Young Writers Society

After the lesson, Darren was inclined to silence and did not want to talk about it. Tyler never liked to talk much about classes anyway. Aiden, of course, did.

‘How about,’ Darren said, deflecting another of Aiden’s unending questions, ‘we rather learn from our mistakes and never upset Mr Williams like that again?’

Aiden was reluctant, but he probably knew he wouldn’t get any further and relented. He didn’t seem to know what to say afterwards, though, so the trio sat on the pavilion for thirty minutes with only the occasional exchange.

Thus, when the bell rang for Behaviour, Darren was relieved. At least when he was busy with work, he could focus on that and nothing else. Apparently, it did not suit Arceus to allow it to be so.

‘We aren’t going to be doing any work today,’ Mr Cameron said once everyone was seated, ‘so you can do whatever you like, as long as the school rules permit it and you don’t get too loud.’

Minerva was appalled. ‘But, sir!’ she exclaimed. ‘We still have to discuss hereditary moves and the effects they can have on later generations.’

‘That is correct, but we’ll discuss that during the next lesson.’

The Vulpix was not satisfied. ‘Why not now?’

‘I didn’t prepare a lesson.’

Minerva was more shocked than ever. She wanted to comment, but she apparently didn’t know what to say; her mouth simply opened and closed without words coming out. In the end, she pursed her lips and began summarising the work anyway.

‘Why won’t you just accept the free period?’ Darren heard Nicole ask. (He himself has decided to copy Minerva, since he felt cheated.)

‘We are not in school to socialise!’ Minerva hissed. ‘We are here to be educated, and,’ she glanced at the reading Granbull and lowered her voice, ‘for a teacher not to prepare a lesson is shameful.’

‘I’m sure he has a perfectly reasonable explanation.’

‘Then why didn’t he offer one?’

‘Fine, I’ll ask.’ Raising her voice to its normal volume, Nicole asked, ‘Mr Cameron, why don’t we have a lesson today?’

‘I thought you of all Pokémon wouldn’t mind,’ he replied, still reading. From Darren’s perspective, it looked like a novel.

‘I don’t, but I can’t say the same of others…’

‘If you must know, I’m visiting my sister in Faylinn Town next week.’

Conversations died and heads turned as all focus was suddenly on the teacher.

‘I didn’t realise next week was a holiday,’ Aiden said. ‘Was it recently announced? I didn’t hear anything about it on the radio…’

The Granbull inserted his bookmark and closed the novel. ‘It isn’t. Headmistress Williams will only allow it on one condition.’

When he didn’t elaborate, Minerva asked, ‘What is this condition, sir?’

‘Headmistress Williams would never make bets, but if she did, she would bet against Miss Antoinette, which is to say, that it would not happen.’

‘Are you just as confused as I am?’ Tyler whispered to Darren.

‘Pretty much.’

Evidently, Minerva was too. ‘I’m sorry, sir, but what does that mean?’

‘It means I may only leave if a certain condition is met, as I have said, but Headmistress Williams doubts that it will be, so she has forbidden me to tell you.’

‘What will happen if it isn’t?’

‘Then it’s business as usual and we discuss hereditary moves on Diaday.’ Without another word, he opened his book and continued reading.

Aiden, curious as he was, immediately began speculating on what the condition could be, and since summarising the work was really boring, Darren packed away his books and joined the discussion. Minerva’s curiosity got the better of her, so she did the same. At the end of the period, however, Aiden, Tyler, Darren, Minerva, Leslie, and Nicole had come to no plausible conclusion.

‘I’ll check with my mom at the post office,’ Tyler said. ‘If there’s been a spike in mail, we’ll know something’s up.’

The Axew greeted them, and Darren expected Aiden to leave too, but the Growlithe just gazed at him with his eternal smile painted on his face. The look was received with furrowed brow and tilted head.

‘Aren’t you going home?’

‘Not unless you want me too. We didn’t receive any homework today, and we don’t have any for tomorrow either, so we have the afternoon off.’

‘Oh,’ Darren said, pleasantly surprised. ‘Okay, sure. I’ll just go check in with my mom to see if she wanted me to do anything.’

Aiden followed Darren to the power station, bounding behind him. ‘Do we have a town map?’

Darren gave his friend a sideways glance. ‘If anything, it would probably be a village map. But no, I don’t think so. Why?’

‘I don’t know, I just thought it might be useful.’

‘Again, why? We live here already, so we know where everything is. And it’s not like we’re expecting visitors or anything. Even if we did, we could just show them around ourselves.’ When he heard no response and realised he didn’t hear Aiden’s impacts with the ground either, he turned around. The Growlithe seemed thoughtful. ‘You’re going to create a map yourself, aren’t you?’

‘I was considering it, but now I am, yes.’ He turned and loped to his house. Calling over his shoulder, he said, ‘I’ll see you in an hour or so!’

Chuckling, Darren shook his head. Once Aiden decided to do something, there was little chance of convincing him otherwise.