The next week, Thursday, Mike's English class had to present their essays.

Orally.

Mike was one of the first to go and he watched as Micky made his way to the front of the class, as it was finally his turn. The two hadn't spoken a word to each other since the encounter with Laura last week, but it was easy to tell how nervous Micky was.

His voice shook at first, but he calmed down a little and he read his essay with surprising ease. His writing didn't highlight any of the terrible events Mike had found out about, but that wasn't shocking. After he was finished, the class applauded politely and he sat back down in the seat behind Mike.

After class, Mike hurried into the hall. He was heading to his next class when someone tapped him on the shoulder and he turned around.

Micky.

"I need to show you something," Micky said.

"You're talking to me?" Mike asked.

Micky ignored him. Instead of answering, he took off his backpack and pulled out a small stack of papers. He handed them to Mike.

"What's this?"

"The essay I read just now was fake. I bullshitted the entire thing."

"Okay...?"

"That's the real essay, Mike," Micky said quietly, motioning to the small stack. "I...want you to read it."