I watched them go, my heart still thudding like a drum in my chest.
The teacher..still stunned stood frozen in place, his clipboard hanging awkwardly in his hand. His lips parted like he wanted to say something… but in the end, he didn't.
He just walked away in the opposite direction.
And the crowd?
They scattered like smoke.
June and Marcus immediately started ripping down the posters from the wall and my locker, muttering curses under their breath.
Shredded images of my mugshot fluttered to the ground.
The bell rang.
I checked my phone.
9:00 AM.
First period.
And already… total chaos.
I swallowed hard, still trying to collect my thoughts, still feeling that locker pressed against my back.
Marcus shook his head, and clenched his fists. "That dude needs serious help. Or a punch in the face. I swear…."
"I don't even know what his deal is," I muttered, finally finding my voice. "No kidding. One second, he's playing chauffeur, showing up with rich people snacks and asking to talk, now he's slamming me into lockers like it's some kind of sick game."
"Right?" June scoffed, folding her arms. "Like bro, pick a side. Are you the asshole or not-asshole? You don't get to be both!"
"Whatever it is," Marcus added, "He's got issues. And I don't trust him."
June clapped her hands once. "Okay, enough drama for the morning. We're late. It's time for Anatomy."
We sprinted down the hall. My bag bouncing against my shoulder. The remains of the posters were still littered on the floor behind us like a crime scene.
We slid into class right as the teacher was turning on the projector. The lights dimmed.
People barely noticed our arrival… they were already slouched into chairs, chewing gum, whispering behind notebooks.
I took a seat. Head down. Hands shaking slightly.
The projector flickered to life.
And boom…there it was.
The male reproductive system.
I blinked.
Right in front of me: a life-size penis diagram. Labeled. Highlighted. Glowing across the room like a scientific masterpiece.
Perfect. Just perfect.
"Today, we'll be covering the male anatomy," the teacher said, clicking his remote. "You'll need to pay attention…this will come up in your health assessment."
I just sat there, I couldn't stop thinking.
Why the hell was I smiling thinking about Dominic Vale's stupid expensive cologne?
Why did my heart skip a beat when I remembered how close his face was to mine?
I looked down at my shirt and sniffed it.
Yep.
Still smelled like him.
God help me.
"And this right here," the teacher continued, using a laser pointer, "is the epididymis. The sperm travels from the testicles through…."
Someone from the back coughed loudly.
"Damn…" he snorted from the back. Orion. "That thing's huge… but at least this one doesn't choke when it's in someone's mouth or gag when I slap it on someone's face.."
The room exploded.
A full-on ripple of laughter shot through the class…desks shook, students clutched their stomachs, someone in the front dropped their water bottle.
"ORION!" the teacher bellowed, nearly throwing his marker. "What the hell is wrong with you! That is completely inappropriate!"
But it was too late. Orion had become legend in under three seconds.
He threw his arms behind his head. "Just saying, sir. Biology's all about being real, right? Some of us are naturally gifted. Blame evolution."
"Orion and his dickumentary," someone said as another wave of laughter exploded behind him.
Even the quiet kids at the windows slapped the desk like they were watching stand-up comedy. June choked on her water.
"You're disgusting," June whispered as she turned to Orion.
"Thank you sweetheart, call me anytime," Orion said with a wink, gesturing to her.
The teacher folded his arms. "One more word out of you and you'll be writing a five-page essay on respect and boundaries."
"Make it six," Orion replied.
Then….
BZZZT.
The intercom crackled overhead, cutting the tension. Everyone froze.
Mr. Brooks paused mid-sentence. The pointer dropped.
Then a voice echoed from the ceiling speaker:
"Ash Rivera. Ash Rivera. Report to the principal's office. Immediately."
My whole body stiffened.
My name.
Again.
This time, not whispered in a hallway or printed on a poster.
This time it echoed through the whole damn school.
Every head turned toward me.
Even Mr. Brooks raised a brow.
I swallowed hard.
My hands were cold.. I stood up slowly, trying not to show the panic crawling up my spine.
June stared at me as she widened her eyes, "What's going on?"
Marcus whispered. "You want us to come with you?"
"Nah, I'm good." I grabbed my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and headed for the door.
I didn't look back.