Beast and Dog-Boy

Chapter 10 - Mr. Thamus

The next morning Drew pulled Wezell’s pick up to a stop in front of Valerie’s house. He saw her pull back the living room’s curtain and then saw the curtain fall back closed, so he waited.

A moment later she came out her door, lunch bags and books in hand.

As she was loaded up with her hands full, he got out and went around the truck and opened the door for her. She smiled and said, “Hi,” as she got in.

“Sup foxy,” he said, then he closed the door behind her.

Soon he was driving them up their road to school .

“That for you,” he said as he pointed to a travel mug in the cup holder.

She picked it up and took a sip. It was hot coffee with milk and some sugar in it.

“How is it?” he asked.

“Perfect, of course,” she said, smiling, because currently she felt all cool, adult-like, feminine and great, all because of Drew

“Good,” he said quietly. “I think I have coffee maker down now too.”


Sometime later, she asked, “Drew, what are you planning on telling people today about what happened to your eye?”

He said as he drove, “Hmm, like me think…How about truth? Cody beat me up.” She could tell he was trying not to smile.

“Be serious,” she said, although she did actually smile a little herself. “Try again.”

“You beat me up?” he said.

“Completely implausible,” she said as she smiled more. “Try again.”

“This happen with Valerie - in bed!” he said.

“A lot more plausible, but another weekend event that we’re going to try and keep under wraps today, so that’s counter productive. Try again.”

“Happen with Cody in bed?” he suggested.

“Very, very plausible, but that certainly will cause Cody to take another swipe at you, as everyone knows he’s very old school homophobic. Shocker on that. Anyway, try again.”

Drew said seriously, “I stick to story I tell your Gramps. I say I fall down steps drunk…”

She thought about this and she said, “That is such a stereotypical lie that it’s actually a cliche. Nobody will believe it.”

He said, “Valerie, you so smart, but sometimes you forget some other people smart too. What I say don’t really matter. When Zach, Cody, Tony, and Carl come to school today all beat up, and when I do too, everyone put that together and know gist what happen. Everyone know those guys not in Drew Fan Club! It not matter what lie I say, so I might as well make my story say - Snitches get stitches, and I don’t want no stitches. Lie make me fit in more at school too.”

Valerie went quiet at this, and then she realized Drew was right. What was she thinking? Of course everyone was going to figure out what happened. And he was probably right about what the effect his obvious lying about what really happened would have on everyone as well - it would only increase his already bad ass, cool cred among the student body.

“Alright,” she said, especially since she couldn’t think of anything better to spin, and super especially because they were now already pulling into the student parking lot at this point.

When they were parked, she looked at, and fretted over, his eye some more. She had cleaned and bandaged his brow late yesterday and that bandage still looked good because his cut didn’t even bleed when she had done so. And it covered his cut, so that was helpful. But the big swollen lump under it wasn’t hidden, and Drew’s big black eye, there was no hiding that either.

She sighed and said, “Speaking of stitches, we should have had someone stitch that cut up. Your cut will scar worse without them.”

“Like that matter?” he said absentmindedly without thinking about what he was saying, particularly because he was loving, and so distracted by her preening over him.

Valerie’s heart hurt as he said this. She said quietly as she started to cry, “I’ve been having a very, very hard time dealing with…that. See, I can’t even say it. But I think I have a solution for my heart retching woe over you. I’m going to deny and repress that you ever told me that. Starting right now.”

Drew nodded his head instantly. “That really good idea. Do it,” he said seriously.

“Do what?” she said as she cried more. “I don’t know even what you’re talking about.”

Drew started laughing and laughing at this. “You so hilarious! I love I have hilarious girlfriend. I really do! It the best!”

And then he laughed so much that Valerie actually stopped crying, and she started to laugh a little too.


As they walked into school, the front hallway was crowded and buzzing. Valerie somehow knew that all this hubbub was about the weekend fight. She and Drew were already getting all of the looks.

And when they entered the hallway that had their lockers, she just really, really couldn’t believe it when the first person to actually call out to them directly, was that big, dumb, oaf, Cody.

