Chapter 3 - Not playing with a full deck

A familiar noise around the room blasting inside, I could see the heavy wooden door was tightly closed, I paused and hesitated, as l knew opening the door would cause a commotion.

[*Knowing Mr. Jake, I'm probably screwed anyway.*] I thought.

I opened slowly the door. Mr.Jake turned his head. A hushed fell over the classroom, and everyone glance over my position —I felt like a criminal that escaped in prison. No, I might be one at this moment.

Mr. Jake: He shouted "You're late Mr. Ashe!" His arms crossed, as if he already was already waiting.

Mentioning my Chemistry teacher, Mr. Jake Nelson is a middle-aged person with black-haired with almost bald hair, silver-tongue, a thin scarecrow of a man with a poochy stomach. Everyone liked him because he likes to make fun of others. Think of Michael Stevens with no beard and glasses, wearing blue toupee as his formal attire and you'll get the picture. He also looks like he's forty years old. At least.

Mr.Jake: He frowned. "How impressive, its already been half an hour since you were late. Have you lost some of your brain cells after those days of suspension, or literally you're brain-dead…" Everyone laughed.

That was the other thing about Mr.Jake —he liked to ask questions that he already knew would harass me and my headache. He does that all the time.

Mark: I replied at a low tone. "At least I don't lose my hair when teaching Chemistry."

A few of the class heard the words and chuckled, the room was filled with muttering joy.

Mr.Jake: "Silence." Everyone fell silent and his eyes narrowed towards me. "You'd better learn some poise in manners, Mr.Ashe. You'll never know what I'm capable of."

He paused for a moment and everyone was looking concerned as if they were worried about me, but I guess they were terrified. Since something similar happened last time and he got very mad that we didn't take a quiz. not to mention we all got zero at that time, of course everyone was furious and it only made my chances of having a friend in this class, zero.

[*Shit. Deja vu.*] I thought.

Mark: I smiled, hiding a grin "My apologies sir, It won't happen again."

Mr.Jake: "This is the last time, Mr.Ashe", he stared at me for a moment. "Go and take your seat."

Mark: "Yes sir." I replied.

Chemistry, my first class of the day, as I walked into my seat, I noticed my friend Claire Howland staring at me. I ignored her gaze and sat down.

Claire Howland is a top notcher in my class and one of the prettiest girl at the campus. Heck, she's one of the prettiest girl in any high school anywhere in the world.

She has a face that could be on a cover of beauty magazine, long, light black hair and big blue eyes like the color of oceans and the sky. Since I'm being completely honest here, I'll admit that I had a crush on her from the second I first saw her two years ago. So did everyone else.

Claire always teases me. At first, I hoped she was cheeky because she liked me, but really she's just one of those people who is nice to everyone. Nice or not, it didn't matter. She was way out of my league. Like a thousand miles out of my league. Besides Claire is my only friend. Confessing halfwit would be a huge stalemate to social interaction I have.

Claire: She leaned over my direction "Psst. You never changed do you? Are you planning on visiting Mr.Julius again right after suspension?"

I just ignored him; she stared and planned to change the topic. I'm a bit surprised that she really knew how to deal a conversation with me.

Claire: "You overslept again?" she said. "I'm sure you've thinking something dirty about me last night."

Forget it. This girl is hopeless…

Mark: I was dumbstruck "W-what're you... saying, all of a sudden…" I sighed. "If someone heard you, they might lead it to something."

Claire: She smirked "So, did you…?"

Mark: I replied hysterically "of course not! What I mean is…" I was blushing and looked sideways to avoid eye contact.

Claire: She covered his mouth and giggled. "Haha! Your face is all red."

Mark: I crossed my arms. "Tch. If you think all men are obsessive skirt chasers. Then you're hugely mistaken, Claire Howland…"

Claire: "What a cold treatment coming from you even though I was lonely for the past three days, hu-hu." Claire was faking her wale as if she was joking about it.

I sighed as a sign of resignation.

Claire: Her brows lifted. "You are such in a foul mood. it's usual to see you like that though." She said sarcastically.

Mark: "Really? I'm just way off today," I suddenly lean forward, putting my arms and chin on the table. "I met those punks earlier, then you and Mr.Jake are messing with me...guess I should hide after school to avoid fray or detention. "

Claire: She gave me a weird smile. "Hehe, my bad." She looked at me again as if she came up with a conclusion. "Do you want to walk home together?" She asked eagerly. "If I'm around, they must let us be."

Mark: I grinned. "I highly doubt that besides don't you have stuff to do or something?"

It was rare for Claire herself to ask to go home together. She was always busy with piano lessons or either she was escorted by her parents in their fancy limo car.

Claire: "Only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And Fridays if there's to perform. I thought you know that?" She pouted.

Mark: "I do?" I stroked my chin "But I don't remember. I thought it was held every day."

Claire: "Geez, you can be really an airhead sometimes."

Mark: "Your parents won't come and get you?"

Claire: "Dad, said He'll be busy this week."

Mark: "Man, it must be nice being part of a middle-class family, having so much money is everyone's dream."

Claire: "She smiled for a moment. "Is that so?" then asked me a question in return.

Claire: "Then what would you dream, if you're rich like my dad?"

Mark: "Hmm…I won't go to school, eat all the stuff I want, and buy tons of games and gadgets. I would live my whole life in bliss"

Claire: "So your dream is to become unemployed."

Mark: "It's better than not having any dream at all. You just won't get us, low-class people."

