Crossed Classes Ch 35

Lizzie started down her road slowly, apprehensive of how the day was going to turn out. She had smoothed the concealor over her bruises - they were slowly fading, and just looked like she had slight shadows on her face. 1

She had packed her school bag the night before, nervously putting in all of the needed books and accessories. She had laid out her uniform, and everything else she might have needed, all the while chanting to herself that everything would be ok. She wasn’t very sure of this and spent a restless night trying to sleep. 2

She wandered down the road, looking left and right, as if to see someone jump out at her. Someone did. 3

“Argh!!” She screamed, jumping backwards. 4

“Lizzie!” Said Sam, “Don’t be daft, it’s just me!”5

“Oh, Sam, I’m sorry, I thought that you were one of them again.” She garbled, picking up her dropped bag. She leant forward to kiss him. 6

“How are you then gorgeous?” He asked, taking her hand. 7

“Tired.” 8

She looks it too, thought Sam. Her eyes seemed dark, and not because of the bruises. 9

“I’m ok. Did you not sleep well?” He queried. 10

“What do you think?” She snappily replied. 11

“Sorry.”12

They walked in silence up until the corner turning into school. 13

“I don’t...I don’t know if I can....” Lizzie started. 14

“Lizzie, sweetheart. You can do it, and you will. Just.....stay with me, we don’t need anyone else. Yeah, they are bullies, but the best people were bullied. We’ll show them one day. Now, chin up and pretend not to give a damn. If you can do that I have a surprise for you when you come over to mine tonight.” He gave a shy smile. 15

“What is it?” She asked, her curiosity aroused. 16

“You will see tonight.” He grinned, “Now, forward march!”17

The school gates moved into view and Lizzie clutched Sam’s hand tighter. Don’t let them get at me, don’t let them get at me, she thought over and over again, they’re not worth it. 18

Walking through the cast iron gates they strode purposefully over to the front doors to get into the school. They had reached the door handle thinking they had not been noticed when they heard;19

“Lizzie, Sam!! How nice to see you at school again! How are you feeling?” Called Susan, almost running over to them. 20

Lizzie turned away to open the door and go inside, but Susan grabbed hold of the door handle. 21

“Aww, your poor face,” Susan trilled, “Those nasty bruises. I hope Fiona was severely told off for inflicting such nasty wounds on poor Lizzie.”22

Instead of turning and leaving, she reached forward and gave Lizzie a hug. Lizzie tensed, and Sam stood there, unsure of what to do. 23

“I’m having a party tomorrow night,” She continued, “Would you like to come? I have made invitations and everything. Sam can come too, we need more good looking guys to come along.” She winked at Sam – he just glared back.24

Lizzie looked away. 25

“So, what have you been doing these past few days then?” Susan persisted, still holding onto the handle, giving sly looks at Sam every now and again. 26

Lizzie turned back to face her. 27

“Susan. Why don’t you just f$%^ off!”28

With this mini outburst, she wrenched the door handle from Susans fingers and stormed inside, Sam behind her. Susan clutched at him, and whispered in his ear;29

“Whenever you want anything more, you know where to come.” She smiled. 30

Sam threw her a disgusted look and ran after Lizzie. 31

He caught up with her outside the library, shaking in fury. 32

“Right, one of these days, just...one of these days.” She told him, her eyes blazing, “She is going to get such a comeuppance.”33

Sam looked at his furious girlfriend and thought better of putting his arms around her. At that moment the bell rang. Both separated, promising to meet in the library at break, for neither would be in Maths that morning. 34

*****35

“Jackie.”36

“Here.”37

“Lillian.”38

“Here.”39

“Michael.”40

No answer. 41

“Michael! Parker!” Miss Francis shouted. 42

He removed his earphones and sulkily replied.43

“Give me that music player. You have been told time and time again that you are NOT to listen to music in class time.” She ordered, striding over to him. 44

He snatched his player out of his pocket and put it into her hand muttering that registration wasn’t even a class anyway. He got a detention for his troubles. 45

“Right.” She said, settling back down, “Absences before the half term. Let me see.....Lizzie Rawlings, have you got a note?”46

Lizzie shook her head quietly, “Sorry.”47

“Why were you off?” Her substitute teacher asked. 48

“It’s private.”49

“Excuse me, young lady. You will tell me why you were off or shall put you down as truanting. Now, why were you off?” 50

“Umm....illness?” 51

“Don’t get smart with me young lady.”52

“Miss, I’m not telling you why I was off. I don’t need to tell you anything more than it was private matters.”53

“Right. Truanting it is then. That will affect your overall grades you know. You brought this on yourself. It also means a detention.”54

Lizzie shrugged her shoulders, not caring. Subjects didn’t matter to her really. She had most of the grades she needed. 55

“You are one cheeky lady. I will be talking to your head teacher about you.” The teacher threatened. 56