“Hey Dog-Boy! How’d you get that beautiful black eye?!” he shouted to them, from about halfway down the hallway.

“Hey Cody! What happened to your hand?” Drew called cheerfully back, as Cody’s hand had a plaster cast on it.

“Oh this?” shouted Cody, holding his plastered hand up. “I broke it a little, falling down my stairs all drunk this weekend!”

“Dang,” said Drew quietly to her. “He stole my story! What I do now?” he whispered to her as well.

“So how’d you get your black eye?!” Cody shouted tauntingly across the hallway again, as about eight billion students laughed and watched.

Drew froze up, now not knowing what to say, so she whispered to him quickly, “I told you it was cliche.” Then she shouted, “Cody, you dumb ass! What in the hell are you talking about?!”

Suddenly the hallway got a lot quieter, and even Cody went still at this.

“Black eye?!” she continued. “What black eye?! Drew, you have any idea what the fuck he’s talking about?!”

Drew stood there for a moment with a weird smile on his face. She instantly could see he was loving this, and he was so, so down to make this their new “story” that they were going to pitch to everybody all day.

So he shouted across the hallway, “Yeah, what you talkin’ about, Cody?! I mean which of my eyes is supposed to be black?!

Many students erupted into laughter, but that laughter died almost instantly at what happened next.

“Val!” a voice yelled out from behind her. She cringed as she instantly recognized that voice.

As she turned, she saw Mr. Sanchez briskly walking up the hallway, “I heard all that!” he said as he approached and her heart raced. “Language! Watch your French in the hallways!” he barked.

She smiled sheepishly and she said to him as he neared, “Je suis vraiment désolée. Je ne le ferai plus, Monsieur Sanchez…”

A lot of students laughed at this. Mr. Sanchez said tersely, “Not cute or funny! Particularly because I have no clue what you just said.” Then the first bell rang.

Mr. Sanchez stayed put, it was obvious to her that he wasn’t going anywhere until this hall was cleared.

As she began to put all her stuff away in her locker except her calculus, Drew watched her. A minute later a student who wasn’t in the know about any of what just happened, walked toward them. He said, “Cripes, Drew, what happened to your eye?”

“Not your business, Brandon,” said Mr. Sanchez from a ways away as he scanned about. “Get to class…”

As Brandon moved on, now Valerie was ready; calculus text, pen and folder in hand.

She was about to say something to Mr. Sanchez, but he cut her off by saying, “You too now Val and Drew, get to your classes.”

She nodded her head. Mr. Sanchez sounded, not mad, but disappointed. This bothered her, so much so, she didn’t even wait to let Drew give her their routine short kiss. Instead she went immediately to class as told, feeling badly.


She didn’t see Drew after first period. But after second period, as she approached their lockers, she saw him there, waiting for her.

“Everything OK?” she asked him quickly.

“Yes and no,” he said. “Mrs. Owens get upset when she see my eye. She get more upset when she ask me about eye and I say, “What you mean?” This lying not so fun as I thought it be. My stomach feel funny when she get mad at me for lying. Never no see her get mad before, and it at me.”

Valerie nodded her head and said, “Yeah, I disappointed Mr. Sanchez too. He was pretty chilly with me in European Studies. I adore that man, so that all made my stomach all icky too…”

Drew looked concerned, so when she was done getting her stuff ready, she said, “What can we do? We’ll just have to work hard to get back in our beloved teacher's good graces with good behavior.”

“That sound good,” said Drew as he thought about this.

“Was that your biggest problem, since we parted?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he said. “No Mr. Williams visit. No Coach Cahill visit. No anyone visit. And they have to know all what happen now, cause whole school know now. Lucky for us, those guys in power no care too much about anything. They no want get to bottom of any of it either, cause it only mess up football stuff if they do.”

Valerie froze at Drew’s analysis of the situation. He was so damn brilliant sometimes, it almost spooked her.

“Only other bother is no kiss Valerie before first class…” he said.

