“Mr. Smeath, I’m really sorry but I’m not sure I’m following today. Maybe someone else can do the problem?” I asked as sweetly as possible. My blood was beginning to boil, though, at the fact that he was trying to make me look stupid. I hated looking stupid.

            “No, I think you should do it” was all he replied. The ugly smile still plagued his face, and now he stepped back, gesturing towards the board.

            “I really think someone else should do it, with all due respect, Sir” I spat, sarcasm dripping over the last words. This was not what I needed right now. I was stressed enough, I was not in the mood to go and display to the class how much I cared about calculus.

            “Mr. Smeath, I can – “ Began a guy who sat a few seats over from me, but he was interrupted.

            “No, Brendan. Spencer will do this one” I couldn’t understand the joy that Mr. Smeath took in seeing people uncomfortable.

            “No she won’t” I muttered under my breath. Not quietly enough.

            “Oh, she won’t? Well tell her that she can do it or spend the afternoon in detention.” The snarl widened. I didn’t know it was possible. I could see each of his yellowing teeth in that toothy grin, and I wanted nothing more than just to kick them all in.

            “She said she’ll take the latter” I replied quickly, hot with fury. The back of my mind squealed, but I was too mad to listen to it.

            “So be it. Detention for Miss Spencer Carlin”

Those were words that I never thought I’d hear. It hadn’t quite registered yet, but by the time the bell rang at the end of class, reality had begun to seep into my quickly cooling brain. I was going to detention. Spencer, the honor roll, straight A, never had a detention in her life student, had detention.

I moved idly through the halls and made my way to the cafeteria, a mixture of shock and anger twisting my mind. How could he do this? I just didn’t want to put a problem on the board! Was that such a big deal?

            My mind was quieted for a moment when I saw Avery waving me over to one of the tables, two trays of food already before her. I hadn’t thought about her in at least 15 minutes, and for a moment I found the silver lining of my situation. I had something to talk about to fill the guilty silence.