Claire: "You'll die early if you're always holed up in your room," She smirked. "You'd better lift sometimes. We girls love healthy looking guys, you know."

Mark: "Stay me out of your imaginations. You talk big, yet I bet you're also a wimp. Wealthy people have their own health issues after all."

Claire: "I'm taking a lap with Shelby every morning if there's free time, so…that counted as an exercise, right? I'm pretty sure you're taking a nap that time." She boasted.

Shelby is her large brown german shepherd, we're not in the good terms though. I mean, who the sane person would befriend a dog that could rip-off my arm if it tries. Setting aside those loyalties and affection, I just don't trust animals that much. I'm sure most people do. Honestly I'm relieved to Claire's safety with Shelby, more than me accompanying her. And despite Claire looks, she has a lean, athletic body. How did I know about that, you ask? Not telling.

Mark: An average human sleeps through the sunrise, Claire..." I stared at her in response to half-amazement and half-annoyance. "Is there anything you can't do?"

Claire: "Hmm… Let's see..." While thinking, she craned her eyeballs and stick his index finger to his cheeks. "Ooh-oh, I'm not good at golf! Dad took me last week in the field but it didn't turn out well. I swing really-really hard then my hand slipped into the handles, and then it flew very far outside. " Said in a pouting expression.

Mark: "It's not that bad. I guess."

Claire: "Heck no way it would be! The golf club landed on someone's back…Good thing, the person was not harmed and he let it slide with a few apologies."

Mark: "Alright. We're doing golf on weekends." I said smirking.

Claire: "Eh!?."

We are not done talking until Mr. Jake began walking up and down the row of desk, handling out our test.

[*Great…I didn't even hit the books.*] I thought.

Mr.Jake: "Class, today's test is thirty-five percent of your final grade, so you better don't to rush it. I want complete silence nor a word. I'm sure we all know the penalty for cheating, so I won't elaborate, except to remind you that it's an automatic fail and unpleasant visit to Mr. Julius' office." Mr. Jake walked to the front of the classroom. "When you're done, bring them to me, then go back quietly into your seats."

Mark: I pulled out my pen and began..."Not my lucky day."

1. Which among the following is a Noble Gas?

[A]Nitrogen

[B]Hydrogen

[C]Oxygen

[D]Helium

2. Which among the following element is an essential constituent of acids?

[A]Nitrogen

[B]Hydrogen

[C]Oxygen

[D]Helium

3. Which among the following is an example of a Chemical Change?

[A]Rusting of iron

[B]Magnetisation of iron

[C]Melting of iron

[D]Heating of iron

Mark: "Crap, this is bad." Biting the pencil as I struggle. I read a few questions and think of the best answer I could manage. But I can't even guess, it's hopeless, nothing comes to my mind...

Minutes had already passed, I was already squirming and mulling over my answers. I looked up at Mr.Jake, who was at his desk reading a book, then a scrambled piece of paper landed on my desk. I glance around to see who had thrown it. Claire was looking; smirking like a lunatic.

I unfolded it. A note is written on it

D,B,D,A,C,A,A...…

--You owe me a favor… She wrote.

There were answers in the note... I was startled and didn't look further! I immediately close it and glance to Claire as I wrote back

*What were you thinking?!*

She threw the note back. Within seconds the note was on my desk again.

*Come on, you were out for days, right?*

I sent her another note.

*I can manage. None of your concern.*

Claire wrote back.

*Don't be shy, besides I'm doing this for a favor.*

I was writing another denial when I hear Sir Nelson clear his throat. I looked up and he was standing at the top of my row, staring at me.

Mr.Jake: "Mr.Ashe. Those notes wouldn't have something to do with the test we're working on?"

Mark: I swallowed. "No, Sir."

Mr.Jake: "Then you picked up the wrong time to share your feelings with Miss Howland."

I blushed while everyone laughed. He walked toward me. Now I was trembling like crazy.

Mr.Jake: "I think I was quite detailed about the rules. Don't you think Mr.Ashe? Hand me that note."

I looked down at the paper. I couldn't give it to him. My mom will be furious if I got another detention, Luckily if I'll have one again...Truth to be told. I even thought of eating the note for a split-second but thank god my sanity was still intact, besides it won't change the situation right now.

Claire: "Wait. He didn't do anything. I was the one passing notes."

Mr.Nelson looked at Claire and his expression changed from disciplinarian to gentle educator.

Mr.Jake: "What did you say, Miss Howland?"

Claire: "I wrote the notes, not Mark"

Mr.Jake looked at Claire in disbelief. She was a model student, incapable of such a shameful act. Then, while she was looking at her, Claire did a strange thing. She smiled at Mr.Jake with a confident smile, then cocked her head one side and narrowed her eyes which is beautiful blue was now glowing—like a green emerald in my vision. Suddenly Claire dropped like a doll to her desk in a somewhat weird manner but what's more surprising is Mr.Nelson, who looked confused, like a man who had just been awakened from a nap. He blinked several times, then looked at me and smirked like a creep.

Mr.Jake: He rubbed his forehead. "Everyone keep at it, you have fifty minutes left." He walked back to his desk while everyone in our class looked back and forth at each other in confusion.

Few moments Claire woke from her desk and my eyes-flash froze back at her in a stare.

Mark: "We're going to talk." I mouthed.

Archive: Claire Howland

Ability: °°Overdive°°

To dive into a person's consciousness, gaining access, taking over and control it.

•Intrusion- One of the abilities of Overdive. Mind transfer ability. Controlling a person's physical body directly.