly, Miss Delane was soon rushing back to her desk as she squealed, "Another chance, no problem! I'd hate to lose such a handsome Romeo and beautiful Juliet anyways, I can totally see the chemistry between the two of you!"

I choked on my spit.

Aimee laughed. "Oh, I have a boyfriend."

"What a shame!" Fishing out a script from her desk, Miss Delane handed it to me. "Here. This time, try to handle it with more care, okay?"

A grin nearly found its way onto my face as I replied, "I'll treat it as is it was my own child."

"Considering that's what you said yesterday, please don't! Am I glad Romeo and Juliet didn't have children! Now, begin, and I want to see some acting!"

The temperature seemed to drop by several degrees.

I'm going to read it. Again. Then they would come for me. Again.

I asked, "N-now? Don't you have a meeting?"

"Teacher's meeting- Oh, I was just saying that because I didn't want to be in class with a heretic any longer than! It's alright now though because you've realized the error of your ways and come back to the path of the straight and narrow! Now no more stalling, begin!"

Before I could stall for more time, Aimee said, "Since we aren't sure Angelo wouldn't have another nervous breakdown if he acts it now, could we read it instead? At least until he's comfortable doing it."

My breath caught. Would they still come if I read it instead?

After a while, Miss Delane settled back in her seat as she sighed. "Oh well, if that's best."

Aimee smiled. "Thank you, Miss."

Turning back to me with glimmering eyes, she asked, "Romeo, shall we begin?"

I sighed heavily, although I could feel a weight rising off my shoulders. "Do I have a choice?"

"Nope."

"Then you have your answer."