Page 18 of My Rules for Revenge
I thought about coming back another time, but I looked at the flyer on the door that stated, “Join the book club. Looks great on a college application.” It gave me the push I needed to just do it.I took it as a sign. I slowly entered and held the door behind me as it shut. Heather swiveled her head back and nodded at me. I awkwardly waved.
“Hello! Sorry, I’m cleaning this monstrosity here,” Heather said while continuing to clean.
I stepped forward to get a better look. All I could make out was that it was a large, round shape with squiggly lines inside the interior. I thought it was a pulsating potato.
“If you don’t mind me asking, what is that?”
“Some brain-dead degenerate broke in here and spray-painted a giant penis on the wall. Super hilarious, right?” Heather asked.
My eyes widened in shock.
“Oh my god. Why would someone do that?”
I knew that most of the kids at that school were savages, but I couldn’t believe that someone went out of their way to spray paint something like that inside a classroom.
“Vandalizing this room has been a running joke for many months now. There are no cameras in this hallway, so it’s a free-for-all. The principal is too busy sexting his mistress to care. Isn’t this school the greatest?” Heather asked sarcastically.
“That’s terrible. Is that true?” I asked, rather surprised.
“Yeah. No. I don’t know. I’m talking nonsense. His wife is divorcing him, though, so it’s probably true. Most of the adult men in this town are cheaters. Don’t ask me why. It’s just how it is. I think it’s a supernatural force that invaded their tiny little monkey brains. That’s my theory.”
“Monkey brains. That’s an interesting theory.”
“I’m Heather, by the way. Sorry for rambling like a crazy old grandma.”
“It’s okay. It’s nice to meet you—I’m Indira,” I giggled.
“Are you a sophomore?”
“Yes, I am. We don’t have any classes together, unfortunately,” I remarked.
Heather put aside her cleaning supplies and got up. She faced me, and we shook hands.
“Fortunate for you. I like fighting with my teachers when they’re annoying. The other students either find it funny or try to shut me up. I don’t usually shut up,” Heather asserted.
“I see.”
Heather unexpectedly laughed, and I grinned.
“Are you quiet? You seem like a quiet girl. Am I wrong? You can tell me if I’m wrong.”
“I am.”
“That’s okay. I’ll get you to talk.”
“But I thought this was a reading club.”
“It is, but I like to have literary discussions. If we just sat here and read, that would be really weird,” Heather explained.
“That would be weird.”
“So here’s the deal about this club. Barely anyone attends. I’m usually here alone. Most of the students who signed up did it for their academic records. They just want to be able to write it down on a college application. I don’t like that, but it was the only way I could keep my funding. Our big, dumbass principal threatened to shut me down.”
“Well, I want to come here. It looks like a nice place. Aside from thatmonstrosity,of course.”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry, that giant penis will be erased shortly. In fact, do you wanna help me? Cleaning’s fun. I swear,” Heather joked.
“You think so?” I asked.
