Chapter 5 Red Venus

"Come in Devon" the principal, Mr Yang urges me to come in and take a seat. I couldn't help but be scared, what was my dad doing here? Right here?

Could this day seriously get any worse? First I was sent out of class for something I didn't do, then I ran into Wanda and had to deal with her blabbering and unsought opinion about my personality, and now my dad.

My dad, turns to see who just walked in and our eyes meet, and I look down. I didn't want to look him in the eyes. He had this look that said 'what did you do now?' which annoyed me because why does everyone think I am a troubled kid? Throughout my stay here, not once was he called to school because of me, never, so the fact that he was giving me that look now, who pissing me off.

"Sit down Devon," Principal Yang says, and I take out the other chair next to my dad, then I put my backpack on the floor next to me. I was quiet as I wanted them to finish their conversation before I state what brought me here and I was hoping principal Yang doesn't ruin that by asking me that now, with my dad present.

"What brings you here?" Principal Yang asks and I mentally facepalm.

This day could go way worse than I thought.

What do I do? Do I lie and say I'm here for something else? But then he would wonder why I chose to come now during lecture time.

Or do I tell him the real reason why? With my dad and risk him start acting out in from of him? There was no way out of this.

I took a deep breath and mentally prepare myself for whatever outcome I will face because of my choice.

"I was sent by Rh-, Miss Rhea to come here," I say, quickly stopping myself from calling her Rhea.

"Oh! Well, does she need anything?" Principal Yang asks leaving me stunned.

From what I can tell, when you are sent to the principal's office, it could only mean one thing, because they automatically just assume you did something wrong, so when he asked if Miss Rhea needed anything, I couldn't help but be surprised.

Now I had the choice to take advantage of the situation and say Rhea needed something. But what could she need? I think to myself in case he buys my story.

Or I could come clean, and tell him Miss Rhea asked me to come to see him because I disrupted her class.

"Oh no sir, she doesn't need anything. Uhmm...." I stuttered under the gaze Principal Yang was giving me, and from the corner of my eyes, I could see my dad giving me the same look.

I took in a deep breath to serve as courage before speaking up "She sent me out for disrupting her class" I say my head facing down, waiting for the storm.

"Seriously Devon? It's barely been five hours since school resumption and you are already being sent out for disrupting lectures? You are not bright in school and yet you deny to focus in class. What do I do with you? No, seriously I want to know because right now I am very disappointed in you" my dad says, making sure I don't miss the disappointment in his voice.

I knew that was to be expected I knew what was going to come out of his mouth but that didn't stop the ache I felt in my chest as he said those words.

My dad and I hardly see eye to eye, which results in us always fighting, and throwing words at each other, but hearing him say those words cut deeper than it should have.

"No need for the yelling" Principal Yang says trying to get my dad to lower his tone. "I know Devon, this is the first time she's in my office so don't be hard on her" Principal Yang says.

At least someone took the time to study me, shamefully enough, it wasn't my dad but the principal.

"Since it's your first time Devon, I will let this slide, but don't let it repeat itself," principal Yang says giving me a heartwarming smile.

"Thank you, sir," I say picking up my bag and getting ready to walk out the door when my dad spoke up.

"We're not done here" he orders

Even with people around, he wants to show them that he's an arsehole?

"What is it, father?" I ask, intentionally calling him father to spite him because I know he hates when I call him that.

He rolls his eyes before answering "I was just telling Theodore that I don't want him granting you any special favours, so if you mess up be ready to face the consequences" he says not bothering to look at me.

Who the fuck is Theodore

Oh! Principal Yang is Theodore. How have I never known that?

But then again, it's my first time being in his office so one couldn't blame me for not knowing his name is Theodore.

Plus he introduced himself to us as Principal Yang and everyone calls him that.

"Come on now Anthony, Devon is a good kid. Have faith in her" Principal Yang says, looking at me and smiling and I returned the smile.

And all along I thought he was an arse.

I walked out of the office, at the same time as the bell for the second period went off. I sighed as I made my way to the third period- Entrepreneurship, which was on the other side of the campus.

"Hey, I'm sorry for putting you in trouble Dev," red says walking next to me

I stopped walking to look at her "Dev? It's Devon to you we're not friends" I say as I continue my way to class.

"Not yet," she says cheerfully, then continues to walk next to me, this puts her hand in mine, taking me by surprise.

"What is your problem red?" I ask taking out my hand from hers

"Nothing. I'm walking with you to class. What period do you have now?" she asks.

Good heavens! How do I get rid of this girl?

"Entrepreneurship now leaves me alone," I say walking ahead.

"Oh cool, me too. Let's walk together" she says, meeting up with me, putting her hand in mine again.

"What do you want with me Red?" I ask again, this time my voice higher than the last time and stopping in my steps to face her.

"Nothing," she says, looking down like a lost puppy, now making me feel horrible for raising my voice at her.

God! Officially the worst day first day of school.

"I'm sorry for yelling, I'm just annoyed," I say putting my hand on her shoulder.

"And I'm sorry for getting you in trouble," she says her voice sounding like a three-year-old kid who was denied her favourite cookie.

