Gun

Amelia takes drastic measures to ensure that her grades are good.

Again, she got the distinct impression that she was not being heard, and this time she decided to do something about it. She needed their support, but they didn’t agree with her and in order to be heard, she had to violate one of her most strongly held principles.

Amelia pulled a handgun out of her purse and aimed it at one of the teachers. “I’m telling you, if I don’t get an A on this test, something very bad will happen to me. If something is going to happen to me, something is going to happen to one of you. Can I have an A now?”

“B-but you only got seven questions out of thirteen right,” Mr. Ferdancci whimpered. His distress was caused by the fact that the gun was currently pointed toward him. “I can’t, in good conscience, give you an A.”

Amelia gave an exasperated sigh. “Do you want to lose your kneecap?”

“Pish posh, Amy.” The speaker was the gaudy Mrs. Tustle. “You’ve got the aim of a blind penguin and the bravery of a CEO.” Her similes often made very little sense.

“I’ll do it,” Amelia replied, her voice quivering slightly.

“Sure you will! You know what? If you shoot me in the ear, I’ll not only have Mr. Ferdancci change the grade to an A, you’ll pass my class automatically, with straight A’s for everything.” Mrs. Tustle smirked a bit as she spoke.

Amelia cocked the gun and aimed for Mrs. Tustle’s ear. “You… you promise?”

“Absolutely! But you have to actually shoot the gun and get my ear,” she said condescendingly.

Amelia paused for a moment, then put the gun back in her purse. “You got me. I can’t do it.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” said Ms. Lopre. “Did you just put a loaded and cocked gun back into your purse?”

“Yes.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because James hasn’t paid me back yet.”

“Put your purse on the desk.”

“No.”

Ms. Lopre pulled out a gun of her own. “Your purse. On the desk. Now.”

Amelia put her purse on the desk and ran out of the classroom, face pale and hands clammy.

Mr. Ferdancci shook his head. “I don’t understand what that fuss was all about. She doesn’t even go to this school.”