Branded - Eric Walters [6]
“Good, because—”
“I’ll hold out for at least three meals,” he said. “Or maybe it should be pro-rated. Two meals for each detention it costs me and four meals for each day of suspension.”
“Quit joking around.”
“I’m not joking. If she crosses Mr. Roberts on this, detentions and suspensions are definitely on the menu,” Oswald replied.
“Just don’t agree with her,” I said. I thought about how that might just get her going even more. “And don’t disagree with her either.”
Oswald laughed. “That narrows down the options. What are you suggesting?”
“Let’s just try to be neutral, not commit, not get involved, but not not get involved. Let’s wait her out until she gets calmer.”
“Does waiting her out ever work?” Oswald asked. “She just gets more revved up. Maybe we should just make a run for it and…too late. Here she comes.”
Julia walked toward us. I expected her to look angry, but she didn’t. Instead there was a smug little smirk on her face. She was enjoying this or was amused by it. Julia angry was dangerous. Julia amused was deadly.
She clicked her remote, and the car beeped and the locks clicked up. She climbed in, and I did a loop around Oswald and opened the back door. I gave him a little smile. He knew what I was doing and why I was doing it. Usually we would have fought for the front seat, but not today. I would have taken the trunk if I could have gotten away with it. Oswald climbed in beside Julia. What choice did he have?
I slid across the backseat so I was directly behind Julia. That way she couldn’t even see me in the rearview mirror.
Julia started the car, and we drove away. So far there was silence. Silence was good. Thirty seconds down and about five hundred to go, as long as we made all the lights and there was no traffic.
“So what are we going to do?” Julia asked.
I didn’t answer. I knew I could wait, and Oswald would fill the silence.
“What are we going to do about what?” Oswald asked.
“Are you stupid?” she snapped.
“Well, that’s another question completely. Are we going to do something about me being stupid? Is that what you mean?”
“There’s nothing that can be done about that, short of surgery or a miracle drug,” Julia said.
“I know enough to ‘just say no to drugs.’ Are you talking about the uniforms?” he asked.
“Of course I’m talking about the uniforms. What are we going to do?”
“That’s easy,” Oswald said. “We’re going to get those uniforms and put them on and then go to school. I’m looking forward to seeing you in one of those uniforms.”
“What?” Julia questioned.
“Yeah, I saw pictures of the girls’ uniform. Knees socks and short skirts and—”
“Shut up, Oswald.”
“And if you wore high heels, it would—”
“Do you want to walk?” Julia asked.
“Not really, but at least I’m wearing running shoes instead of high heels.”
“Shut up, Oswald. Ian, what are we going to do?” Julia asked.
“I’m thinking,” I replied. Of course, what I was thinking about was how much it would hurt if I jumped out of the moving car. Probably about the same pain as if I stayed.
“And do you have any ideas?” she asked.
“I’m working on eliminating ideas,” I answered.
“And what does that mean?”
“It means that we should rule certain things out. Things like posting nasty comments about Mr. Roberts on Facebook or threatening a boycott of school.”
Oswald snickered. “You’ve been there, done that, got the suspension.”
“I wasn’t planning to do any of those things,” she said. “Unlike some people in this car, I learn from my mistakes.”
“Hey, hey, I object to that comment!” Oswald said. “I eventually learn from my mistakes…and then move on to bigger, more interesting mistakes. You should both be grateful for what I do. I consider myself a role model.”
“Wanna explain that one?” I asked.
“What’s to explain? You learn from good examples and bad examples. You both have to admit that you have learned from my adventures.”
“No argument there,” Julia agreed. “So, Ian, what if we do one of those flash-mob things that you and Oswald