1 Rats and Evans don't mix

The young girl in the mirror looking back at me didn't at all look like she was up to kissing Gilbert Ashten a.k.a Mr. Heart stopper. With her untamed black curls going every which way , her lips looked like she they hadn't seen water for at least four days , her clothes were covered in paint , courtesy of the new kid Lawrence Evans who had just transferred from Husterside. Girls fear rats? Lawrence Evans is petrified of them , which is fine I mean everyone has their own fears.

Everything was going as good as a Monday could go, cue the sarcasm. I was sitting in the back as per my usual seat in every lesson just minding my own business adding the finishing touches to the previous assignment before handing it in when the teacher enters class. All the while planning on how to kiss Gilbert Ashten without too many people noticing so that I can keep my public image from shattering. If I go and ask for some privacy , I'll be viewed as desperate. If I go after school , I'll be viewed as the new slut. And honestly , this dare was starting to seriously make me feel like shit. Comparing myself to Mr. Heartbreaker's previous girlfriends, let's just say I was starting to see that there was a trend. The girls were always a must blonde , super model skinny aaannnd generally bitchy. In spite of my overflowing self love , I couldn't help but feel deathly anxious as I walked by his table at lunch earlier on , with my black mop of hair that could stay kempt more than a few minutes a day and my obvious curves , I was surely far from his type. I will be more than happy to be rejected , I thought. Gilbert Ashten was obviously every 16 year old's wet dream at Quinxton High. With his midnight black hair , striking green eyes , pearly white teeth , and his body and I quote from Georgie ,my best friend who has a secret not so secret crush on said person ,"crafted by God himself". How ingenious.

"Good afternoon class", Mr. Glenn announced cheerfully as usual. That man has never ran out of compliments in all my 4 years of knowing him. His oldish English which singles him out like a sore thumb from the rest of the teachers. At times I wondered if he actually meant what he said. "I would have been here earlier but the Lord obviously didn't want me to come here on time, but 20 minutes later." Oh and did I tell u that our very own Mr.Glenn is Christian?!! The first time I heard that excuse,I thought that he could have done better but soon found out that it was his signature trademark. The principle must really be a stonge Christian for not firing Mr. Glenn and his outrageous excuses. The man has been late for class more times than I have fingers." Allow me introduce Lawrence Evans. Mr. Evans is from Husterside High and I expect you to give him a warm welcome to Quinxton." Mr. Glenn said to the disinterested class. "Well seeing as everyone is attentive ,might as well find you a seat." Unfortunately for me and my humour affiliated brain, I snickered loud enough for Mr. Glen to hear. His black beady eyes that had been roaming the class settled on me. And he smiled give me an i know what u did look and turning back to Evans. "Mr. Evans I've found you the perfect seat at the back ,right next to Mrs. Micheal who is an exceptional student." Exceptional student my foot. Mr. Glenn knows art is not my forte. Ever since I voiced my opinions on his late tendencies, he's been out to get me. But you know what? Two can play it that game. Evans walked to my seat with shy written all over him. "Hi",he said before he swiftly took the seat to my right without giving me much a chance to respond." Today we shall be drawing a rodent. Mrs. Eugene my very special friend here agreed to come and pose for us. Of course this is a very safe exercise and she will be at the front of the class and in her cage. I mean home." Mr. Glenn said as he put the the cage, I mean Mrs. Eugene's home on his table.

In a class of only 20 students,it isn't hard to draw an object that is at the front. Usually. The girl in front of me went further ahead to sit next to her boyfriend under the guise of seeing better. My new neighbour Evans obviously saw this as a Godsend and shifted to her seat. With the grimace he had on while Mr. Glenn sent him to the back ,i didn't think he liked the back at all. As my luck would have it, Evans tripped on his laces while porting his art supplies to the new seat and mwah just like that, my white girl power shirt was now multi coloured. Surprisingly though , my hair and skirt missed the all u can get paint buffet." Evans the dear he is logged into a stream of apologies which i thought was quite uncomforatable while having the whole class turn their heads to a point where I thought they would fall off. Mr. Glenn moved to my seat with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Just before he got there though, stubborn students be blest , John McKinnon a.k.a the class mood thought the class boring and sought to end it in the only way he knew how. Dramatically. With speed the Flash could only dream of, John dashed to Mr. Glenn's table and gave Mrs. Eugene the freedom she didn't mind taking." A rat!!" , shouted Jessica Pri at the front." A rat!! ,screamed Wendy Appleberry which was a great shock since last year she told me she feared and I qoute"nothing and no one."

"A rat?",shrieked Evans,"a rat!!!!!", he repeated , this time in a high ,girl- like soprano. He suddenly went rigid when Mrs. Eugene , out of nowhere jumped onto his hear. Mr. Glenn finally got to where he was and was getting Mrs. Eugene when a be stilled Evans finally got control of his senses. And that is when all hell broke lose. Evans went on a self fueled rampage full with screaming , stripping and of course knocking into other students. It's like whoever he knocked just got the fever and they all started following the leader. I sat there perplexed as I watched the students squeeze through the front door of the class room. Mr. Glenn seeing the state of his students , sighed and went and sat at his desk."Suzie,Suzie let's go",my friend Milly wailed. Seeing as I had nothing left to lose and that I would be the only one left in class , I sighed and rushed to join the mob of students flexing out the door. And that is how I ended up in the bathroom. Hoorah!

Sighing , I dive into my toilet bag to get my comb."Lyra get your butt into the bathroom now" , said a girl's voice I couldn't quite place. In my current state, I would be surprised if I couldn't make a cow go blind. So I bolt straight into one of the stalls and lock my self in. I put my legs up just in case they check and find my feet. I hear the door to the girls' lavatory shut and foot steps heading towards my stall. "You don't belong here Lyra , you need to leave",said the first girl. "And what if I don't want to Kendra , you can't make," said the girl I assumed to be Lyra."I am saying this for the last time ,oh so help me Anfile I will take you back to Fenaie myself." The air around suddenly become electric as a cold chill went up my spine. I gasped audibly which ended up revealing my presence , whatever these girls were talking about must not be good, I thought to myself. "Who's there? Whoever you are ,come I will not hurt you," said Kendra. "But I will," said a deep voice that wasn't either's.