"Why aren't you at school?!"
Lexis rolled over to her other side not wanting to be disturbed further.
"Get out of bed Lexis." The voice said louder.
She let out a long tired sigh. A rude noise escaping her lips as she sat up scratching her head.
"Fine Jodi. I'm getting up...to get ready ."
Lexis threw the older woman a you're-being-annoying glare through half opened eyes.
"Good." Came Jodi's response as she left the room.
"Ah, and you're making your own breakfast." She shouted.
Another rude noise left Lexis' lips as she dragged herself out of bed.
-
Lexis swore loudly, Jodi hadn't turned the heater on.
"Language Lexis." Jodi shouted from the other side of the door.
Swearing softly Lexis continued her shower.
-
"You're not having breakfast?" Jodi asked as Lexis started leaving the house.
Lexis raised her hand shaking a packet of biscuits.
"That's not healthy." Jodi stated somewhat angrily.
"Later." Lexis called as she walked out.
Walking to school had taken her 20 minutes, and surprisingly she was still early, classes hadn't started yet.
"Surprised to see you here again half-breed." A voice behind her exclaimed.
Lexis sighed and swore to herself. She wheeled around to face the brute the voice belonged to.
"Gee I was hoping to NOT run into a half-brained, dimwitted baboon."
He looked at her a side of his mouth twitching.
"Guess today's my lucky day." She said leaning back on her heels and sticking her thumbs under the straps of her pack.
"What do you want Stanton?" She asked knowingly, looking away from him.
"Funny. You know exactly what we want." He said his eyes reflecting more rage and annoyance than his voice hinted.
"Class Stanton, don't make it a habit of being late like some people." A man in his late thirties, with glasses, short kept hair, a red plaid shirt and khaki pants said walking briskly past them.
"Of course not sir." Stanton called after him.
Ramming his shoulder into her as he walked away, whispering in her ear he said.
"We'll finish this after school."
"I'm looking forward to it." she replied over her shoulder.
"Okay class, settle." The teacher shouted. "Today we're going to go over Magnetism. So..." He paused when his eyes fell on Lexis.
"Lexis...you're excused." He called from the front of the class.
Turning her attention back to the classroom she looked at every one looking at her and finally the teacher.
"I said you're excused..." he repeated averting his eyes from her gaze.
Sighing she picked up her books, stuffed them in her pack and walked out the class.
"Now class..." the teacher continued.
Lexis looked at the classroom door chuckled and sighed.
"To the benches..." she stated raising her index finger. "As fracking usual."
-
Lexis sighed as she exhaled another puff of smoke turning the page of her book.
"Hmm, Magnetism." She read the topic at the top of the page.
A shadow appeared from behind her, "What do you think you're doing?".
She glanced over her shoulder to the big man standing behind her, "Trying to read." she said waving her cigarette.
"That's not what you're doing." Came his reply. "You're smoking on the school compound."
"Oh yeah!" Lexis said overly amused. "Sorry." she said looking back at him as she crushed the cigarette on the bench.
He pulled her up by the collar. "I'm taking you to the principal."
Lexis released a sigh. "Can I at least take my stuff this time?" He released her and she bent down to pack her things.
"Don't you ever get tired of this routine George?" She said standing up.
"Walk." He said ignoring her question and shoving her.
As Lexis and the guard walked into the waiting area, the principal walked out of his office with a couple.
"It was a pleasure talking with you Mr. Scatim." The woman said extending her hand.
"Oh no, the pleasure was all mine." The principal said clasping the woman's slender hand between his bulky ones.
"My husband," the woman said raising her hand to the shoulder of the man standing next to her. "and I would like to discuss another matter with you once it's settled. If you have the time to entertain us again."
"Of course, of course." Mr. Scatim said excitedly as he released her hand.
"Have a good day, Principal Scatim." The woman's husband said as he and his wife turned to leave.
"You too Mr. Malieni, Mrs. Malieni." Mr. Scatim said slightly nervous.
The couple were headed in Lexis' direction, and when the woman eyes made contact with Lexis her smile widened. "Hello." she said as they walked past.
Lexis turned back to watch the couple, then the guard shoved her forward.
--
"Sit down Lexis." Mr. Scatim said from behind his desk. "Word has reached me that you cheated on your last exam. Again."
"Don't you ever get tired of seeing or calling me in here?" She said looking out the window. She watched a black car pull out of the school gate. "I didn't cheat."
"But you got the highest grade on the exam," He responded. "which for someone like you isn't possible. You're never in classes, your late for school and all you do is sit on the benches smoking! Which by the way is against the school rules."
Lexis sighed. Same shit different day, good thing this is the last semester. "Are you finished with me?" She turned her attention back to the principal.
"When I'm finished with you, I'll let you know." He retorted.
"So you've never heard about the other students who also sit on the benches smoking." She returned. "No wait, you have, you just choose to take things up with me."
"You're suspended for the next week" He said pointing at her.
Lexis looked at Principal Scatim, then looked around the room. She got up from the seat and stared at him chuckled and walked out.
--
It was cool, quiet...dark. Lexis lay on her back she felt almost like she was floating, drifting away. Something warm brushed against her skin. There it was again. A ripple and then a light warm brush against her skin. "Lexis" the familiar voice called softly. For as far back as she could remember the voice would always call her name.
A light shot through the darkness followed by a familiar annoying voice.
"You got suspended again!" Jodi said stepping into the room turning on the lights.
Lexis lay on the cot her hand over her eyes and a book on her chest. "Yeah" she said tiredly, sighing loudly as she did.
"Your principal told me you cheated on your mid terms as well."
Lexis placed an open palm over her eyes and screwed her face.
"And smoking...Lexis I talked to you about this!" Jodi said raising her voice stepping closer to the cot.
"Yeah"
"Lexis I'm trying I really am-"
"And that's just it Jodi...You're not my mom, you don't really give a shit. I've never cheated on an exam, but you've never listened to my side of the story. I confess to smoking, and fighting sure but I never cheat." Lexis sat up rubbing her eyes, that damned light was too bright.
That bastard of a principal, he'd never miss an opportunity to paint her the ugliest shade of black. Ah but black's a good color. Oh whatever, just a few more weeks and she'd be out of everyone in this town's hair. They'd sure be able to settle back into their complacent, pathetic lives once she was gone.
Still I wonder who those two were, she thought back to the couple she saw at the principal's office. The woman looked mixed like Lexis herself, and he was getting all friendly with her.
"Are you even listening to me!" Jodi cut in.
"Do I need to, it's the same thing every time." Lexis said leaning her head back. "The same situations, the same punishment, the same lecture."
"You're nothing but trouble, you grew up to be just like that bastard father of yours." Jodi said walking out of the room.271Please respect copyright.PENANAygyDlOBvoG