The next day started as normal. "Arthur!" His mom barges in. "What in the world are you doing? It's 7:00 and school starts in 15 minutes."
"Sorry mom... I was just thinking-"
"How late do you want to be on your last day? Come on, come on, I need to take you and your brothers to school and I have to work too, so please, chop, chop."
"Sorry, mom." Arthur says in embarrassment as he gets everything ready. They leave for Arthur's school first and when Arthur gets there, he sees his friends together already and Arthur is blown away. Tyler, wearing a really nice black suit and tie, is the first to wave at the car. "Hey, Ms.Grey, long time no see."
"Hey Tyler. Please don't be late to class again, and get my son there too," she says as she slopes over to see Arthur's friends. "Hey girls, y'all are looking very pretty today."
"Thank you, Ms.Grey. Always have to make a good last impression." Elizabeth says spinning and stops facing the group again.
"Thank you, Ms.Grey, I hope we can get to class on time though, I don't want to be late." Kat says, looking at her phone in her green short dress.
"Ok honey, please text me when school is done. See you kids." She says as she drives off. When Arthur starts to get a better look, he realizes that Elizabeth looks mesmerizing. She grabs her long curly hair and places it on her right shoulder. The tips of the hairs are coated with glitter and gold. The curls are big enough to put a finger or two in the hole. Arthur studies the beautiful blue dress she is wearing. A long dark blue dress that has a single strap on her right shoulder and a golden line going from the top of her shoulder to the bottom of her dress with every ten inches, a new line extending from the first one.
"Wow Elizabeth, you look gorgeous," he says with his eyes widened. Arthur has seen Elizabeth a few times in a dress, but this is the first time he had seen her curl her hair and with more makeup than usual. Now that they’re dating, he feels more relaxed with saying these words to her without any drawbacks. Elizabeth starts messing with her hair.
"Thanks, you too. I mean- you look handsome! Haha ummmm..... can we go in so we can leave?" Elizabeth says, covering her face as Kat and Tyler giggle. As they enter the school, they see on the balcony a banner saying 'CONGRATS ON GRADUATION! GOOD LUCK ON YOUR FUTURE!' and some teachers are trying to put it up with students. The gang ignores everyone and goes into their first classroom, filled with loud and talkative students and Mr. Berry who is reading a magazine for 'Best teacher of the year'. Mr. Berry sighs and places the magazine down and looks at the four of them.
"Hot momma, why are y'all looking so nice today?" He asks looking confused for a few seconds then looks at Arthur and his eyes widened. "OH OK! So just because you say that I'm your favorite teacher makes you think that I will let all of you go and have a crazy fancy party without me? Well, if you think I'm going to let this happen on your last day of your entire high school life." He stands up and reaches behind him and grabs some money. " Don't forget to buy me something please," as he smiles and gives Arthur the money. With that, Arthur, Tyler, Elizabeth, and Kat all smile, nod and start to walk out. "Oh ,hold up Arthur, forgot to tell you but Principal Johnson needs you to go to his office and talk to him. Sorry and no it's not because you are leaving to go and eat."
“Of course he does. Guys head to the car. I’ll be there shortly.” Arthur says as he gives a sigh. They nod and he walks over to the principal's office to talk with Mr. Johnson. His walk is a quiet one and he knows what it is about: his career. How he wants to live his life his way but people decide to try and control how he lives. As Arthur continues to walk, he turns the corner to see the woman he saw a few days ago, except she is in a bright white dress. It almost looks like a wedding dress he thinks. She looks up at Arthur and gives him a smile and walks towards him. She leans in and whispers into his ear "You have awakened, be ready for the monsters that will come for you and don't forget to always trust your friends Arthur." And she walks through Arthur, blinding him for a split second, but in that moment he sees a man covered in ooze smiling devilishly and when he wakes up, he is in the Principal's office. Mr. Johnson staring at Arthur angrily confused, waiting for an answer.
"Well, I'm not really in the mood to ask again, Mr. Grey, but I will repeat myself. You still have the recommendations to do for the scholarship you are asking for. I thought we had a talk to insert my name in there. Why are you putting Mr. Berry?”
"I told you that I want to have Mr. Berry for a recommendation. Sorry, but he helped me with a lot of my classes like Forensic Science and he has been an inspiration to me for my four years in this school. Why does it matter, though? Do you really need more recommendations to leave the school?” Arthur says as he quietly takes his phone out. He has used his phone enough times to activate the video record button without looking at the screen. Mr. Johnson looks at Arthur and rolls his eyes.
“I heard that Benny has been causing issues for you. And I can't defend you once you get out of school. Benny could come by and say hey to you or you could recommend me and all this can be slid under the rug like nothing happened, ok? I want the world to know who you are and I want them to know you came to this school. Everyone will see me as a great man and you can follow your path to greatness. They will remember me-”
“Dude, you’re crazy.” Arthur says with a laugh. “ Yeah, I don’t care what happens with you, I’m putting Mr.Berry as my recommendation and if you try to do something about it like blackmail with….. I don't know what to call this half ass scheme, then you will get totally blasted in court because I have something that you didn't think about.” Arthur reaches into his pocket and takes out his phone that has been recording the conversation. “ A phone, Mr. Johnson. A phone can send you back to wherever you came from. This is called blackmail and I think mine is better than yours, now leave me alone for the rest of my life, ok?” Arthur walks out and sighs. Sorry Mr.Berry, hope they don't fire you, Arthur thinks. He leaves the school to find his friends waiting for him. They get into Tyler's 1968 Camaro. Tyler turns around and gives out a massive grin and turns back to drive to the lunch party they planned for themselves. “I could have gotten Mr. Berry fired today,” Arthur blurts out. The gang turns back to stare at Arthur in confusion.
“What do you mean ‘got him fired’?” Elizabeth asks. Arthur explains what happened and they look at Arthur, then at each other. “I’m sure he’ll be fine. Mr.Berry is a good teacher, so even if they do fire him, he’ll get a different job, no problem.” They arrive at a Brazilian steakhouse for lunch. Kat is so excited she springs out of the car.
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