Page 53 of One Spicy Summer

“End of story, huh?” She smirks. “More like the beginning of a new chapter.” She hooks her arm through mine and drags me inside. I don't even mind. God knows I’m sick of sulking.

But honestly?

What elsecanI do?

“Alright, class, settle down,” Mrs. Richard says, setting her things down and adjusting her glasses. “Did you all complete your geometry homework?”

Groans fill the room. I dig through my backpack even though I already know I didn’t do it.

“Well,” Mrs. Richard says, eyeing us over the tops of her glasses, “judging by your faces, I’m guessing not.” Silence. “Presley? I know I can count on you to lead by example.”

I sit up straighter. “About that, Mrs. Richard...”

“Oh no. Not you, too?”

“Guilty.”

She frowns. “Presley, that’s the third assignment you’ve missed. What’s going on?”

Seriously? She’s putting me on blastnow? Hunching my shoulders, I mutter, “I’ve just got a lot going on. I forgot.”

“You forgot? How many more times are you planning to forget? Until you flunk out and have to repeat the year?”

The class erupts with “oohs” and gasps. My blood boils.

“You act like I’m the only one who didn’t do the homework, Mrs. Richard.”

“I know you’re not, Presley. It's just disappointing seeing mystar studentfailing at something so simple, "

“Lay off already. I said I didn’t do it. End of fucking story.”Oh shit. That came out way harsher than I meant.

“Well, you can take your incomplete homework and your foul mouth down to the principal’s office.”

“Gladly.” I grab my stuff and head for the door, pausing just long enough to say, “Maybe next time don’t call someone out in front of the entire class. There’s a time and a place, and this wasn’t it.”

Then I’m gone, slamming the door behind me.

But I don't go to the principal’s office.I head straight for the exit.

“I don’t have to deal with this shit today.”

Except halfway across the parking lot, a sharp pain slices through my side, doubling me over.

“Shit!”

“Prez? Are you okay?” Agatha's by my side in seconds.

“My stomach... hurts so bad, Ag.”

“You want to go to urgent care?”

“No,” I grit out just as another wave of pain rips through me.

“Too bad, we’re going.” She practically carries me to her car.

We sit in the urgent care waiting room for twenty minutes before they call my name.

“You want me to stay out here?” Agatha asks, looking a little green.

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