Episode 46: Scene Three
Karen quietly walked into Mr. Grant's classroom. It was time for history, and she for one wasn't excited. Mr. Grant was giving a test over eighty pages of the book that the class was reading, a book that Karen despised. She couldn't exactly say why. She just did.
A young man with a messy crop of brown hair sitting on the back row caught her attention for a moment. Her eyes narrowed. Tanner. Karen clutched her books tighter. She took her seat beside him, but did not offer any greetings. The sting of their first meeting still lingered in her mind.
"Well, well. Miss Berkley has decided to grace us with her presence," Tanner taunted.
"Cut the crap, son. I'm not in the mood for it today, so leave me alone," Karen snapped in return.
Tanner raised his hands. "Please excuse me. I forgot the golden rule that one must not speak unless spoken to by Queen Karen. What was I thinking?"
Karen turned her head sharply. Her violet-blue eyes flashed and sparked at tanner. "Why are you doing this? I haven't said a word to you since that day on the pier, so why are you starting this again? Can't you leave well enough alone?"
Tanner leaned in closer to her. "You insulted my friend," he said, his voice low and resounding. "I don't take kindly to people insulting my friends."
"And I'm supposed to like it when you do it to mine? I don't think so, Tanner. If you actually believe that, you'd better take that brain of yours in for a tune-up. I've heard that the auto shop down the street can make something out of nothing."
Tanner winced mockingly. "Ooh, where'd you get that one from? Let me take a jab: 101 Ways to Come Up With a Lame Comeback. You've gotta do better than that."
Karen's anger was on the verge of taking control of her mind. She took a deep breath before saying, "Don't mess with me right now. I'm in no mood for your crap nor will I be anytime soon. Take it somewhere else, because I'm not havin' it!"
"Whatcha gonna do? You gonna go run and tell daddy that mean ol' Tanner's bothering you?" Tanner teased.
"What does my father have to do with this?"
"It's not secret that your pop is the Superintendent of Schools. I'm sure you tell him all about the little enemies you make here at school, don't you?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but I barely talk to my dad enough to let him now who I like and who I hate, so you can take your trailer park behind somewhere else!"