ZOEY BIANCA HAS ARRIVED.
SHE’S ALREADY OVER IT.
Zoey Bianca walks into Saturday detention chewing gum, her unmistakable defiance aimed straight at Mr. Sexton like he should be grateful she even bothered to show up at all.
Her expression makes it clear she has already decided he’s wasting her time.
She slouches into the nearest chair, drops her notebook on the desk, and keeps chewing.
Mr. Sexton looks up.
“Lose the gum.”
Zoey stops chewing for half a second.
Then starts again.
“No.”
There it is.
Mr. Sexton leans back and studies her. Zoey stares right back.
“Sit up. You need better posture.”
Zoey doesn’t move.
“Then buy better chairs.”
James clenches his jaw.
That almost gets him.
Almost.
Which only makes her more determined.
Mr. Sexton goes back to his paperwork. Zoey reaches for her notebook.
“Can I at least write?”
“That depends.”
“Of course it does.”
“On what you’re writing.”
She pulls the notebook closer.
“That is absolutely none of your business.”
For the first time since she walked in, Zoey isn’t daring him to challenge her.
She’s guarding something.
And naturally, that makes him curious.
James looks at the notebook.
Zoey catches him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That wasn’t a nothing look.”
Eventually, the notebook ends up in James’s hands.
He studies the cover.
→ From the Detention Archives: Zoey’s Notebook
“Interesting doodling, Miss Bianca.”
James flips through a few pages, clears his throat, and keeps reading.
“Hmm. My, my, my. Very interesting.”
He looks up at her.
“You know what would be even more interesting? Hearing you read this out loud. Think of it as your first literature lesson of the day.”
Zoey’s eyes narrow. “You’re enjoying this way too fucking much.”
And James has only just begun.
→ Ready to begin the lesson?
