Chapter 4 – Detention Served
"You know, I'm glad we've got that stupid Photography homework sorted out." Christy said putting her camera back in her bag. They had spent most of their lunch break running round the school looking for decent pictures to take for Ms. Phillips. It was hard enough trying to find neat and tidy areas of Bullworth Academy, let alone scenic ones.
"Yep, it was sort of weighing me down…First lesson I had and we had to complete homework…I mean nobody else has set us any." Chantelle replied. They were both sat outside in the hazy rays of the sunlight at the back of the football stands. They were watching a few of the Jocks pass around a football, yelling at each other if one of them dropped it.
Chantelle had been meaning to find Gary Smith most of day, but she had not seen him, not even in lessons. Naturally, the teachers didn't take much notice about truancy, so he was basically allowed to do it. Christy had not been anywhere near the Auto-Shop since yesterday's fiasco, and whenever Chantelle decided to bring the subject of her and Ricky up, she would either completely change the subject, go blank or just simply walk off, so Chantelle had given up asking if they were still together, or if they were going to call it quits.
"You know what? I think we should just skip Gym. It's not like we want to go near Burton is it…I think we should actually." Christy piped up, leaning against the wooden stands and stretching out her legs. "I hate Burton, he's such a creep. I swear he spies on us girls whilst we're getting changed…Maybe he hides in the toilets or something and peers under the door. Even Eunice Pound is good enough for him."
Chantelle had not yet had such pleasure to meet Mr. Burton, which she was glad of because both Christy and Pinky, whom Chantelle had become very good friends with, both complained about how perverted he was. Chantelle however, did not reply to Christy's comment, she merely shrugged, continuing to watch the Jocks now flocking towards a Nerd, Algernon, who she could hear screaming even though they were the furthest away from him. Even through the squealing, she heard the bell ring in the distance and Christy sighed slightly.
"We better go…I've never really been one to truant to tell you the truth. It's just something me and Ricky…" Christy trailed off and stood up quickly. "We don't want to be late…You don't ever want to get detention with Burton." Christy said quickly, her words tumbling over one another. She gestured being sick before making her way down the bleachers.
Chantelle shook her head slightly and followed her friend, making sure she didn't trip on all the junk that had been either thrown at the stands, or had been left, including Frisbees, popped balls and food wrappers.
They reached the P.E hall and saw Mr. Burton in his small shorts and dirty vest top leering at them.
"Well what you waiting for? Hurry up and get changed!" He yelled, his voice echoing dully off the walls. Chantelle rolled her eyes as Christy pulled her down towards the changing rooms, where Angie, Pinky and Eunice were already changed in their P.E kits. Pinky was looking slightly disgusted at Eunice.
After a dull P.E lesson which included Burton staring at the girls whilst they played dodge ball, Eunice falling over her own feet and busting her nose open, Pinky screaming when the ball came even close to her and Angie breaking her glasses, the bell rang and granted the students freedom for the rest of the day.
Chantelle emerged from the girls locker room flustered and annoyed. She had to wash her hands to get Eunice's blood off them, since she had to be the one to escort the student back to the changing rooms. Luckily enough, she and Christy managed to escape the Jock hangout before things got any messier.
"You know, I really do wish I had skipped that stupid class now…That game was pathetic, worse then last year." Christy muttered, now sorting her hair out since she hadn't had time before.
"Even Pinky wasn't as girly as that last year, she caught the ball and smacked it so hard at Angie that she shattered her glasses, well at least Angie brought it on herself this year." Christy said with a small shrug.
They had now reached the fountain and saw the usual, Preps hanging out outside Harrington House and the Greasers lurking around the Auto-Shop. Christy's head immediately turned towards the hangout, where she heard her name being repeatedly shouted out. Chantelle looked over and saw Ricky running towards her, looking even slicker than he usually did. He had a bunch of pink flowers in his hands that looked as though they had just been picked. Christy stared at Ricky as though he was crazy.
"Christy! Christy look I get these for ya, see look." Ricky said, straightening himself out when he had finally reached her. He held out the flowers for her to take but Christy was still looking shocked.
"Ricky what're you doing!?" Christy said shaking her head slightly. Chantelle rolled her eyes at how insensitive she was being.
"Christy just take the god damn flowers." She whispered to her friend. Christy bit her bottom lip and then gently took the flowers out of Ricky's grasp.
"Look we need to talk…Away from everyone please." She said, staring around and seeing that some of the younger students were now gathering round to see what all the commotion was about.
"I'll see you in the Girls Dorm Christy," Chantelle said, Christy nodded as a gesture that she understood before her and Ricky walked away. Chantelle watched them for a few seconds before turning away and making her way to her dorm. Walking to the front of the school she saw Gary Smith making his way through the students to the school. Chantelle bit her lip before running towards him; she had to talk to him.
