The Millennial Box by Julie Steimle (snow like ashes .TXT) 📖

don't know if I can believe anything you say anymore."

Jeff's face fell, as Brian was someone he honestly admired. He shook his head and turned back, feeling sick. "You're right. I do lie a lot. If I could tell you why, I would, but...." He then peeked at Zormna, "But there are just too many complications right now. Just please believe me that this one thing is true."

Brian still looked sad, gazing at the ground.

"Will you believe me?" Zormna broke in, peering at Brian's face.

Brian lifted his eyes to her.

She said plainly so that everyone would hear and hopefully quell the rumor, "I swear on my parents' graves that I am still a virgin, ok? And so is he."

An embarrassed smile of relief spread on Joy's face, and she smiled at Jeff who nodded.

"Not just technically, but entirely and completely," Zormna added. She stood up and said enough for the entire room to hear, "And if anyone says any different, I'll kick their butts so hard that their legs will bleed."

Jeff caught a laugh in his throat. There was no way he could get away with such a threat. It sounded kind of cute coming from Zormna, as she still came across as porcelain doll.

Mr. Humphries walked in the room that very minute. "Miss Clendar! Threats are not permitted in this classroom."

He marched to his desk.

Zormna went paler and sat down.

The class turned their stare at their teacher, who they knew per rumor saw Jeff and Zormna at the gas station. Mr. Humphries said nothing about the incident, however. He proceeded right on into the class hour without a word about what he saw, and he only made mention of it when the class bell had rung and Jeff and Zormna had to see him to get their detentions for ditching school. He didn't let anyone listen in.

The second hour was worse. Michelle Clay gloated over Zormna in a superior kind of triumph when Zormna came into the room with Adam.

"Well, well, well." Michelle grinned, tossing her hair back. "Little miss, 'I-would-never-do-that' did it again. Welcome to the club of Women of the World."

Ignoring her, Zormna sat in front of Jessica who shook her head and asked about Florida. Zormna whispered back that she would tell her later, while Jennifer McLenna pretended not to be listening in. Zormna did not have any time to let Jennifer know what had gone on during the trip that morning, and her parents didn't want the subject breeched within earshot at home, as they didn't want Jennifer to get any ideas. They had found out on their own about the hickey and were being much stricter about the amount of time their daughter spent with Kevin.

"You know," Michelle whispered over the aisle while Stacey listened in with relish, "You really ought to stop dressing like a thing from another decade and start using your assets. I mean, come on. Everybody knows you're built. If you want to impress the guy, give him something to look at."

Zormna clenched her teeth. "Shut it right now, Michelle. Or so help me..."

"Or you can pose nude for Jessica and you can give him the picture," Stacey suggested.

Zormna popped out of her seat, face hot. Jessica and Jennifer jumped up to pull her down.

Michelle and Stacey, and those sitting around them, pulled back, startled.

"She's an idiot," Jessica said. "Ignore her."

"It's not worth it," Jennifer said.

Both girls shared looks. But Zormna sat down.

Throughout the rest of the lesson, Zormna avoided Miss Bianchi's disapproving stares and tried to focus on her class assignment. But girls three rows down kept sending her rude notes calling her a slut and a ho. She knew the word slut. Jennifer had explained it way back when she first became a cheerleader. But the slang term ho was unfamiliar. It wasn't in her vocabulary lessons back Home. However, Zormna guessed the meaning, grinding her teeth.

Her third hour was little better. Jennifer shielded her from the snarky remarks mostly. And her Biology teacher had not even known that she had been gone Monday and Tuesday. All she had to do was play catch-up on her labs and homework assignments. They were dissecting cats, something even Jennifer McLenna had a hard time stomaching. This one had already been started by Jennifer - and so all Zormna had to do was sketch out the things taken out and write out her observations. It still made her ill, but at least in that hour everyone was too busy to send her nasty notes.

Chemistry with Darren in the fourth hour started another lump of agony. A few sneers and jeers were passed her way, which Zormna expertly ignored - up until a boy in the class actually grabbed her butt. A bad move.

She hurled the boy hard against the wall.

"How dare you!" she screamed.

Since it had happened so fast, both of them were sent to Vice Principal Vicksler's office. One of the school security guards escorted them there. Zormna was sure he was an FBI agent under cover. He delivered them to the hall right outside the officer where they found Jeff and another boy sitting on opposite ends of the bench.

Zormna went right up to Jeff. "You too?"

Jeff lifted his gaze then nodded. He shot the other boy a dirty look. "Nimrod here said something unmentionable."

Looking over at the boy, whom Zormna did not know, she wondered what kind of name was Nimrod. That boy winked at Zormna when she sat down to wait her turn for her lecture and punishment.

"Nimrod means idiot, Zormna," Jeff said, then gestured for her to sit next to him, shooting the boy that had been brought over with Zormna a sharp look. "What'd he do?"

Zormna shook her head, sure Jeff would break that classmate's neck if she told. "Doesn't matter. We're both in trouble."

There was a lot of waiting. All four were bored, listening for the footfalls of Mr. Vicksler. Zormna tried to occupy her time by counting the holes in the ceiling. Jeff was mentally going over what he intended to say to the vice principal.

