“ Get out my classroom Miller! “ Stone bellowed in his strong northern accent.
“ What for? I aven’t done nethin” I replied already on my way out of Stones stuffy lair still grinning from ear to ear.
I can’t help smiling. I am just a naturally smiling sort of person. Anyway, it wouldn’t have done him any harm to smile a bit. Mr Stone had never smiled in his life. He had a mean, boy-hating sort of face. You could tell what kind of mood he was in by the number of wrinkles on his oily skin. Two hundred wrinkles was a good day. One thousand was a bad day. They ran across his face like deep rivers of age.
At that moment Stone came out of the classroom to me, a slightly paler shade of red than before but nevertheless looking like he was about to take a chunk out of me!
“I don’t know who the hell you think you are Miller” Stone begun
“But you better change it you little shit!!”
“ Yes Sir” I said suffocating my smirk with my podgy, black cheeks.
I would of tried the I’m reporting you for threatening behaviour trick but last time I attempted it Stone actually carried out the threat and I ended up with a bruised rib and a story that nobody believed.
I trudged solemnly back to my seat, cursing Stone under my breath all the while and sat back down.
I glanced at the clock. It was 2:25 nearly time to get out of this hellhole I thought to myself. At that moment Stone rose to his feet.
“Lucy would you like to pick somebody to take the plant home for this weekend”.
The two things Stone actually did care about in this world were Lucy Watkins and his pathetic little plant.
Lucy Watkins was perfect in every sense of the word. She wore her blond hair in curly ringlets and her blue eyes sparkled like sapphires. The only problem with Lucy Watkins was that she knew she was perfect. She even nearly broke a smile out of Stone at one point, which believe you and me is no mean feat.
“Who will it be then Lucy?” Stone asked, almost, almost smiling down at Lucy
Lucy’s eyes scanned the small, cramped classroom, looking at the other class members down her podgy, turned-up nose as if she was royalty. Please don’t let her pick me, I prayed, keeping my eyes on the graffiti-covered desk.
“I pick Paul Mr. Stone”, Lucy said with that evil smirk of hers.
It was supposed to be an honour to take that measly collection of leaves and petals home but I knew that if anything happened to it my life would not be worth living.
“Its ok sir somebody else can take it” I said despairingly. But Stone didn’t need to open his mouth to tell me what Watkins said was final, his infuriated face told the whole story.
So that was that. It is now 4:30 and I am walking home from school with this stupid plant gripped firmly in my grubby palms. I can see a figure standing a little further up the street. It is Lucy Watkins because of the elegant way in which she walks.
“Hello Paul “ she calls, almost mocking me. I smile politely but say nothing. My dark brown eyes are fixed firmly on the plant. With one swift movement Lucy knocked the plant out of my hands. I was distraught.
“What are you doing you stupid bitch!” I screamed furiously
“Oh my! What will Mr. Stone have to say about this Paul?” Lucky exclaimed mockingly.
As a rule I don’t hit girls, but at that current moment I could of punched Lucy right in that pretty little face and felt no way about it. She turned away, flicking the back of her already short skirt up in a teasing manner.
I turned to look at the plant. It lay crumpled up in a heap on the floor, leaves mangled beyond recognition.