She gasped and said, “Oh my God, I love you so much! You did notice that!”

“Of course,” he said. “That my favorite.”

“Problem solved,” she said as she kissed him. And then she made this hallway kiss a little longer than usual.


But Valerie’s timing about verboten school things continued to be off this day, so the assistant principal caught them just before they were done locking lips.

“No public displays of affection in the hallways,” he said shortly and nastily to them, so they stepped apart.

They didn’t know it, but he wasn't there by accident. He wanted to get a look at Drew’s eye, and he also hoped to put a scare into Valerie, to see if he could get the upper hand back on that bitch.

But they pretty much ignored him, as Drew looked at Valerie curiously and asked her, “That actual school rule?!”

“Sure is,” she said to him while smiling.

“That dumbest rule ever,” he said. “I mean, Valerie, think about it!”

She did think about it, and then she realized what he meant.

“You ready follow important school rule?” he asked her. She smiled, she was ready.

“Get back on your meds, you crazy, skanky ho,” he said to her while smiling, and, of course, right in front of the assistant principal as well.

“Eat me,” she said to Drew, keeping her retort insult short and unsweet. Although she did take the time to step back a little while pointing downward with both hands, to make it completely clear to both Drew and to the assistant principal as to where exactly she expected Drew’s said eating to be done.

Then the second to last bell rang, so it was time to go. They both went to give each other fist bumps, but they both pulled them back before they bumped, each trying to leave the other hanging.

Drew turned his back on her. “Later, loser,” he said contemptuously as he walked to class.

“Sayonara, suckfuck,” she called to him as she tried to sound cutting. And she was a little disappointed when Drew broke character by giggling as he couldn’t keep it in any longer

The assistant principal looked at her in confusion.

“Was that public display unaffectionate enough for ya’?” she asked him. Then she went off to class, smiling.


At lunchtime Valerie and Drew walked through the cafeteria to make their way outside. They were talking quietly to each other as they did so.

“You know I don’t think you a loser, right?” he said to her softly.

At first she didn’t know what he was talking about. Then she realized that this was from the fake beef they had in the hallway, earlier that day.

“I know,” she said smiling as they walked through the doors to the sunny outside.

“Are you sure sex good last night?” he asked her very quietly, so no one else would hear.

“I loved every second of it, didn’t you hear me the whole time?” she said. “Why are you asking me this again?”

He said, “You call me suckfuck. It get me thinking.”

As they sat down in the grass, as far away as possible from everyone else, she decided to have a little fun with this. She said, “Actually I change my mind on that.”

Drew looked at her questioning.

“It was a little lacking. I think we should do that again tonight, we need the practice,” she said.

Drew said, “You serious?” He still looked concerned.

She said, “Partly. I’m not serious about the lacking part, but I am serious about the tonight part. Actually, I’m getting all worked up thinking about it, even as we speak.”

Drew smiled and said, “Let’s skip rest of school day and go to Wezell’s place then.”

Valerie immediately started to put the lunch stuff back into their bag.

Drew laughed.

“Why are you laughing?” she asked him.

“We can’t do that!” he said smiling.

“Pussy,” she said as she started pulling the food out of their bag again. Then she started to pull it out even quicker and said, “Alright, plan B. We wolf this all down real quick. Then we sneak off to the parking lot for a quickie nooner in the truck.”

Drew laughed at this. “You killing me,” he said.

“I’m serious!” she said. “You might wake up some day and realize how ugly I am. I’ve got to get as much boinking in with you now, before that happens.”

“That not happen,” said Drew, smiling as he started to eat. He raised his eyes to her and he saw how beautiful she looked. “Find you not beautiful - that not happen at all,” he said, as she smiled.

As Valerie started to eat as well, she noticed how beautiful it was outside today. And serene too. She had heard overheard that this wasn’t even Zach and Carl’s assigned lunch time, and once admin. found out about that, they actually did something that was right for a change. They told those guys to start going to their actual assigned lunch time and no other.

