“Who?” Bryce asked as he stood, relaxed and confident.

A girl in the back, tiny and pissed, stood up as she grabbed her books. She glared as she retorted, “That’s me.” She brushed past him, her red hair smacked him in the face as she dropped into his vacated seat.

Bryce chuckled as he took her seat.

She glanced my way, but hunched her shoulders as she opened her book to read.

“What’s your first name?” I ignored her silent request to be left alone.

She ignored me so I reached out and plucked her book away.

“What’s your name?” I asked again as she paled. I wasn’t one to be ignored—ever.

“Her name is Shelly Veera and you need to leave her alone, Miss Jeneve,” Mr. Dwellsworth said sternly.

When he started his lecture, I leaned forward and whispered, “Why are you all pissy?”

She made a sound like she was in pain, but didn’t reply.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned around to see that Chad held out a note for me.

We should’ve skipped.

I looked to Bryce and nodded. I bit my lip again and he coughed.

“Mr. Scout!” The teacher again.

I rolled my eyes and turned eyes front.

“Yes, sir?” Bryce questioned, politely, sarcastically.

Mr. Dwellsworth became red in the face and sputtered, “You continue to disrupt my classroom day after day. I have had enough, Mr. Scout.”

Bryce didn’t say one word.

That was something I’d always been envious about. Bryce had the hot body that could get him into a magazine, but it was the air that surrounded him. The air drew in all the attention. He could muster anyone to do anything for him without a single spoken word.

Sometimes it turned me on and other times it pissed me off.

Today was the former.

I raised my hand and decided to join the foray, “Mr. Dwellsworth.”

You could feel the enraptured tension in the class. All eyes slowly trailed towards me.

“Yes, Miss Jeneve?” Mr. Dwellsworth asked cautiously.

“Bryce didn’t say anything to disrupt your class. He just coughed.”

Mr. Dwellsworth weighed his words, but he responded with forced politeness, “Miss Jeneve, when I ask to debate the decisions of my classroom, you may talk then.

Right now, I am the teacher and I will tolerate your disrespect no longer.”

“So are you going to have us leave?” I asked, looking almost bored.

His eyes narrowed as they took in my relaxed state and saw that Bryce mirrored my look. It had been practiced and perfected throughout our lifetime because of unjustly parents who thought they could tell us what to do. Or, at least, that’s what my third shrink told me when I made the not-so-startling revelation that I struggled with authority. It was because my parents were never parents to me. The little they chose to stick around didn’t grant them the right to suddenly turn parent on me for two holidays of the year.

I had liked that shrink, but my parents hadn’t.

“No, Miss Jeneve.” He sighed and shook his head. “No, I am not. Unlike every other adult figure in your life, I’m going to make you learn something. I think, from now on, you and Mr. Scout will be tutored in the library by two of my student aides.”

Shelly gasped beside me and I cast a curious look her way.

And to this, she ducked her head back into her book and tried to ignore everything else. Interesting.

“Are you serious?” Bryce yawned. “We get an hour to ourselves in the library instead of coming here?”

“Trust me,” Mr. Dwellsworth grinned, in all his evils delight that a teacher could muster. “You won’t be enjoying yourselves.”

I didn’t really care what our ‘discipline’ was, but I spoke up, “Are you serious?

Just because I spoke up for a friend doesn’t give you the right to suddenly expel us to the library. You have no reason to remove us from this class.”

“Oh, Miss Jeneve.” Mr. Dwellsworth shook his head. “You are not being removed from this class.”

“Shut up, Sheldon,” Bryce murmured. “We get out of here.”

It wasn’t the point.

“You may both leave now, but if you are not in the library when my student aides report there, you will receive detention for the rest of the week.”

Well, it was pretty obvious to everyone what we were going to do. Detention it is!

Bryce stood and waited at the door for me.

I heard Chad starting to laugh just before the door shut behind us.

In the hallway, Bryce asked, “What was that about?”

I shrugged, “I had a point.”

“Whatever. I think he’s getting used to us after two years.” Bryce chuckled.

“Wanna skip?”

“That’s what got us into this punishment in the first place.” But we both knew we were going to go.

Bryce shot me one of his melting grins. He tugged me close and rested his forehead against mine. As his lips rested just above mine, he said again, “Let’s go somewhere else.”

“And do what?” I smiled and enjoyed the brush of my lips against his. Bryce transferred my book into his hands and clasped me closer to him. I reached around his neck and brought my body flush against his. Bryce turned and backed me up against a locker. He started to kiss my neck.

“You guys need a room.”

Who else? Only a few would dare…

Corrigan.

Bryce didn’t stop.

“What are you doing out of class?” I asked as I remained in Bryce’s arms and tilted my neck for better access.

Corrigan leaned against the locker beside us and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He looked dejected when he mumbled, “Nothing. I could go for some food.”

If memory served correctly… I teased, “Isn’t Becky Lew in your second period?”

Corrigan rolled his eyes and pushed off from the locker. “You guys coming or not? My treat.”

I sighed and Bryce felt it when he stepped away.

We shared a glance and both turned to follow our best friend. When we got outside, I saw that Corrigan had taken up residence in my car.

“Of course,” I said sarcastically as I took the driver’s seat. “You’re the one who’s up for food, but I’m the one driving.”

Corrigan grinned cheekily at me and remarked, “You like driving stick, Sheldon. We all know it.”