The boy that had apparently upset Jeff leaned near her, hesitated, then whispered into her ear. "What size is your bra?"

Immediately Jeff jumped from the bench and jerked him away from Zormna, throwing him to the other end of the hall. The security guards on duty jumped.

"You stay there!" Jeff yelled, fuming. His fists had balled up with the desire to pound the boy into the cinderblocks.

The boy tumbled back, yet maintained his leer at her and him, with a peek to the security. He lifted his hands as if he had not done anything, yet he stepped back against Mr. Vicksler just as the man was stepping out of his office. Two other teachers were with him - Mr. Humphries and Mrs. Ryant.

"Felix Johnson! Look where you're stepping!" Mr. Vicksler barked, backing off onto Mr. Humphries' foot.

Mr. Humphries winced.

The vice principal then peered at both Zormna and Jeff. "You two decided to see me early? What have you done now?"

They both stood up and talked all at once. "He grabbed me!" Zormna snapped, pointing back at Jeremy who flinched, as Jeff said, "He was saying things about Zormna that I can't even repeat!"

Zormna stared at Jeff when she heard him. "He what?" Her eyes viciously fixed on Felix who didn't look the slightest bit repentant.

"He grabbed you?" Jeff whipped his glare onto Jeremy who sidestepped towards the security guards for protection.

Mr. Vicksler stepped forward, shoulders back as he bristled. "Enough! Miss Clendar! Mr. Streigle! You two, into my office, now!"

Both teenagers stopped and grudgingly walked toward Mr. Vicksler's office. Together, they glared venomously back at the two boys. Going in, Jeff and Zormna shared a look of dread.

Through the door, they heard Mr. Vicksler's voice rise as he railed into the boys outside. Inappropriateness, he said. Sexual harassment, he said. Dangerous, volatile personalities, he said. Pulling the tiger's tail, he said. She could sue, he said. Has a lawyer, he said. FBI are watching them, he said. And then there was silence. Jeff and Zormna exchanged yet another silent look, wondering what had been contents of the entire lecture, as clearly he was warning those boys from them. 

Finally assigning both miscreants detentions for the week and sending them off to class, another stretch of silence ensued. No doubt Mr. Vicksler was talking to the two teachers and the security guards.

Both teenagers stared at the plain spartan office that had one picture of a fish, a watercolor with labels and pictures flies and tackle, a clean desk, a file cabinet and a fake tree in the corner, wondering what he would say to them. Never did they really feel their age before, until now. Fifteen and seventeen, respectively, Zormna and Jeff didn't like feeling so small.

Mr. Vicksler came in the room with a dark look on his face. He sat down behind his spotless desk and placed his hands on top, folding his fingers together and staring at them.

"I am very disappointed in you two." His voice resonated in a way that was all too familiar to Zormna. Her escapades in the Surface Patrol often had her sent to see her military school head for punishment. But it was not at all familiar to Jeff who had never gotten in trouble at school in his life until he met Zormna - despite his opposite reputation.

"A well-honored state champ wrestler, looked up to by his peers," Mr. Vicksler gazed at Jeff, shaking his head. He then looked at Zormna, "And one of our top students, a highly visible cheerleader and gymnast.... You should both be ashamed of yourselves."

Zormna blinked. "What for?"

Mr. Vicksler glared at her. "I warned you not to ditch school. I warned you of the dangers it can incur to your educational career. Even after you wrote that twelve page paper about the importance of school attendance - one I actually got published in the school district's educational magazine - you do this."

She leaned back. She had not known that he had done this. That paper had been a B.S. load, though Zormna really had believed in the importance of attending her classes. It was just that sometimes life called for exceptions. And though she was embarrassed, it did not change her attitude about what she had done.

Mr. Vicksler sat back in his swivel chair and pulled out their school files. "This will go on your permanent records."

Jeff did not say anything. He was waiting for the punishment that would infringe on his outside work and life, which was all that mattered.

Their vice principal looked them over as he sat there, thinking up a suitable punishment. His eyes raked over them, undoubtedly wondering if any punishment would curb their new habit of ditching school together. At last, he cleared his throat. He wrote as he spoke. "You two will have detention for the rest of this year. That's two weeks...."

Jeff and Zormna's mouths fell open.

"...If you miss one detention you will be suspended from school." Mr. Vicksler looked up. "Perhaps that will keep you two out of mischief for at least the next semester."

They both slumped in their seats. This would definitely infringe on their work schedules, Jeff's at the auto shop and Zormna's at the burger place.

"Further," the vice principal said - Jeff looked up at him as he continued, "It has been requested by your concerned teachers," no doubt meaning Mr. Humphries and the always-involved Mrs. Ryant, "that you attend two counseling sessions a week. Hopefully by this you may still enter society as unscathed as possible."

They watched to see if Mr. Vicksler had any more pronouncements on their fates - but the man continued writing in their files, letting them squirm in their seats. He eventually looked up at them. "You may go."

Zormna and Jeff stood up on achy feet. Shamefaced, they walked out the door. Once they were far enough down the hall to be out of earshot, Zormna straightened up and said