Young Writers Society

Chapter 6

Cleaning

He came closer and closer, and by every step he took, my body tensed more…When he was at a distance from where I could feel his breathe he stopped and looked straight in my eyes. He was taller than me and to stare back at him I had to lift my face up. Believe me you wouldn’t really want to stare at a 6 foot tall person for a long time, I felt like my neck was going to die because of the pain after all it had been more than 6 mins that we had been staring at each other. What was he thinking, was the only question in my mind…he was supposed to…I don’t know probably kill me right now or something but all he did was Stare.

I took another step back and I realized that now my back was touching the wall…shoot, now what? He didn’t move his gaze from me, what was he searching for so intensely in my eyes…god knows…He took another step closer but suddenly he blinked twice and looked down - took a deep breath, then turned and headed towards the door. Now that was unexpected and weird.

I stood there not moving an inch as I was totally surprised by him not doing anything…I mean I ran all the way here because I knew I was going to be toast but…he didn’t do ANYTHING!

As he put his hand on the door knob he stopped and looked back, now what…Did he change his mind? “Are you going to stay here the whole day? You do know you will get in trouble if any sir see’s you here… Anyways you need to be in the Audi after 30 minutes, you know that right?”

I nodded controlling myself from making another argument. ‘Not now’ I warned myself and watched Frank leave.

“Okay Suzan” I said closing my eyes “Get your mind straight”

I opened my eyes and saw one of my classmate staring at me, when did he enter?

“What?” I shouted at him and left before someone else would spot me there. I could feel his eyes on me as I left but I didn’t care.

I headed towards the Audi as it would take an hour for me to reach there; after all I had a bruised foot.

My school has 3 detention levels, the first one is just sitting in the class after school for a particular number of hours. The second level is taking 5 rounds of the ground and to tell you the truth, it’s tough as our ground is huge, and when I say huge I mean really really big. And finally the third type which is what I have got, cleaning the auditorium. The Audi was much much bigger than the ground. I mean cleaning an auditorium is alright but cleaning an Audi in which more than twenty thousand people can fit including a hundred teachers as comfortable-ly as possible is...umm…like breaking your own bones with your hands maybe? I HAD to drag someone with me to do it, so I dragged Frank (the whole reason of me been here). The auditorium had a kind of stadium look; I mean the way the chairs were arranged. There was a big empty ground in the middle and chairs arranged on both the sides. A highly built stage was exactly in front of the entrance door. I entered through the back door as the front one was huge and probably locked up by now.

“You’re late” Lamer informed me as I entered. Frank was standing just behind her. “Anyways I will check on both of you after a few hours so get working, I hope you have a miserable time” She said smiling and then left. Even if she wouldn’t have said that I knew we would have a miserable time.

“So, how do we clean this place” I asked

“I don’t know” he replied

“hmm, should we check the store room out? I think we can find something in there”

“Yeah, probably”

We entered the store room, both together and started going through stuff. This was useless, at least Lamer should have given some instructions before going, Ah! I found pipes and brooms but the Audi didn’t need broom-ing, it just needed to be moped as we saw it and there were no mops around and what could we possibly do with pipes? No wonder why people usually become so goodie goodie in front of teachers after getting this punishment. A bathroom was also there near the emergency exit.

Finally Frank found some mops. We started cleaning and in a matter of 5 hours we were all done. I fell Flat on the Auditorium’s ground and rested while Frank put the mops back in position.

“Lamer will come after 10-15 mins” Frank said sitting beside me. He looked all tired to and not to mention all sweaty

“Hmm, great. I just want to go home and get a bath now” I replied and closed my eyes for a while. This was the worst punishment anyone could ever give. I never knew that cleaning was so hard. Frank did most of the mopping as my foot was bruised, for once he was really a gentleman! And…what the heck. I felt a few water droplets fall on my face and before I knew it I could feel a gallon of water falling all over me. “FRANK” I shouted as he kept on spraying the water over me. “STOP IT” and I tried to get up and run but slipped. He laughed, and kept on doing it.