"It's okay, but I need to go, I will be late for third," I say walking away, but red, however, followed me and this time, I didn't remove her hand from mine as we walked towards the hall for the third period.

The building was the same one where I had the second period but on the second floor. The students who filled the court, rushed to class, some holding their books against their chest and others, gripping their backpacks tight as the first bell went off, as a warning sign.

Luckily, we got to the third period as the second bell went off, but the class was already filled with students who were gawking at us- mostly me.

"Hurry up" the teacher urged us to take our seats so he can proceed with his lectures.

The only empty seats were found in the back of the class and as red and I walked to the back of the class, the entire class stared at us like we were two lost fellows.

"Dang, these people sure do know how to make someone feel conscious" red says the moment we sat down. I shushed her as I took out my book from my backpack.

The lecturer, unlike Rhea, didn't border to introduce himself or take attendance as he immediately dived into lectures. I wouldn't be surprised if he gave us an assignment on the first day.

As minutes quickly passed, I found out that this was an interesting course. Although the lecturer sounded like an arse, he took his time ensuring that we were all caught up with lectures, and if one person didn't understand, he joyously takes it all over again.

That showed how much he loved his job.

As soon as the bell went off, he was back to being an arse and as expected, he gave us assignments. it's like whenever he gets into lecturing, he goes into another world because he explains with so much passion and love, but the bell went off, indicating that his class was over and in a blink, he was back.

"The assignment is to be done in groups. I am too lazy to pair you up so you work with your seatmate or whomever you want" the lecturer spoke up, his head down as he got his notes in order.

I look around the class and everyone was chitchatting and choosing their partners. My eyes scanned the room until it landed on red whose gave was already on me, giving me a creepy smile.

"Howdy there, partner," she says with a fake southern accent.

I had found a partner and only then did I realise that I would rather work with red than work with another person.

So I smiled at her and replied with a fake southern accent, "Howdy partner" I say and she giggles like a small kid.

Unlike first period and a second period where, once the bell was sung, we matched out of the class like bees following a jar of honey, with Mr Entrepreneurship, we sat still waiting for his permission to exit the class, not because he asked us to, but the look he gave the first student who woke up to leave made us all conscious.

Red and I walked together out of class. She was blabbing on about something but my mind was somewhere else. I had survived through three periods, I just need to sit through this one and French, and then, I will have Rhea before me.

I couldn't wait.

"Why are you smiling?" I hear someone say and I turn, my gaze meeting a confused red.

"What?" I ask

"Why are you smiling? is it because of what I said?" she says giving me a blank look.

I had no idea what she said because I wasn't paying attention, so I nod forcefully, until she finally broke out in a fit of laughter, making me laugh awkwardly.

"God! that was awesome," she says, wiping the corner of her eyes and I nod.

"What period do you have now bestie?" she asks and I furrowed my brow

Bestie?

"English," I say

"Wow sick, me too," she says excitedly jumping around me like I just told her she'd won the lottery.

"You know what bestie? let's look at our timetable and see if we have more classes together" she says already going through her bag, searching for her timetable.

"Not now, we'll be late to class," I say as the first bell went off. So we fasten our pace to the hall for English, which was in the next building on the third floor.

This class wasn't boring and it wasn't interesting, maybe because I wasn't fully focused. I was here but my mind was already in detention.

"Are you here?" red nudges me in the side and I look at her with an annoyed expression

"Jeez, calm down. I'm just trying to save your ass. The lecturer has been giving you the death glare" she says putting her hands up in a defensive manner.

"Oh okay, thank you," I say. I face the front of the class to try and pay attention just in time to see the lecturer staring at me like I had killed his hamster.

He rolled his eyes and continued lecturing while my brain once again switched itself to autopilot.

And that happened with French class too. The lecturer gave me glances, I tried to pay attention, but end up zoning out again.

I never thought I'd say this but I couldn't wait to be in detention.

And as soon as the bell rang, I carried my backpack and sprinted out of class. Red followed behind me, yelling and asking me to wait up.

"Hey, wait up" she calls out as she struggled to meet up with me. I slowed my pace to enable her to meet up with me. I guess she didn't notice I had stopped walking because she bumped into me.

"Where are you off to in such haste?" she asks panting as she puts her hands on her knee trying to catch her breath.

"I have detention remember?" I say.

Red gives me a look that said 'are you seriously excited for detention?'

"You're weird Dev" she pauses "I like it," she says smiling and I smile back at her.

"Anyways, I shouldn't keep you much longer, give me your phone" she orders, and I ask searching through my backpack taking out my phone, she yanked it out of my grasp. She typed something into it before handing it to me.

"That's my number, text me when you're home so we can fix a schedule for our assignment," she says and I nod.

"Bye bestie," she says, placing a kiss on my jaw and happily hopping from side to side like a little school girl who had just received a lollipop.

I smile and shook my head at her childlike attitude before looking at my phone to see what she had scribbled in.

"Bestie Venus" followed by a smiley emoji and a heart.

So red's name is Venus?

I like red better.

* * * * * * * * * * *