Free Risen by Lauren Barnholdt, Aaron Gorvine

laughter passes through the room. There’s an enormous clock on the wall, not five feet from where I’m sitting.
    “I’m very serious when it comes to the rules about cellular phones. If it was up to me, they wouldn’t even be allowed in the building. Please go and see Mister McCafferty.”
    “I swear, it won’t happen again. Please don’t kick me out.” I can’t help it, the panic shows in my voice. I’ve never been kicked out of class before.
    Grimes points to the doorway. “Out. Zero tolerance policy, that’s how my classroom works.”
    I stand up, grab my backpack, and walk out. Everyone’s watching me. I can’t even look at Jay, I’m so pissed at him for getting me in trouble.
    Mister McCafferty, the housemaster, probably doesn’t even know who I am.
    When I get to McCafferty’s office, I tell his secretary that I’ve been kicked out of Western Civ for texting.
    She gives me a look over her wire-rimmed glasses. “You know better than that, don’t you?”
    “It was a mistake.”
    She frowns and punches the intercom. “Mister McCafferty, I have a student here for you.”
    I sit down on one of the tiny chairs and try to relax. Isn’t this the story with Jay?
    He somehow finds a way to twist every situation into something negative and dangerous.
    At least, that’s how he used to be and it doesn’t seem like anything has changed much in the meantime.
    It takes awhile for Mister McCafferty to bring me into his office, but finally he does. He’s a tall guy, with red cheeks and a thick sheet of gray hair that falls across his forehead. He occasionally brushes it away as he talks.
    “Have a seat,” he says in a deep voice that almost rumbles, closing the office door behind us.
    My hands are sweating.
    McCafferty’s office is small and smells like coffee. He goes back around his desk and sits. I sit down in one of the two chairs pulled up in front of his desk. There’s a mountain of papers and binders across the desk, forming something of a pyramid.
    “To what do I owe the pleasure?” he asks, leaning back and locking eyes with me.
    “Mister Grimes kicked me out of Western Civ for using my cell.”
    “Everyone knows he’s strict about that sort of thing. And you should know better than to be using your phone in class.”
    “It won’t happen again.”
    McCafferty nods. “You’ve never been in my office before, have you?”
    “No--I’m a pretty good student.”
    He smiles. “You seem nervous.”
    “I’m just not used to being in trouble, getting kicked out of class. My parents would kill me.”
    “Nobody’s contacting your parents over this. Consider it a warning. When you’re in Mister Grimes’s class, play by his rules, okay?”
    “Definitely.” I can barely keep the relieved smile off my face.
    “Some teachers are more laid back about this kind of thing, but rules are rules.
    You clearly understand that.”
    “Yes sir.”
    He smiles and sits forward. “Okay, then. Consider this your Get Out of Jail Free Card.”
    “I usually just try and roll sixes.”
    He cocks his head. “Excuse me?”
    “You know, in Monopoly,” I say, smiling to show it’s a joke. “You can either use the Get Out of Jail Free card or you can roll sixes…” I make a pretend dice throw but it’s not happening. My little joke attempt is a flop.
    McCafferty’s mouth twitches as the awkward silence deepens. Then finally he says, “Just keep your nose clean from here on out.”
    “Absolutely.” I take a deep breath and get up to leave.
    “By the way, just because I went easy on you today, don’t let this be the start of us seeing more of one another,” he says, when I reach the door. “I’m only nice the first time.”
    Leaving the office feels like I just got a new lease on life.
    I’ve gotten off easy. I really need to start being more careful. I can’t let Jay drag me into anymore dumb stuff. Mister McCafferty was sending me a message and I want to listen to the message.
    Unfortunately, Jay