"Most of the class?!" she exclaimed. "But dad! I mean, Mr. Bagguhui! It was only Mae and Victor being awful! And Tyler! And Devin! Not the whole class!"

Mr. Bagguhui glared at her. "Dear, you wanted the whole class suspended! That was why you came to me in the first place!"

The students gasped, and Athena could understand why. Laylani had been trying to suspend her friends? That lying, backstabbing, stuck-up son of a- Athena's train of thought ran away without her as the principal continued speaking.

"Well anyway, everyone in the class will be suspended except, Leylani, Alexa, and Mitchell starting tomorrow for two weeks," Mr. Bagguhui said, wringing his hands and giving everyone a look that said, "unless you want to be expelled."

Then he stomped out of the classroom, leaving Laylani in the front, quivering slightly. The class was absolutely silent until the door creaked open again, and in stepped Mrs. Humphrey, her squishy face pale and angry.

"Well, well, well," she said, spittle flying from her mouth like angry wasps, shooting in every direction. "WHAT do we have here?" She saw Laylani, and an evil grin slithered across her pudgy features. "Ms. Bagguhui, I thought something was up. . . . What do you happen to be doing standing at the front of my classroom? Well, well, well. I suppose a trip to the behavior support will do you good, now, won't it?" Mrs. Humphrey licked her lips. "And for the rest of you. . .oh, my, my, you'll just have to stay with me after school today. . .FOR DETENTION!"

When she said the last two words, she slammed her hand on her desk, and the whole class jumped.

"B-but, d-d-detention?" Laylani stuttered. "The principal already suspended-"

"SILENCE!!!" Mrs. Humphrey boomed. "You may be the daughter of the principal, but you will be suspended right along with the rest of your miserable classmates. And as for that 'Victor' boy. . .oh, he gets the special treatment." The old hag cackled evilly and her frizzy gray hair sprang out in every direction like a bomb exploding.

Victor sat up straighter in his chair, his back rigid.

"Oop, Vicky's in trouble!" Athena muttered to him out of the corner of her mouth, so quietly he could barely hear her.

Victor glared at her, hardly turning his head. "I'm not Vicky," he whisper-snarled back.

Athena gave him a look, like, oh, how rude. I'm terrified.

October snorted.

Mrs. Humphrey whipped around and faced the trio, faster than greased lightning. "Did I hear you talking, Miss?"

October bowed their head.

"Well, did I?" Mrs. Humphrey asked, tapping her foot on the floor impatiently.

"Yes, Mrs. Humphrey," October murmured.

Mrs. Humphrey's eyes seemed to light up. "Aha! AHA!"

Athena inched her chair backward. She slipped a note into October's hand, before taking a small, sharp rock and slicing her palm open, from her wrist to the base of her ring finger. The cut wasn't even a quarter-inch deep, but she pulled her hand out from under the table and showed everyone the cut.

Victor caught on immediately, and shrieked, "SHE'S DYING!!!"

Instantly, the room fell back into chaos as everyone scrambled about, trying to figure out how to become useful.

"SHE'S NOT DYING IT'S JUST A SMALL CUT!!!" Laylani screamed.

Athena cried a couple of fake tears, wiped her eyes with the back of her uninjured hand, and sobbed, "I'm dying!"

Mrs. Humphrey watched the pandemonium with more and more dislike rippling across her pudgy face. "All right, class," she hissed, sounding like a snake slithering through long grasses. "Calm down. CALM DOWN. Athena, proceed to the nurse's office. Tracy, please accompany her."

Tracy bobbed her head in acknowledgment. "Okay, Mrs. Humphrey. I mean, okay!"

The two then left for the nurse's office.

Once they were out of class, Mrs. Humphrey 'hrumphed' with satisfaction and started around the classroom, scribbling on pink Post-It Notes the date and time of their detention, and where it would take place (4:00 PM, September 1st, Room 8).

"Nothing says 'winner' like a detention," Victor muttered to October while Mrs. Humphrey's back was turned.

October snickered and replied, "And nothing says 'loser' like a good old-fashioned suspension. Watch what you do, kiddo."

Victor grinned. "Who you calling 'kiddo'?"

"Shut up, idiot."

"Who made you the boss?"

"Shhhhh."

"October-"

October clamped a hand on Victor's mouth, effectively stopping him from speaking. They removed their hand and sat back in their chair, nervously watching as Mrs. Humphrey drew nearer.

"Idiot," Victor hissed at them out the corner of his mouth.

October sniffed haughtily. "I just saved you from something worse than suspension," they replied silkily

Victor glared at October but didn't respond, because, at that moment, Mrs. Humphrey was handing a pink detention slip to October.

She then turned and marched her pudgy little self back up to the front of the room.

Mrs. Humphrey clasped her hands. "Well now. That wasn't so hard, now, was it? The bell's due to ring any minute n-"

BRIIIINNNNGGGGG!!!!

The bell's metallic buzz sounded throughout the room, and all the chairs scraping against the floor added to the din. Students burst out of the classroom, talking and joking with one another, as well as with the people in the halls. The bell sounded again, drowning out the talking for a moment, before falling silent. Students pushed through the halls, jostling Victor like he was a rag doll. He was tossed about and didn't seem to be making any progress whatsoever.

Why is the school so full? Why is everyone on this floor? Are they magic? Or am I just cursed? Victor wondered uneasily, peering through the crowd of kids.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed his arm, the grip turning to iron in a millisecond.

"Not so fast," Mrs. Humphrey crooned in his ear. "You've been suspended. And on the first day of school, too, might I add. So you should head home now, darling. See you next week. . .if you make it that long, at least." She shoved him away, cackling.

Victor dejectedly found his way to the front of the school. He pushed open the door, stepping out into a rough breeze. He turned and walked down the steps, dragging his feet. He had no idea where he was heading. He simply walked. He passed construction sites and playgrounds, apartment buildings and offices, and eventually ended up in the most random place: a mushroom patch. And in the middle of the patch, curled up next to three large toadstools, was a tiny kitten. It had long, swirling reddish-brown fur, dappled with a soft gray. Its tail was thick and wavy, like a fox's. And it slept so soundly, even though through its elegant fur, you could see tiny ribs peeking out.

Victor's heart melted.

He scooped up the kitten and snuggled it close to his face, then held it out in front of him, thinking of ticks, fleas, and other nasties. The kitten purred and wriggled deeper into his hands. He wondered if Dad and Pops would let him keep a pet. Their house was certainly big enough, but neither of his fathers particularly wanted to care for a pet.

Victor decided he was bringing the kitten home, whether or not his parents wanted him to. He'd give it a name, and a collar, and a bath.