Chapter 4: ...how to freak out
When I got to the cafeteria that day, I picked up a plate and tray and then went to receive the daily slop they served (greasy burgers and slightly undercooked chips).
I smiled at the server as she dumped them on my plate. "You know, your food tastes slightly better than the one my guardian makes for me at home."
Beaming at my words, she made to give me some more chips, but I quickly shook my head. "Oh no, you fail to understand what I mean. You see, my guardian's food is terrible. I only said yours was better because I think yours, at most, can be referred to as 'edible'. You see, 'slightly' is the keyword to look out for there."
Her pudgy face flushed. Shooting me a dirty look, she scooped some of the chips out of my plate.
I shrugged. 'Trust me, the only person you're punishing is yourself. Well, if you eat what you serve. I highly doubt that though, after all, I don't think your monthly salary allows you to have daily visits to the pharmacy."
Her already tomato-like face turned even redder as her mouth dropped open.
Before she could speak, I sighed. "Kindly close your mouth, we don't need your spit worsening the food any more than it already-"
"Hey, get out of the line!"
I froze.
Slowly I turned around and rose an eyebrow at the guy who had spoken. "Sorry, did you say something?"
As soon as he realized who he was speaking to, his face paled. "I- I said, can I...buy you a drink?"
"Most certainly not. I don't appreciate accepting things bought with money that had to be stolen from daddy or mummy's purse."
Laughter burst out all around as Henry's face reddened. Ah, Henry Digfery.
I turned back to the kitchen lady and then beamed. "Do have a nice day!"
Leaving those words hanging in the air, I began a rather difficult task: looking for a table to seat at.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't because I wasn't welcome at most tables, heavens no. Most people would have probably kicked a friend of their table if I had approached and said I wanted a seat. The problem was that I had a policy of not seating at a table someone else was already seating at, so basically, I only sat at empty tables.
Now you may think that was a bit stuck up of me, but my fellow inmates seem to find rejection as a rather strong compulsion to talk to someone. Simply put, the fact I never sat at a table that wasn't empty attracted people to sit with me at my otherwise lonely table.
Don't ask me to explain their thought process.
Originally I hated the fact I was getting so much attention. I wasn't too pleased that the same people that had once ridiculed me had begun vying for my attention.
However, after a while, I found myself rather...enjoying the hierarchy of the school. It was interesting observing the lengths that people were willing to go to gain attention. Also, when I discovered the other person competing with me for the title of 'the most popular male inmate', well...
I found a table at the hall's end and set my food down there. Less than a minute later, Andy sat down beside me. Then someone else. Another soon followed. It was filled in about two minutes.
Andy made a face at the grease leaking out of his burger. "Ugh, the kitchen seriously needs to work on their burgers."
I smirked. "Don't worry, if the kitchen staff took my words into consideration we wouldn't be receiving this anymore."
His grin widened. "Oh? What did you say?"
"Enough for me to be confident that they'll start questioning their food."
Andy burst out laughing and then as if on cue, the rest of the table burst out laughing as well. I quickly said a quick prayer before digging into my food. After the others had finished their prayers (funny enough, none of them were religious), they dug in as well.
Hans' brilliant smile lit up his dark face as he said to me, "So, Angelo, we need to start planning the back-to-school party. We have to make sure we top Dylan and his goons."
The famous back-to-school party. The first part of the term, important because it was the fastest way to boost your popularity. Well, if your party turns out good.
I nodded at him. "I'll sponsor it."
His eyes widened, then his smile automatically did as well. "You mean you're coming?"
I rose an eyebrow at him. "If you're planning to become a comedian I suggest you start looking into other career opportunities."
The smile faded off his face slightly, but he laughed sheepishly. "Sorry. I just thought that if you came, it'll for sure encourage more people to come."
That piqued my interest a bit. Oh yeah, just in case you're wondering, Dylan was the other male inmate competing with me for my title.
He also was the bully I put in the hospital.
Seeing as he was the captain of the football team, his division of the prison consisted of warriors and jousters. Warriors, scientists, actors, and a few jousters made up mine. (By all this I mean the tables around him mainly consisted of athletes and party animals, while mine consisted of athletes, nerds, thespians, and a few party animals.)
