Ben, Taylor, Rick, and Mike had tried to hide their laughter while everyone laughed.
“Yes, sir,” Jaxson said making the parrot disappear before Mr. Bates turned around.
“Jaxson James,” I tried to say with a straight face.
“What?” he said with an unrepentant smile.
“Okay,” Mr. Bates clapped his hands. “Everyone take a seat. Class starts at 0800. I expect you to be seated and ready by 0800. If you are from Knightstown, your login is still the same. Once you are logged in, you will notice it looks a lot like what you are familiar with. However, you will now see the additional drop downs at the top. Each class you were taking is there, as well as each assignment and its deadline.
“You are more than welcome to complete your assignments early. You are not allowed to fall behind. If you feel like you are, I suggest you talk to me immediately. Unlike at your previous school where you just received a poor grade, and maybe banned from playing your sports, here it’s a little more serious. This is also your job. And much like a job, if you fail to perform, you will get fired. Just as quickly as you were brought here, you will be taken back to where you came from. Some of you may have come here on a whim or because you thought it would be fun. You were mistaken. You are in a unique position with superior abilities, so your expectations have been set accordingly.
“For the SC team, I will be taking you into the study center where I will show each of you how to log in. I apologize in advance. Some of you might be at a disadvantage, but we will discuss that in the study center.” He pointed to the lab in the back of the room. “For the rest of you, get to work.”
“So, I need the details,” Rachel said as soon as the door closed.
“What details?” Mike stated before taking a seat next to Rachel.
“No details,” I said quickly before clicking on my English assignment.
With my continual bedrest the last few weeks I was ahead in everything. I was really hoping to finish the school year early. Even though my future was still murky, I still had to continue plugging away at it.
“Are you going to tell us the truth about why you weren’t in the exercise with us?” Mike asked as he sat back in his chair. He was apparently in no hurry to get to work.
“Man give it a rest,” Ben stated before taking the seat next to mine. “You know she just got shot.”
“Which wouldn’t have affected her performance and her gifts,” Mike scoffed. “Dom thinks it was a way for attention, like it always has been with her. She thinks Blake’s broken. She hasn’t been using her gifts. I’m just wondering why…”
“Dom?” Rachel asked in confusion.
“Adams,” I said in a bored tone.
It shouldn’t surprise me that Mike and Adams had found each other. They both took delight in making other people miserable.
“His new FWB,” Ben said drolly.
“Eww,” Rachel said with a scrunched-up nose. “It doesn’t surprise me, though. Just remember, Mike, when you lie with dogs, you may get fleas.”
“You should know since you are a bitc-” Mike started to angrily spew.
Enough! I glared at him. Then I smiled over at Jaxson. What should his punishment be? I asked him silently.
He grinned. We’re back! he said in a singsong voice. They always said silence is golden. Maybe he should be silent and get to work. I’m sure he has a lot of work to do.
“Mike,” I stated with a sickly-sweet grin. “I think you should remain silent for the rest of class and you should really buckle down and do your work.”
I didn’t even bother silently compelling him.
Mike immediately snapped forward in his seat and began to furiously type away at his computer.
“She doesn’t look broken to me,” Ben chuckled. “How long can we expect this blissful silence?”
“All through class.” I exaggeratedly batted my eyelashes.
“Yes,” Rick and Taylor fist-bumped each other.
I smiled before getting back to work. Damn, it felt good to be back!
Chapter 21