No Status Quo

14. Perfect Timing

And with that she exits the classroom, her dress flowing after her. As soon as she's out, everyone breaks into conversation. Shaking my head, I return my attention to the task at hand. I'm writing the notes when I hear a loud splash, followed by laughter. My head jerks up to see everyone laughing so hard, they're clutching their sides. I follow their gazes to a raised platform in the room. That is where we keep our previous artworks. Right now there are canvases with various sketches present there. But that isn't what's funny. Mandy Holland is laughing so loud, my grandmother would've heard her all the way in Thailand.

"What—?" I begin when Kate points straight.

And that's when I see it.

Leaving my things on the chair, I get up and go to the platform, my eyes widening with every step I take. Ren's canvas is covered in black paint, all signs of his sketch gone. Mandy—laughing hysterically with her twin—is adding more paint on it.

The nerve of those two,

"He's so gonna get a shock," Mandy sniggers, "Varner will give him a F and there you go. If you can't keep up with your grades, you get—"

Kicked out; so this was their plan. I stare at them in silence, rage consuming me. They asked for it. I walk over to the supplies cabinet and take out a small bucket of paint from the back. I scrunch up my nose because it's covered in dust but I have to do it. I've never felt so angry over something like this.

Then I walk over to the platform, straight towards Mandy, whose pug like face turns even more gleeful when she sees me.

"Alright, the queen's joining us too!" she announces, clapping her hands. Others follow suit, excited.

I can't wait to see their reactions.

I smile as I remove the lids. The strong smell of paint hits my nostrils. I lift the cans up as everyone hoots, stepping closer to my targets.

"I am so sorry," I say aloud for everyone to hear, putting on my best sad face. Three, two...one, "Mandy."

Smirking, I empty the cans over Mandy's canvas which is right next to Ren's. The black, sticky paint runs down the canvas, obscuring the sketch of a person. Mission accomplished baby,

The laughter ceases abruptly. Everyone has a look of horror on their face. They actually thought I would dump the paint on Ren's canvas, funny. I glance around.

"What did you do?!" Mandy shrieks,

Not laughing now, are you mands?

"You knew that the grade of this will count in the mid terms!"

"You knew that too," I retort, "Don't act dumb."

Before she can respond to that, Miss Varner enters the classroom, her eyes falling on us.

"Miss Rosen!" She gasps, eyes on the can in my hand. Some paint had dripped on my hand. Ugh.

I stop glaring at Mandy to look at her. Perfect timing, art teacher. Behind her, there's Ren. His eyes too fall on his canvas first, then at the cans in my hand, and finally Mandy's canvas. He looks back at me, stunned.

Five minutes later, I am seated in the vast room that overlooks the hills in the distance. Never in my life have I been to the principal's office. Well I have been, but never for doing something wrong.

Technically it wasn't wrong, Mandy had it coming. She wanted Ren expelled, alright. Two can play that game.

"—I'm not doing anything, just because you're the top student at Yolherth and this is your first time doing something like this, a mistake right."