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“Take a seat, Mr. Spencer,” Mr. Devine says, not looking up from his book, as Shawn enters the classroom.
Shawn doesn’t need to be told twice. He knows the drill by now. He takes a seat in the back row, in the corner, where he can see the entire classroom. “How’s your wife? Recovering from the fall well?”
“No talking,” his teacher says, looking over his book now at the teenager, his eyes giving a silent warning.
“Alright, fine,” Shawn says, holding his hands up in defeat. “Don’t say I didn’t try to take an interest in your life, Mr. D.”
Shawn was no stranger to after-school detention. It was almost a game for him. How much could he get away with before his teachers actually noticed? This particular detention was given to him when he tried to crawl out of a window. His math teacher, Mrs. Wright, was just droning on and on, writing formula after formula on the board. Gus wasn’t in math with him, so he didn’t have the usual objector to keep him in line. He’d slowly gotten up, inching between the desks towards the window, gently opening the window so it wouldn’t squeak. He’d gotten one whole leg out the window before the snickers of the other kids gave him away. Mrs. Wright had been all too quick with the detention slip.
Shawn grabbed his copy of The Count of Monte Cristo , propped his feet up on the desk, and settled in for the next hour and a half. Detention was boring, sure, but at least he didn’t have to go home and listen to his parents argue all afternoon.
When another student came into the room, Shawn didn’t look up. Students came in for detention all the time, but he didn’t really care about them. It was the flash of long, blonde hair that he saw over the cover of his book that caught his attention when a girl sat down a few rows ahead of him.
Shawn glanced over her - bookbag full, pants neat, shirt tucked in, hair in a tight ponytail. Not to mention the slightly terrified look on her face. This girl absolutely did not belong here. He considered going back to his book, but then this girl turned around and gave him a little, nervous smile and a wave. God, her smile was so sweet. And her eyes were a brilliant shade of blue. He needed to get to know this girl.
He puts his book back into his backpack before standing up from his desk gingerly. He shuffles slowly through the aisles, crouching down so Mr. Devine won’t notice until he sits in the desk next to this mystery girl.
The girl looks over at him and gives him another small smile, but she goes back to the book on her desk quickly. Shawn pulls a notebook from his bag and quickly scribbles her a note.
First time?
He discreetly scoots the notebook onto her desk, over her book, so she can’t miss it. The girl bites her lips, containing a laugh, before writing back.
Is it that obvious?
I can always spot a first-timer. What did you do?
I was late for class.
Shawn gives her a shocked face, wagging his finger at her. She giggles softly, snatching back the notebook when he tries to take it away.
What did YOU do?
Tried to jump out of a window.
The girl gives him a startled look, but he shakes his head, continuing his note.
It was on the 1st floor. Don’t worry. And only one leg made it out.
Why were you trying to get out of a window?
Boredom. And to see if I could.
I guess you got your answer.
She gives him a grin, turning towards him more as they write. Her posture was casual, open. She liked him. Maybe not like that (not yet, he thought) but they seemed to have an instant connection. Even though he was in detention, this was turning out to be one of the best days of school he could remember.
Why were you late?
I overslept. I was working on a family tree project for Spanish last night, got to bed late. My brothers didn’t even wake me up.
That’s pretty rude.
They’re pretty rude.
Shawn.
Juliet.
Her name, Juliet, was written in cursive, unlike the rest of her writing. Shawn assumes that’s how she writes it on all her work. He’d read a book on handwriting analysis in 8th grade. Her cursive was angled, loopy, but firm. He guesses she is emotional, patient, and open-minded.
Shawn looks up at her with a little smile of his own. “Juliet,” he whispers in greeting, extending his hand.
“Shawn,” Juliet says back in a whisper, shaking his hand. It’s a quick shake, barely anything. But Shawn doesn’t want to let go of her hand.
He does let go, of course, because they just met. But now a plan is hatching in his mind.
You wanna get out of here, Juliet?
Juliet immediately shakes her head, but Shawn puts a finger to his lips to shush her.
He takes a moment to look around, assessing the scene - they can’t just walk out or both ask to go to the bathroom at the same time. Mr. Devine is distracted, but for them to make a getaway, ideally, he needs to leave them alone for just a moment. Then Shawn sees it - a coffee cup, probably cold from this morning, but still half full.
Pack your bag. Then get ready to run.
Juliet’s eyes are wide, still looking unsure, but she puts her books and papers back into her bag, zipping it up.
Shawn does the same, putting his book and the notebook with their notes in it in his backpack. He thinks he’ll be keeping that notebook safe.
Keeping his backpack in his hand, he gets up leisurely to go over to Mr. Devine’s desk. “Hey, Mr. D, can I go to the bathroom?” Shawn asks once he’s standing close to the teacher’s desk.
“Sign out by the door,” Mr. Devine tells him, eyes still glued to his book.
“Thanks,” Shawn says, turning exaggeratedly, bumping into the desk hard. When he does, the cup of cold coffee goes all over Mr. Devine’s lap.
“Son of a— Spencer, what...urgh,” he says, reaching for the tissues that are close, but they do little to help the sopping mess his clothes have become.
Mr. Devine gets up with a loud grumble, cursing to himself under his breath, and he heads out of the room. Shawn creeps towards the door after his teacher leaves, peering out to make sure he’s gone. “Alright, let’s go,” Shawn says, motioning for Juliet to follow him.
Juliet gets up quickly, deftly making her way to the door as well, peeking down both sides of the hallway as well to make sure they are alone. “Do you think we can just...leave?”
“I mean, we are able to leave, sure. Our teacher’s left us alone. We were scared. We didn’t know what to do. So we went home,” Shawn says with a little smirk as he steps out into the hall.
“So we’re ditching detention, is that what’s happening?” Juliet asks though she walks alongside him.
Shawn shrugs, “You didn’t seem the type to be in there in the first place. I’m just righting a wrong in the world.”
Juliet begins to chuckle, but she’s cut off by a yell from down the hall. “Hey!” Mr. Devine says, coming out of the teacher’s lounge with paper towels in his hands. “Where are you two going?”
“Run!” Shawn says, reaching out to grab her hand, dragging her down the hallway. They hear Mr. Devine yell at them to stop, but when Shawn glances back as they turn down another hallway, he’s not chasing after them. It doesn’t stop him from running, though. He knows if he stops, he’ll have to let go of her hand and he’s not ready to do that just yet.
So they run down a hall, a flight of stairs, and another hall until they make it to a side door. Finally, Shawn lets go of her hand, leaning against the wall to catch his breath. Juliet leans against the wall across from him, looking back down the hall they came down before giggling to herself, “Oh my god. I just...ran away from a teacher.”
Shawn laughs as well, smiling at her, “First time for that too?”
She nods, taking a deep breath, standing up straight. “Uh, yeah...I’ve never even not answered a teacher’s question before.”
“Ah, well...stick with me, kid, and there can be a lot more firsts,” Shawn teases, letting the implication hang heavy in the air.
Juliet’s cheeks turn a little pink at the suggestion, but she gives him a little smile back. “Well...thank you. Since you’ve so graciously bailed me out of detention, I guess I’m going to head home,” she says, moving towards the door. “I’ll see you later, Shawn.”
“Bye, Jules,” Shawn says with a little wave, leaning heavily against the wall as he watches her walk out. He sighs, seeing her walk away out of the little window, trying to think of all the ways he could think of to pop back up in her life again.