“Serves you right” he taunted and stopped spraying water “don’t look at me like that, you said you wanted to take a bath anyways” and after saying this he started splashing water again. I took steps back as he did and when finally he stopped I kicked the dustbin back of me and it fell. Yikes, all of the garbage fell down and was scattered. Anyways, as Frank left the pipe I walked fast towards it and grabbed it, ‘Frank Collins you are so dead’ I muttered and started the pipe again. Frank ran over only to the grab the pipe but he was unsuccessful, The pipe was between both of us. Me pulling it from my right hand and Frank from his left. The water splashed over us as I stared at him and for one moment I actually thought he was hot. He suddenly lifted his right hand and…

“What on earth is going on here” AND MRS. LAMER INTERRUPTED THE MOMENT!

Frank let go of the pipe and I turned it Off. When I looked around this is what I saw : Wet curtains, Auditorium flooded (water till above my foot) , Garbage all wet on the other side, seats all wet too and most of all- all the charts and displays were wet. Frank looked at me after my observations were over. I knew exactly what he was thinking. BUSTED, AGAIN!

“Both of you, out NOW and be sure to bring your parents tomorrow and meet me in the principal’s office” she shouted. I saw Frank going to the store room and bringing his Jacket out. Then we both left. As soon as we were out we both started laughing. Though the pain was in my whole body I still couldn’t help but laugh. I high fived him for no reason and then he stopped laughing as he looked at me. Did I do something wrong? What now?

“Umm…My jacket…I think you need it” He said handing his Jacket to me. I looked at him confused though I soon realized why he had said that, I looked down at my shirt, Oh!. This is embarrassing. Very embarrassing. He must have noticed it, AH! I quickly grabbed his Jacket, wearing it instantly on my now-see through white shirt. I buttoned it up and saw him laughing.

After 5 mins of complete silence I said trying to start a conversation “So…You still angry with me?” Okay suzan, time to clear things out.

“For what?” He asked, he sounded confused but I couldn’t decide whether he was playing dumb or was for real, confused.

“You know, for what I did that day in the cafeteria” before he could speak I continued “It was a dare and I never thought everyone would …”

“I am not” He replied cutting me off. For a moment I couldn’t think of anything, Frank isn’t angry… “I was never before” Crap, why did he ignore me then “though I wouldn’t say the same for you getting me in trouble every time we meet”

“I do not” I said in defense

“So do”

“Oh! really”

“Yes really”

“It’s not my fault you’re such a…Jerk who always gets himself into trouble and blames it on other” So much for clearing things up…

“Please Suze, even you know that it’s always you’re fault” he smirked, what is wrong with him? Boys…

“It is not, this time you started the water fight”

“It wasn’t a water fight Suze, it’s just you get so easily annoyed and…I am going to go home, want to come along” he asked waving to a Taxi and probably trying to change the topic

“Yes but it isn’t my fault”

“What isn’t your fault Suze?” he asked playfully

“Aghh! First of all don’t call me Suze and second you were the reason why I had shouted in the class and you started the whole water fight because of which the whole Damn auditorium was this horrifying so it was YOUR FAULT not mine” I shouted at him as annoyed as ever.

“Let’s go then” he paused after saying this for a second or two and then smirked and said “SUZE”

No way is he calling me that, only one person in this world could call me that and that wasn’t Frank for sure…

“HEY ZOMBIE, STOP.CALLING.ME.THAT”

“Sure Suze, whatever you say”

You might be wondering why I was getting pissed by him calling me that, right? Well By calling me Suze he didn’t actually mean ‘lily’ as the name’s meaning is. Suze is a French brand of bitters flavored with the roots of the plant gentian, normally drunk as an aperitif. And now how I knew it…I learned that today while standing outside and obviously he meant it that way. Agh, stupid, stupid jerk.

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Hope you people like it.