THE LAUNDRY REBEL ✧.*ೃ༄ charlie dalton

The Senior Class

I hid in Mr. Keating's office as his final class poured in. They were seniors, solemn yet joyful. Mr. Keating sat in his chair, the same old smile on his face. He looked sideways to me and inconspicuously nodded. I nodded back before shrinking more in the office so no one else saw me.

The bell rang. The classroom quieted immediately and stayed attentive to Mr. Keating, who know stood in front of the class. He began his lesson.

"Now, language was developed for one endeavor, and that is..." He quickly pointed to a senior in the front corner closest to him. "Mr. Anderson. C'mon. Are you a man or an amoeba?"

This Anderson kid seemed EXTREMELY shy. My roommate, Diane was the same way. I had no doubt Keating will, in a sense, break him. He looked up at Mr. Keating, with a pleading look. He had dirty blonde hair, nearly brown with pretty green eyes. He didn't respond. Instead of pressuring him further, Mr. Keating switched to another student in the middle of the classroom. "Mr. Perry?"

This one had black hair, he was pale and seemed humorous. He immediately said, "To communicate."

"No," Mr. Keating held his hand out, "To woo women."

The whole class erupted into laughter. When Keating glanced behind him, I shared a glare at him, as if to say, Really, is that part of my entrance?  

He responded with just a shrug. I smoothed down my Welton shirt, jacket, and pants. Usually, I would wear a skirt, but tap dancing on a desk requires otherwise.

"Today, gentlemen, we will be discussing song. Songs are poetry, essentially. They deliver a message the same, whether it be direct or indirect." He shrugged again. "And I also want to teach this because it's fun to listen to. Right, Mr. Meeks?"

A curly ginger in the front nodded. "Yes sir."

"Now," Mr. Keating clasped his hands together as I braced myself. "As you know, I used to teach at Chester School in London. One of my older, who actually graduated last year, is here at Welton."

Mr. Perry raised his hand. After getting called on, he asked with a smug look. "Did he follow you here?" Mr. Keating frowned as the whole class chuckled.

I regretted my decision. I couldn't do it. I opened the door and stepped out. They all gasped, including Mr. Keating. "I'm fine, Mr. Keating. I don't need to do this." I said without making eye contact with him, but instead glared at the shocked kid in the middle of the class. "And the reason I'm here, Mr. Perry, is not because I followed him. I don't like to be ridiculed by a child."

And then I heard him.

"You don't need to take it personally."

I slid my eyes to the back corner of the classroom. My heart stopped and sank. It was him. The boy.

My. Perry turned his torso back to face him. "Charlie, it's fine."

Charlie.

That was his name. 

We were still staring at each other's eyes. His brown eyes with mine. He continued, ignoring Mr. Perry's request. "Neil wasn't intending to be rude." Our eyes disconnected for a second as he faced Neil. "Apologize to her." When Neil said nothing, Charlie pressed, "Now."

Neil turned back to smile at me. "I'm sorry..."

I straightened. "Victoria."

"Victoria," Neil and Charlie repeated simultaneously. Neil continued, for Charlie's eyes burned holes in his back. "I'm really not trying to ridicule you. At all." He paused. "I like your accent by the way."

"Where are you from?" Mr. Meeks asked from the front. 

I heard mumbling from across the whole classroom. "England, obviously.", "My great-grandpa is from there and he doesn't sound like that.", "She's so beautiful."

I sighed loudly through my nose, quieting the class. "I was born in Brooklyn, then I moved to Westminster to go to Chester. That's it." I looked back at Mr. Keating. "I'll come back another time. When I feel a bit more comfortable." 

I disregarded the disappointed look on his face as I began my way around the classroom to leave. As all the eyes followed me, I abruptly stopped in my tracks. "Oh and I know that Mr. Keating trusts you lot. But if one of you decides to fink... I won't hesitate to beat your ass in front of the school. I don't plan on be fired for no reason."

The only one that even slightly cracked a smile as I continued to walk was Charlie's.