The majority of his guys were on the football team, while mine played other sports. Considering that, my level of popularity far surpassed his. He was still respected by a lot of people, only that more people respected me.
That, my good readers, is why you shouldn't bully.
I nodded at Hans. "Alright. I'll give you a thousand dollars to plan the party with."
His mouth, along with the mouths of everyone else at the table, dropped open.
"A- a thousand?"
I frowned. "What? Don't you want the party to surpass Dylan's?"
"O- of course!" He frantically nodded. "No problem, I'll do it!"
"Good. Do show me receipts of the things you pay for." I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'll hate to think you were spending my money on yourself."
"O- of course!"
I nodded. "Also, you can keep a hundred for yourself."
"Th- thanks!"
My eyes scanned over the table, taking in the stunned expressions of the others. A smirk settled on my face.
"So...do you think Serena or Aimee would go?" Andy asked.
Hans, who had finally stopped stammering, grinned. "Of course, they wouldn't miss a good party! Having two of the most popular girls at an expensive party? No way Dylan can top that!"
I didn't say anything, but I had my own...reservations about that part of the conversation. Although most people in my grade thought of Serena and Aimee as the most popular girls in the school, I didn't pay them much attention. After all, as gorgeous as Serena was, she lacked an attractive personality.
As for Aimee, I had a special, more personal grudge against her. However before I tell you about it, let me describe her a bit.
In middle school and elementary, Serena pretty much ruled the girls in school and subtly controlled guys as well.
That all changed when Aimee came along in freshman year.
Serena tried to 'welcome her' into the school by basically stating the ground rules she used to determine who became popular or not. It was more of a ground-rule: suck up to her.
Aimee didn't follow that rule, and she soon showed everyone that she had little intention of following any rules. She did what she wanted, when she wanted, and she also had a reputation of sleeping with and dating all the popular guys. She even once tried to flirt with me, can you imagine? I shut her down, of course! How could she try such a thing, after the horrible, dastardly thing she had done-
Oh, that's right, you don't know what she did. Well, make sure you're calm before you hear it because you might just want to track her down and strangle her when you do.
Are you ready for it?
I hope you're calm because here it comes...
.
.
.
Can you believe she had the guts to throw a snowball at me all those years ago and forget about the whole incident?
. . .
"Hello, I'm Miss Delane and I'll be taking you across the journey of literature to the land of blah, blah, blah-"
Okay, she didn't say that last part. I wish she had, however. At least that'd have been something I haven't already heard from a teacher.
Literature was one of the only subjects I hadn't bothered reading before that term began, so its topics stumped me. Pro of that: it presented the possibility of the classes being interesting to me. Con of that: I couldn't just sleep through that class.
"Angelo, did you just hear what I just said?"
Blinking out of my thoughts, I found Miss Delane staring at me. "Sorry, did you say something, Lois Lane?"
Sniggers broke out in the classroom over my comment, but much to my surprise, her sea-blue eyes glimmered as she smiled. "I see you have a good imagination, that's great! Anyways, I said that you're Romeo."
The instant I heard that name, I bristled. "I don't appreciate being called by my middle name, Miss."
"It's your middle name? I was just telling you about your role in the play!"
I furrowed my brow. "Wait, what play?"
"The re-enactment of Romeo and Juliet the whole class is doing in front of the school. Congratulations, you've just gotten the lead!"
My whole body froze as I felt her words grip me like an ice-cold hand wrapping around my throat. Something caught the corner of my eye, then I quickly shook my head.
What she's asking- I can't go back to-
She continued. "And your Juliet will be-"
"No."
She shook her head, sending her long blonde tresses flying. "Angelo, did you say something?"
Staring daggers at her, I clearly said, "No, I'm not doing it!"
Murmurs broke out in the class. My words chased the smile off Miss Delane's face, bringing about a frown instead. "What do you mean you're no-"
"By 'I'm not' I mean 'I'm not'. Now, excuse me." After getting up and gathering my books, I began walking towards the door.
Her mouth dropped agape, much like that of a fish on land, her brightly pink-painted lips moving with no apparent purpose.
After a few seconds in that state, she shrilled, "You can't just leave class!"
I paused as I got to the door, glancing at her. A smirk came over my lips.
"Watch me."
On that note, I opened the door and left the class, making sure I slammed it behind me for that extra dramatic effect.
Crash!
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