The whole class was silent, listening to the little argument. If this was anyone else in the class, they knew to keep talking, but as it was Lizzie they thought it was funny. They laughed. 57

“Wanna know why she was off, Miss?” Someone at the back shouted, “She was getting jiggy with her boyfriend!”58

Miss Francis looked disapprovingly at Lizzie. Lizzie stared back. 59

“Well?” She asked. 60

“It is none of your business you nosy cow.” Lizzie quietly replied. “If you were a proper teacher, you would have left it well alone.”61

Miss Francis looked horrified for a minute. She started to turn white with rage. 62

“Get out of my class.” She screamed, pointing to the door. 63

“With pleasure.”64

Lizzie grabbed her school bag and walked out, listening to the jeers of her class. She didn’t cry. She didn’t care. They could all get stuffed. 65

She heard someone explaining to Miss Francis exactly why Lizzie was like she was. It seems like she believed it all. She heard someone enter the classroom and get a telling off for being late. 66

Peter. He was asked if he saw Lizzie and he told her that she was probably still sulking after getting beaten up the previous week. 67

“Ah ha.” She heard the teacher gloat, “That’s why she was off. Oh well, I shall put her for truanting anyway for being rude.”68

Lizzie shook her head. In this school there were only two people she could trust, Sam and Mr. Dorien. And she wouldn’t see either until after eleven o clock. 69

She wandered slowly down to German, hoping to get there before the bell rang, to try and get a seat instead of being made to sit wherever she could. The door was wide open and she traipsed into the classroom, making a beeline for a single desk at the back. Mrs Dfee tiptoed into the classroom, and started when she saw Lizzie. 70

“Oh!” She gasped, “I didn’t think anyone was in here. You are early today, Lizzie dear.”71

“Got out of registration early.” She smiled. 72

“Were you ill on the last day dear? I didn’t see you here.” Mrs Dfee asked, gathering up papers, and walking over to the blackboard. 73

“Yeah. Umm..what are we doing today?” She queried, “More revision?”74

“Yes, just some self revision, so you could start now if you wish.” 75

Lizzie nodded and reached for her bag. She was stuck in doing some words on travel when everyone trooped in after the bell. They all ignored her, much to her surprise. She worked steadily until there was a timid knock on the door. 76

“Come in.” Mrs Dfee called, looking up from her magazine. 77

A small, scared looking first year rushed to the desk, clutching a tiny piece of paper. Mrs Dfee opened it, and looked up. 78

“Lizzie. Mr. Flanagan wants to see you just now. Take your stuff with you.”79

Boos erupted from the mouths of every student. 80

“Quiet. Get on with your revision.”81

Lizzie walked over to Mr. Flanagan’s office, wondering what was up. She reckoned it was about her outburst that morning. She was right. 82

“Sit down Lizzie.” He ordered, the minute she set foot into study. 83

She sat on the small leather sofa indicated, putting her bag down at her feet. 84

“I have heard something surprising from one of your teachers today, which I would have never expected from you. Can you explain yourself please?” He started, sitting back in his comfy armchair. 85

“If I am not being rude, I would like to know what she said about me, please.” Lizzie flinched. 86

“Very well.” He nodded, “Miss Francis, your substitute register teacher came to me ten minutes ago saying that you had been rude to her, and called her a nosy cow, simply because she asked you where you had been last week. Explain yourself.”87

“I did, yes.”88

“Why?”89

“She asked me where I had been, and I told her that it had been a private matter. She should have stopped there. Instead she continued to ask, knowing she shouldn’t have. She was rude to me. Then someone at the back of the class told her I was with my boyfriend that day, which obviously isn’t true as he was here that day. She actually asked me if this was true. I called her a nosy cow, then told her to do her job properly. She chucked me out of the class afterwards and I overheard her putting me down for truancy, simply because it was private.” Lizzie breathed. “I know I should not have called her name. But, something inside me snapped. I am getting so much hassle lately over things that I am on a very short fuse. Last Friday was awful for me, which I would rather not talk about. Could you please leave why I was off private?”90

Mr. Flanagan nodded. “Ok, I did not hear this from Miss Francis. As I have never had any trouble from you before, and I hopefully shan’t again, I will let this one pass. She is a new teacher here and I will have a word with her.”91

“Thank you, sir.” 92

“You may go.” He said, giving a wave of his hand like a Royal. 93

“Thankyou.” She got up and swung her bag onto her shoulder again. Lizzie walked to the door, stopping suddenly when Mr. Flanagan coughed. 94

“Yes, sir?”95

“Is...is there anything wrong?” He asked, scrutinizing her face. 96

“N..no.” She answered, looking at the floor. 97

“Then explain the bruises away.”98

Lizzie opened the door, and stepped outside. 99

“Friday.” Was her last word to him. 100

(Going to add more so keep watching this space!!! )101