Alpha Girl Read Free Page B

top of the pile.
    ‘Rose.’
    I didn’t move. Instead, I crossed my arms and legs and stared at Mr. Stone.  It took him a few moments to notice that I hadn’t done as instructed.
    ‘Rose,’ he repeated, looking up at me.
    All eyes turned in my direction.
    ‘ Rose ,’ Sadie hissed. ‘Take your essay to him.’
    I smiled and stared at Mr. Stone. ‘I didn’t do the assignment,’ I said.
    Everyone was silent.
    ‘You didn’t do it?’ he asked.
    I shook my head. ‘I chose not to.’
    Mr. Stone raised his eyebrows and interlocked his fingers. ‘You chose not to do it?’
    ‘That’s right.’
    Mr. Stone pursed his lips, seemingly unimpressed. ‘Suit yourself. You’ll see me after class.’
    Pleased with myself, a leaned back in my chair, a smug expression on my face.
    ‘What’s gotten into you?’ Sadie whispered to me as Mr. Stone continued collecting the other essays. ‘You’ll get detention.’
    I smiled at her. ‘I don’t think I will.’
    At the end of the lesson, the bell rang and the students filed out. I remained sitting in my seat until the last of them had left. Mr. Stone did not look up from his desk. Instead, he ignored me for a full minute.
    ‘Come here,’ he said, stacking the papers on his desk, still avoiding eye contact.
    I stood and picked up my bag, walking to his desk and sitting in the chair opposite.
    ‘Rose, you realize I’m going to have to give you a zero for this assignment?’ he asked, glancing up at me. He seemed surprised to see that I was grinning. ‘What’s so funny?’
    ‘I chose not to do the assignment, Mr. Stone,’ I said, slowly and clearly.
    ‘Yes, you told me that,’ he said, disapprovingly. I couldn’t stand the way his emerald eyes bore into mine. He needed to understand why I hadn’t done the essay.
    ‘In the text, they rebel against the government, but their attempts are futile.’
    ‘Yes, I know the text well,’ said Mr. Stone, crossing his arms.
    ‘For our assignment you wanted us to show you a modern day example of why rebellion doesn’t work. So-’
    ‘You chose not to do the assignment,’ he finished my sentence, understanding in his tone.
    I nodded and prepared for the explosion that would follow.
    To my surprise, Mr. Stone’s face broke into a wide grin, his eyes sparkling.
    ‘So, you see-’ I began to explain, but he held up a hand to silence me.
    ‘Oh, I understand,’ he said. ‘You’re very clever.’
    I raised my eyebrows, shocked by his praise.
    ‘If I give you a zero-’ he began slowly.
    ‘-You’ll prove my point,’ I finished. ‘My rebellion will have been in vain, just like in the prose you assigned.’
    Mr. Stone sat back in his chair and observed me, lacing his fingers behind his head. He watched me, a slight smile on his face.
    ‘Clever girl,’ he smirked. ‘Very brave.’
    My chest felt tight at his approval.
    ‘So,’ I said slowly. ‘What are you going to do?’
    Mr. Stone leaned forwards and scrutinized me. ‘I’ll forgive you just this one time,’ he said. ‘But don’t tell anyone, okay?’
    ‘Because you know I’m right,’ I said.
    He laughed, his eyes creasing at the sides. ‘You’ve outwitted me,’ he admitted.
    ‘I’ll tell everyone you gave me detention.’
    Mr. Stone laughed, and waved a hand at me. ‘Get out of here.’
    I grabbed my bag and scampered from the room, my spirits high.
    Sadie was waiting for me in the corridor.
    ‘Did you get a zero?’ she asked at once.
    I shook my head. ‘Nope.’
    ‘Detention?’
    ‘Something like that,’ I said happily.
    I left it at that, pulling out my lunch and sitting amongst the other females within my group of ‘friends’. 

Wednesday – 6 days to go

     
    After school on Wednesday I walked to the café to begin my afternoon shift. Storm clouds brewed overhead, threatening to spill rain upon me at any moment. I was so preoccupied with getting to the café before the downpour started, I barely noticed a Rottweiler barking at me,