"Are you dumb?" Shirin threw her bag right next to mine and looked at me grinning. Yeah, I know. I'm awesome.

"You do realize, he wrote your name down, right?" I just shrugged my shoulders. "Not the first time..." Probably won't be the last time either. The Redhead laughed at my reaction and then started changing into her gym clothes. I followed her lead and took off my shirt. "Coach Greedy will send you to the principal's office for sure."

"I'll manage. Was the quiz difficult?" My best friend nodded, and her face contorted into a painful expression. "He went through the whole quiz with us afterwards and he almost had a heart attack." At least the whole class was dumb as a rock. That makes me automatically feel better.

You know that feeling, right? Like, when you don't know the answer, but everyone except that one student doesn't know either. I love that feeling. It makes me feel less stupid. Like, still stupid, but just a little less.

We walked to the sports ground, and the heat made me feel like a muffin in the oven. But not the sweet way, though. It's like the hot air is making me puffy and I'll blow up any second. I honestly don't understand why someone would teach a class outside while it's literally burning. I kind of am able to survive, as I am half spanish, but my white friend over here... Shirin's already sweating. Or are those tears? Even though the heat is manageable for me, I'd still prefer chilling under a tree. Sounds way more appealing than running around the track for a grade, that won't even matter in my future.

I like to sport, but not during school. Here, it is forced. "Michaels! To the principal's office!" Ai! Ai! Captain! I saluted and turned to leave the class. My pleasure, man. There's nothing I'd like to do more right now.

Before leaving PE behind, I flashed a smile at my best friend. She grinned back, but not because of my happiness. More because she loves it when I'm in trouble, this bitch.

I lightly jogged through the hall because I don't like being seen in my gym clothes. Does this have a specific reason? Of course, brother. It's not the dress code, if that's what you're thinking.

I just feel like the pink hearts and shiny diamonds on my leggings shouldn't be seen by any other students. Just a personal fear of being bullied. I accidentally packed the wrong ones this morning, but I'll still rock it. Just please not in front of the whole school. I mean, I look like a fucking four-year-old right now.

I thought I got away with my sexy leggings, just as I walked past an open classroom. And there they were sitting. The two bastards that are gonna bring this up for the next 10 years. They saw me pass and started smiling, Yeah, great. "So stylish!" Myles mimicked a pretty bad model pose, I must add. He looked ridiculous, probably not as bad as me, but still. Just beside him sat a guy I've seen before. His blue eyes were fixed at my leggings, and he tried to hide the smile his lips wanted to form.

I don't know his name. I mean, I obviously can't know everyone's name. Especially because I don't like people in general. But his face, I remember it. He drives motocross with Noah and Myles. They're in the same team. Yeah, my best friends like to crawl around in mud, but I must confess Noah looks so hot in his motocross gear. That's exactly the reason why I like watching them so much. And because of that I happen to remember that dude's face.

"Hey, of course. My leggings are the new trend." I jokingly laughed, and my eyes caught the principal that was already waiting for me. Oh, he must be a really busy guy waiting for his favourite Student in front of his office. The boys realized where I was going and looked at me with mischievous grins.

"I see, you finally managed to reach my office, Miss Michaels." Santa, I named him that the first time I've ever seen him, and it stuck.

Seriously, he looks like Santa, just less cuddly. He's evil. Like, pure evil. Trust me. He would be the kind of Santa, that eats the kids and the presents. The Kids first, though.

He never intends to listen to your side of the story. He likes to go straight for the head and shoot you down with one strike. He'll call home and complain even if you're the one being bullied.

I followed him into his office and watched him take a seat in his creepy big red chair. "You know why you've been sent here, Miss Michaels, am I right?" I nodded. Nodding and smiling is the way to go, right now.

"Listen, Missy." He crossed his legs and looked me straight in the eyes. Hold it, Cos. Hold the eye contact. You can do it. Don't break. "The way you're acting is immature and won't bring you anything good for your future." I was thinking about making a joke, about becoming his elf named Cosmo, but I just dramatically looked down at my lap acting like I completely understand my mistakes.

"Your current grades are telling me, that you should start taking school seriously. I'll give your grandmother a call, so she knows, too. Consider this as my last warning." "Understood." He nodded and contently sighed.

Did I really understand? Yeah, believe it or not, but I did. Like, I know that I'm a terrible example of a student, but it's not easy changing the way I am. I am trying, though.

My eyes couldn't resist and looked up at the clock showing me that there are only 15 minutes left before our break. Sorry, a habit of every student.

Now I need to make a decision. Am I going back to class or am I going to the vending machine getting a snack?

Yeah... Snack for sure.
I got up and left Santa's office.

~

The bell rang and my stomach was being blessed by a cookie. I was walking back to the sports ground and saw a dying, sweating Shirin sitting on the ground. Now I was the one grinning, but I still let her have the rest of my cookie. I guess, I'm a good friend after all. "There's no way, you've been sitting at Santa's office for the whole class. How long were you standing in front of the vending machine acting like you won't choose the cookie, you always do?" I started smiling. This cookie is heaven.

"Yeah, but Hugo was also there. He was fixing the other vending machine. Some idiot broke it again." Hugo's my homie. I like that dude. He sometimes opens the vending machine for me and gives me stuff for free. I'm sure, it's not that bright up there in his head, but I'm not complaining. It's pretty dark in here, too.

I followed Shirin into the changing room and was happy about the fact that my leggings weren't sticking to my legs like I glued them on. Shirin almost collapsed while trying to get back into her jeans. Poor child. Yeah, trying to peel yourself out of sweaty clothes is always a challenge itself. Running laps is nothing compared to that.

Back in my normal clothes, I remembered something. Oh god. Now is the time. "What are you waiting for?" I flinched. Did my heart just talk to me or what was that? "Cosima?" Shirin touched my shoulder and I turned to look at her. Oh, it was her.

I didn't wanna tell her about what I was about to do, so I tried to form a lie in my head. Trust me, there are a lot up there. "I'll just meet with Coach Greedy real quick. Gotta explain to him, why I was absent during all of class." The redhead nodded understandingly and then left with the other girls. I followed them for a little while, but then turned and stood aside hoping I'd catch Noah alone, away from Myles.

The boys weren't here yet. Honestly? My heart was pounding right now. I'm so fucking nervous. I'm not okay. Like, not at all. There was a bench right by the entrance of the boy's locker room. I sat down listening to the footsteps which were getting louder by the second. The boys were coming.

Or maybe... maybe I shouldn't wait right here for Noah. That'll raise eyebrows left and right. I got up again, walking directly to a tree and leaning on him, crying on the inside of course. Here, I am at least covered from the sun. So, if I faint, I won't end up burning to death.

Myles appeared with four other guys. Noah's nowhere to be seen. Shirin probably held him up, talking to him. Come on, girl. Don't ruin my plans. Right next to the tree I was leaning on, was an ashtray and a trash. I smelled that shit and reconsidered my choice of wanting to talk to Noah right here.

"Okay, you can do this, Cos." I cracked my fingers and hopped up and down, trying to hype myself up. I also attempted to prep myself for a rejection. You never know. Better be safe than sorry.

"You'll go up to him and tell him that you like him." I opened my eyes and deeply breathed in and out. There he was. He was coming closer, talking to a guy from his class. "Take it easy, Cos. It's only Noah. Even if he doesn't like you back, he'll still be nice about it."

I managed to take a step, but fear kicked in and I stumbled back. That's what I did for a good amount of time, until a voice basically scared the life out of me.

"What's that supposed to be when it's done?"