A Fly On the Wall

Hope slipped into her desk, a minute after the bell, glancing down at a small slip of ripped notebook paper that had been artfully placed on her desk, directly in her line of vision. 

She did not look pleased, but some unseen compulsion seemed to force her to unfold it and read its contents. Judging by her expression it wasn’t a note from a secret admirer. In fact, I knew exactly who had written it and what it contained. 

This was already the second day that I’ve been chilling in my corner and I already knew the dynamics of this middle school classroom like the back of my wing. The entire class hated  Hope, Hope hated no one, and the teacher, Dr. Paul, hated his job. The best reason I could find for the entire seventh grade to hate the sweet girl with big brown eyes was her newness, apparently; I only knew what my predecessor told me. 

Hope winced and crumpled it up, tears filling her eyes. She glanced around, as if attempting to locate the culprit, but we both knew that the only person she could rule out was the sweet, neat, petite Finnegan, who sat directly in front of her, and was utterly nice. 

A whisper carried throughout the room...Hope...hate...worthless… Hope hunched in her seat and twisted her fingers. A tear was definitely slipping down her cheek. Except for Finnegan, no one ever spoke to Hope, but they had no problem talking about her. Those twelve year olds were all a bunch of cowards. 

Trisha leaned over Hope’s desk as if she weren’t there, and began whispering back and forth with Tracy. Hope straightened up and stared directly over Trisha’s head, “concentrating” on the board. Tracy let out a high pitched giggle, and Trisha flipped her hair.

Dr. Paul looked up at the sound, and Tracy and Trisha straightened up immediately. Dr. Paul zeroed in on Hope. Talk again...detention...ashamed of you…

Trisha let out another giggle and was quickly echoed by the rest of the class. Finnegan turned around to give Hope a sympathetic smile, but Hope wasn’t looking at her. She was staring at Tracy who was singing a rude chant under her breath. Finnegan frowned. 

I had to do something. Hope was so sweet and innocent. It reminded me of my 5000th son, who had been so nice and sweet, and unfortunately was killed by a spider. I hesitated for a moment, steeled myself and  made a flyline towards Trisha. I rested in her blonde hair, waiting to be noticed.

It didn’t take long until Trisha reached up to scratch her head, right where I was standing, touched me, and let out an inhuman shriek. I took off, amping my buzzing noise to a decibel audible to humans, and began to circle her head, causing her to amp her shrieks to a decibel audible to dogs and people five blocks away. 

Like a disease, the shrieks spread until the entire classroom was full of shrieking twelve-year-olds. They really know how to welcome a guest. Dr. Paul looked ready to quit. Bradley, an overenthusiastic tween, looked ready to kill me, judging by the way he kept clapping his hands in the air right next to me. Either that or he really wanted to give me a round of applause. 

Someone decided to leave the window open in the hopes that I would fly out. How stupid do they think I am? This class had drama. My predecessor had not done it justice! I mean, besides for this whole class hating one innocent girl, I got to find out about the illegal sleepover that got a girl named Ariana grounded, who decided to wear perfume and which scents not to buy. Really, the gossip was too good to pass up for a measly crack in the window.  

I flew up to the light fixture and waited for them to forget about me. They did rather quickly, but they did not forget about Hope, the poor girl. 

James leaned forward in his desk and blew gently on the back of her neck. Hope didn’t react. He blew harder. She stared hard at her desk, not moving. He spit. She jumped and almost fell out of her seat. A burst of laughter erupted through the classroom. Hope burst into tears and ran out of the room. Dr. Paul shouted after her detention...disruption...don’t come back…

Trisha turned purple from laughter, and James was so gleeful it was ugly. Finnegan raised her hand, grabbed the hall pass and left after her. I really hoped Finnegan’s bladder was empty and she was really following Hope, but I could not be sure. Hope was practically alone here. Besides for me.But she didn’t know that and I doubt she would care if she did. 

I really hoped, no pun intended, that Hope would be able to woman up and fight back. She definitely had it in her. I wish there was some way I could tell her…

When Hope walked in she avoided everyone’sgaze and walked straight to her desk. Or tried to. Candy stuck out her foot and tried to trip her. Hope caught herself by grabbing onto Matt’s arm. Matt slapped her hand away...ugly...as if… 

Hope looked utterly hopeless. She blinked hard and kept walking. Tracy stuck out her foot as well and Hope emphatically stepped on it. Tracy winced and squealed... you brat...I will get you…

Hope’s knees were trembling but she slid into her desk without giving Tracy a second glance. I flew closer, and after a moment’s hesitation, I landed on Hope’s desk. Hope did not notice. But I noticed that, despite the tears on the brink of spilling over, she had a small smile on the corners of her mouth. All of the sudden, she noticed me and her brown eyes widened. She rested her chin on the desk so she could look directly at me, I didn’t move, afraid of what she might do. She smiled softly, what’s it like to be a fly on the wall… I flitted closer, brushed her pinky finger and flew off to the corner. 

Finnegan sat down in front of Hope, and instantly turned around to face her...ready...I’m so proud...Finnegan flipped her hair like a superhero and Hope grinned really wide and mimicked her. 

Trisha strutted over to their desks, staring Hope down with venom. She hissed a word that was not “brat” and strutted away. Hope replied in kind. Trisha froze, surprised that Hope would fight back. Finnegan smiled from ear to ear and gave Hope a head hug. I’ve always wanted a head hug, but unfortunately I don’t really have a head. Despite my lack of appendages, ecstasy filled me. Finnegan was on Hope’s side. It was going to be okay.

 I did one last lap around the room, causing a few screams, and zoomed out the open window into the wild blue yonder...