each allowed one five-minute bathroom break,’ Mr. Curtis said, ignoring Q’s crude comment. ‘Let’s not make this harder than it needs to be, okay?’
Cece let out an exasperated groan.
‘And one more thing,’ Mr. Curtis said, placing the now-empty box in front of them. ‘Cell phones. Put them in the box.’
‘No friggin’ way,’ Jackie said.
‘What if there’s an emergency?’ Teddy asked.
‘Your parents are aware you’re here. They can call the school if something is wrong. This isn’t my rule.’
‘This is ridiculous!’ Cece said.
Mr. Curtis sighed.
Zoe wished they would stop fighting him. Didn’t they see he was doing his best? He seemed as annoyed as she was. She doubted he’d expected such a big group this week.
‘Maybe you should have thought of that before ending up here. Phones, now, please,’ Mr. Curtis said.
Zoe dropped hers into the box first, hoping the others would follow without complaint. Mr. Curtis briefly nodded at her before settling his gaze on the others.
The rest complied, but Holly and Jackie hesitated. Jackie hugged the phone to her as if it were a lifeline.
‘You first,’ Holly challenged.
Jackie grumbled and tossed her phone in, then Holly did the same.
Zoe exhaled, not sure why she’d held her breath. Had she expected a bigger fight? Mr. Curtis held power over them today, so it was in everyone’s best interest to do as he asked. She doubted anyone wanted another detention.
Well, anyone except for her.
Mr. Curtis lifted the empty box from the table. ‘I’ll be in the office right over there if you need me. But I suggest you get to work. This will take you until the end of detention.’
Mr. Curtis went into the office, which was partially blocked by two large bookshelves.
Jackie passed out the staplers while Cece started sorting the slips of paper in front of them.
Zoe watched her teacher dump the phones into a filing cabinet and then lock the drawer. Then he settled into his chair and turned toward the computer. Today hadn’t started off as planned. But if they finished early, there was a possibility of getting it back on track.
‘I can’t believe that loser took our phones,’ Jackie muttered. ‘Loser’ was her word of choice. Zoe had heard that word directed at everyone who wasn’t in Jackie’s cheer clique.
‘How will your little friends survive without you?’ Q asked with a sneer.
‘Shut up, loser,’ Jackie said.
‘Ooh,’ Q jeered. ‘I’m shaking in my boots.’
She looked down at his feet. ‘Hideous boots.’
Q eyed her for a moment before scanning the others at the table.
Zoe focused on the slips, making a neat pile in front of her.
‘How did you end up in here, princess?’ Q asked Cece.
‘That’s none of your business,’ she said and glanced behind her at Mr. Curtis. ‘Don’t talk to me.’
Q let out a low whistle. ‘Touchy. It must have been something terrible for you all to get here. I normally spend my Saturdays alone.’ Q leaned back and pressed his head into his hands, giving off the appearance that he was cool with the whole situation.
Zoe narrowed her eyes. She’d attended detention for the past eight weeks. She hadn’t been on the roster, but her butt was in that same chair at eight in the morning every single Saturday. Q hadn’t been. Why was Q trying to appear like he had?
Zoe wanted to say something to knock him down a few pegs, but then Q would probably hound her on why she was here today too. So she kept her mouth shut.
‘That’s something to be proud of,’ Cece muttered.
‘We should get started,’ Teddy said.
Zoe glanced at Teddy who was already hard at work. He had a small chain of paper circles in front of him. He kept out of the conversation. That was his way. It had been ever since they’d met in kindergarten. He never got into trouble which was why it was so surprising to see him in detention.
‘You’re right,’ Holly said, pulling a smattering of slips in front of her. ‘I don’t want to be here all day.’
‘Mr. Curtis never promised we’d get out early,’ Cece said, turning her stapler until it sat right at the edge of the table.
‘I’d rather take that chance,’ Jackie said. ‘We have an early practice tomorrow, and I want to prepare.’
Zoe shook her head slightly. How much preparation did a cheerleader actually need?
She lifted a slip of paper and touched the two ends together until it was circular then stapled them.
One down, hundreds more to go…
She’d completed over a dozen of them before she took a break and flexed her hand. Apparently, Mr. Curtis had found the most ancient staplers in the school. Pressing down on it over and over made her hand hurt.
As if he heard her thoughts about him, Mr. Curtis strode out of the office, and Zoe sat up straighter, grabbing a piece of paper, appearing busy and unfazed by her sore hand.
Everyone looked up at him.
‘I’m going to make a quick phone call. I’m trusting you all to stay seated. Don’t force my hand in giving you another detention, okay, guys?’
‘Can you grab me a soda while you’re out there?’ Q asked with a smirk.
Mr. Curtis ignored him.
When their teacher left the room, the sound of staplers ceased to fill the space.
So much for working together to get out early.
Everyone stared at the door. The moment suspended in the air was thick and made Zoe’s stomach harden.
The crack of Teddy’s stapler next to her shattered the silence.
Zoe had nothing else to do with her hands, so she continued, keeping her eyes on the project.
Q linked his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. ‘Who’s going to be the first to spill
