Friday - 3:10
Jayden wanted to be alone.
He didn't want to be any risk to anybody else again. And he didn't want to be particularly sociable at this particular moment in time.
He'd nearly hit Fred - well, not nearly, he had - but all the same, it was an injury that could have been avoided.
Not that Fred hadn't had it coming.
But that attitude - as if he'd been taking the mick out of him for getting an A in Maths. So, maybe, he had had that punch coming.
Jayden slumped a bench, breathing a heavy sigh. And now he had a detention. Right before spring break. Until 4:30.
4:30! All the other detentions ended at 4:00!
Peering down at the watch on his right wrist, Jayden's heart nearly stopped.
He was late for his detention!
A couple of seconds later, in Room 66
"I'm so- sorry, miss-" he struggled to catch his breath, after running halfway across the school in what was probably a new Guinness World Record time.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNGGCc33w4
Mrs Tyler, the school's deputy head and in charge of SLT detentions, was inside. She turned and arched an eyebrow.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxC6fbNJb6
"Fair enough. Please take a seat."
Jayden turned to sit- and then his heart nearly stopped again.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIvYALFL4D
September.
Sitting there, her golden curls hanging perfectly around her shoulders, her perfect, spotless face emotionless and staring down at her reading book.
But why was she here? She never got SLT detentions. Like, ever.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRbjOetAtM
Jayden had to remember to keep both his composure and dignity if he was going to impress September.
If he had even the slightest chance of asking her out to the end-of-year disco.
The time passed ludicrously slowly. Faster than a retired snail, in fact.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcOOxIpBxO
The time just seemed to slide, just a little bit at a time, slowly... slowly... slowly...
Jayden wanted to die. He really wanted to just die.
He stared to his left out of the window.
A man - a not particularly good-looking, middle-aged man in blue overalls; the school caretaker - holding one of the school gates and holding keys in another, with dull grey eyes staring right back at him.
He shuddered and looked away. But still... it was a bit ominous, the way he was just staring up, as if he somehow knew Jayden was going to be there...
But he couldn't have done - could he?
1 hour and 20 minutes later - 4:30
Jayden raised his hand.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl74gjTZ5Ic
"Yes?" Mrs Tyler gave him a stare.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvdVQEd6t2
"Can I go to the toilet, Miss?"252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SQbTUhple
Mrs Tyler looked him hard.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIned84cWM
"Can't you wait for another 10 minutes?"252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9V9ZYTGq0
Jayden winced.252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7n12t3EVe
"I'm sorry, Miss... but I've been waiting for the last half-hour..."252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OJtV4FF1g
"Very well, then." She handed him a hall pass. "But be back quick."
In the boys' toilets
Jayden breathed yet another huge sigh of relief - to be out of the dreaded room of SLT detentions, Room 66.
The place were students went and never came back from, because they dies of boredom.
He sat against the wall and slid his back down.
If only he'd thought of this before! He wouldn't have had to mentally die, or risk making a fool of himself in front of September.
Now all he had to do was wait here until the detention was over.
All of a sudden an icy draft blew in and the room turned cold.
Jayden shivered.
Perhaps he would go back to Room 66 instead... where it was warmer...
He heard footsteps. That seemed to be... coming towards the room?
He glanced at the watch again. No other kid except the girls in Room 66 would be in school at this time, surely.
So he would be safe in here.
But no...
The steps came closer. And louder.
Jayden got up, ready to flee into one of the cubicles.
The door to the toilets creaked open. Jayden was hidden in the cubicle in a flash, locking the door behind him...252Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jGBZX7yyF
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