Young Writers Society

The name of the game is guilt as I held my head high and pretended I didn’t know about the damage I had done to the entire east wing of Brunswick High, my fifth school in the past three years. My father couldn’t be bothered to come in, so instead he sent Pamela, his old-lady secretary who liked to think of me as a estranged granddaughter who needs saving. She tapped ferociously on her smart phone as my foot tapped to the beat of denial underneath the chair.

“And you’re sure you didn’t know about this?” Principal Giovanna had a pad of paper in front of him that he thought I couldn’t see, laid flat against his desk, names smeared with blue ink when proven innocent. A flicker of hope made the churning in my stomach pause, or at least go slower. He hadn’t caught me on camera, and I could walk the halls of this school for the remainder of my senior year.

As long as I was convincing.

I adjusted my glasses and cleared my throat, ridding it from phlem and the overwhelming urge to scream my guilt. “Last night I was working on a science project. You can ask Pamela.” A smile worked its way to the corner of my lips. Half truths are better than half lies, and with witnesses who won’t dare tell the truth, I was invincible.

With an overworked smile and tired eyes, Pamela looked at the man in charge of my fate. “She was at home last night, I can vouch for that. As for the science experiment- you were supposed to be sleeping.” She sent a kindly frown my way, and my smile broke through.

“Sorry Miss Pam. I just got caught up in the moment.” I swiveled around to look at the principal. “I was at home though, see?”

Mr. Giovanna nodded, and I leaned forwards, resting my elbows on my knees and interlacing my fingers. “If you don’t mind though… I think I may know who did it.” After a moment’s pause, enough to draw both pairs of eyes to my somber expression, I continued. “Matthew Framer.” I looked back up and adjusted my glasses, as if gathering the courage to continue. “He said something about an epic prank. I thought it was just talk, I didn’t want to say anything… but if he keeps terrorizing the school like this…” I forced my voice to crack, “I don’t know what he’ll do next.”

Principal Giovanna nodded again, alarm flashing in his eyes as he struggled to maintain a mask of composure and scribbled something else down on the infamous yellow notepad. I had to bite my lips together to keep from smiling. “Thank you, so, so much Miss Richards,” The principal looked through me as he spoke, already deciding what, exactly, he was going to say to Matthew and how best to bring up the word expulsion to his parents. “Go on back to class now, Mrs. Tar, I’m awfully sorry about the interruption to your day” I stood up to take my leave, slowly moving towards the door behind us.

“That’s quite alright Principal Giovanna,” she finally tore her eyes away from her phone as she reached over to shake his hand. “I’m just glad everything was able to be resolved.” With that, I slipped out the door and into the hallway, backpack on my shoulder and hurrying through the crowd of people.

I reached my locker and allowed myself time to breathe, breathing out through my nose as slowly as possible. I wasn’t going to be expelled. I turned the dial with shaky hands, putting in the combination and swinging the locker open.

“Hey E.T.” A familiar, snarky voice came from behind me, then laughed, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I knew who I would see before I looked, and had to close my eyes in order to keep from rolling them. Opening them as I turned towards Matthew Framer, I smiled tightly.

“If you’re going to insult me, at least get my field right.” His eyes narrowed slightly, as they did whenever I said something that questioned his IQ.

“What are you even talking abo-”

“E.T. is a movie about aliens, which is an astrophysicists realm. Well, more so than mine anyway. I’m more of a-”

“MATTHEW FRAMER TO THE MAIN OFFICE MATTHEW FRAMER TO THE MAIN OFFICE PLEASE.”

Startled by the interruption, I flinched, but Principal Giovanna’s voice over the intercom put a halt to the few cartwheels left inmy stomach. I had been decided innocent, and the maggot had no idea what was coming his way. This was for all the taunts, and the jeers, and the stupid names and the stupid post-it notes attached to my desk with disturbing innuendoes.

I might have lied, but he deserved every bit of retribution I had earned.

To my utter horror, he grinned, all teeth and no lips, and shot a triumphant sneer my direction. “Looks like I’m needed once again. Don’t miss me too much, Einstein.” With a wink he turned around, sauntering through the middle of the hallway.

I could barely contain my laughter as I entered my fifth period class, bell ringing as I slid into my seat.

As the teacher began and Matthew Framer didn’t return, I tapped my fingers against the desk, certain he would burst through the doors and accuse me of lying, as if somehow he would figure out it was me that pointed the finger at him. But then fifth period ended, and so did sixth, then seventh, then eighth. It was only after I stepped out of the building that it occurred to me.

As long as I stayed invisible, I was invincible.