She weaved through the crowd, which included an irate looking Nerd arguing with a Non-Clique, threatening him with a firecracker, Angie looking lost and confused, Beatrice with her nose in a science book, and Damon chasing after a screaming Prep.
Chantelle finally reached Gary and she grabbed him by the shoulder. He turned round and his face changed slightly, so instead of the normal frowning expression he had a small smile on his face. He opened his mouth to speak but Chantelle spoke before he could say anything.
"Look. I want to know what you were doing yesterday, and don't give me all this crap about me being pretty or whatever the hell you said. I know you only said that so I'd be all stunned…So spit it out." Chantelle said, her words toppling out very quickly. She blushed slightly and stepped back away from Gary, whose eyebrow was raised.
"I've already told you Chantelle. I was watching." He said his voice calm and slow as though he was speaking to a three-year old. He glanced down at his watch and back up again. "You're cutting it very fine you know. We only have like two minutes."
"What? You weren't watching you were leaning against a wall whilst the fight was happening on the other side…And why have we only got two minutes left? Is the world going to end?" She said sarcastically, folding her arms over her chest and staring at him oppressively.
"No you idiot," Gary said reproachfully, glaring back at her. "We've got two minutes until our detention with Mr. Hattrick, and unless you want to get a weeks worth of detention, I'd move your feet and stop talking about useless things to me." He continued, a triumphant smile now playing across his face. Chantelle opened her mouth to retaliate but found that he had a point…That they had better hurry up and get to Hattrick's classroom before they were late.
Chantelle moved past him, hurrying in to the school. Gary followed her, keeping his eyes firmly on the back of her blonde head. She could feel his gaze, but kept walking, faster and faster until she reached the Mathematician's door. Knocking, she heard his voice asking her to come in and so she did.
"Sit down in your usual seating plan. I will be giving you the one hundred problems. You will work on them for an hour and then you will be able to leave…Do you both understand?" Mr. Hattrick said, holding the sheets in his hand. Chantelle turned her head and saw Gary nod and sit down. Chantelle did the same and waited for the sheet to be thrust upon her.
"Now I have some more duties to attend to, but I dare say I shall be back in a few minutes. I expect you to do this problems and NOT talk." He said angrily, slamming a hand on Chantelle's desk, making her jump. "Right, your hour begins now." He said solemnly, walking out of the classroom.
Chantelle picked up her pen and stared down at the paper full of complicated looking problems. She scratched her head and felt a small headache coming along. Sighing she started the work.
After what seemed more than an hour, the door opened behind them and Mr. Hattrick appeared at the door, clipboard and several books in hand. He raised his eyebrows at the two students who were sat in front of him, almost as though he had forgotten they were actually there in the first place.
"Oh yes." Mr. Hattrick said, giving them a little chuckle. Chantelle twisted her head to see him smirking. "Yes, yes…Well I hope you realise that I will not tolerate insolence in my lessons! I hope you have completed your assigned work, if not you will be coming back every night until it's done!" He said jovially walking to his desk and dropping the heavy volumes on to it with an echoing bang. Gary Smith was staring at him, idly twisting his pen between his fingers. Chantelle, grateful that she had at least kept her concentration on her work to actually finish it stood up and passed her papers to Hattrick before making her exit.
She had only been walking down the deserted corridor for a few seconds before she heard her name being called out, however it wasn't the deep jovial voice of Hattrick; it was a voice full of sarcasm.
"Chantelle, don't tell me you finished all your work like a good little student." Gary Smith said, walking towards her sneering.
"Well I didn't feel like doing an extra week worth of detention did I!" She retorted, glaring at him.
"Hah! You think his stupid little threats mean anything? He'll see the name on top of the sheet and let me off the hook." Gary continued his eyebrows arched slightly. "Of course…With you being a nobody at this school, you're probably right. You would get a week worth of detention."
Chantelle felt her face burn red as he finished his sentence and she felt a mad urge just to slap him hard across his sneering face. However, the impulse past and instead she just smiled sweetly back at him.
"Oh I'd rather be a nobody than a complete ass." She said with a small shrug. "With all the problems you have, I doubt you have many friends…I mean you're only well known because you're a complete sociopath!" She yelled back, her voice reverberating off the walls. Gary looked as though he had just been hit in the face with a lead weight. His ears turned a deep crimson and he looked as though his jaw had locked in position.
Feeling triumphant, Chantelle turned on her heel and walked away from him…But almost instantly felt her wrist being snapped back. Forced to turn on the spot, Chantelle was dangerously close to an irate and angry looking Gary Smith, their faces only inches apart.
"You…You ever say that to me again…" He said in a deadly cold voice, his eyes boring into hers. Chantelle stared back, not even daring to blink…Then almost as quickly as it had happened, he felt the grip on her wrist slacken and she wrenched it away from Gary.
"Whatever." She said, equally coldly before striding out of the school building, with Gary still watching her.