She knew it wasn’t because admin, or Mr. Williams, was turning a new or promising leaf. It was more because after the fight between Drew and Zach and Carl, they realized that if that got out (that Zach and Carl were already breaking a rule before that fracas even broke out) that was a bad look for everyone, except for her and Drew. She thought this was probably but another reason they had let Drew off the hook so quietly as well.

And so the new vibe out here for her was more chill, knowing those guys wouldn’t ever magically appear again. And she suspected most of the other students out here we’re loving this more peaceful scene as well.

Despite the cozyness of this all, she decided to discuss business with Drew. Time was ticking.

As Drew ate, she said, “Neither Anthony nor Cody will be at football practice this afternoon. Reliable sources told me Cody’s hand is slightly fractured, and while Anthony’s arm isn’t broken, it is sprained and in a sling.”

Drew nodded his head. He wasn’t overly concerned about those guys being at today’s practice, but he wasn’t going to look good news in the mouth either.

“I also heard Anthony’s been telling everyone he slipped in his tub,” she said.

“Wall of silence,” Drew said. “Wanna hear something funny?”

“Sure,” she said.

Drew said, “I heard Zach tell everyone he got cuts on face, arms and hands when he lose fight to his cat!” And then Drew himself started laughing at this.

Valerie rolled her eyes. She didn’t appreciate anything about Zach at all, much less his humor.

Drew said, “And Carl no saying nothing. When someone ask him about his nose, he say nothing. They ask again, he give threatening, creepy look, so they stop asking.”

“He’s a charmer! Is his nose broken?” she asked. She had seen him from a distance between first and second period in the hallway. He had a bandage on it. And both his eyes were black from it, so she had to imagine it was.

“I don’t know, I think maybe no one know,” said Drew. “But I know he out for practice at least today too. I hear he playing in game on Wednesday though, cause helmet protect him fine for that.”

Valerie nodded her head. At least today’s practice would be goon free, except for Zach, and the next afternoons of football would only have Carl in them as well. Very tenable for Drew to handle.

She said, “I’ll be on the bleachers today, anyway.”

“No need worry about that,” said Drew. “No worry about that no matter who there. Coach Cahill rule field. He not let baboons run show. Valerie promise to sit in bleachers during some practices, be released by Drew. You no never need sit bleachers, even during games too, if no want.”

Valerie smiled as she thought about this. She said, “Honestly, I’m not too worried about anything during football time much either now. But if the weather says like this, I’m going to really want to be there today. I like watching you play while I do schoolwork, even if it’s just practice. It gets me all worked up and ready.”

Drew smiled at this, then he puffed out his chest proudly.

She smiled and said, “But I’ll tell you what, if it turns all windy and chilly, I’ll slide on off to the library, guilt free. How’s that sound?”

“Good,” said Drew. “Now eat, Valerie, cause time is ticking.”

Then they just ate for a while enjoying the beautiful weather and the tasty food, but enjoying each other the most.


Much later that day, as Valerie went to her locker to get her last period stuff, she saw Drew standing there waiting for her. He looked pissed.

“What’s up?” she said, while sliding next to him and spinning her lock.

Drew said quietly, ”I hear Mr. Thamus’s house get egged.”

She groaned and shook her head. “Saturday night?” she asked

“Friday night,” said Drew.

“All the same crew?” she asked.

Drew said, “I only know Carl and Zach for sure. Maybe only them. That be make sense. Cody and Tony no have trouble with him.”

She nodded her head. “Sadly, I don’t know if there’s anything we can do about that…” she said disgustedly.

Drew said, “We can try! No want let that go. I getting sick of those two.”

Now she had her stuff out for last period. She closed her locker and said quietly, “You are the best. What are you thinking?”

Then Drew told her.


Mr. Thamus watched, as he supervised the hallway in front of his class, the last of the students leaving the hall to get on their buses. Then he went into his classroom, closing the door behind him.

Ten minutes later there was a knock at his door.

“Come in,” he said as he corrected homework at his desk.

He was surprised when Zach Taylor entered, looking scared and shaken.

Then he was really surprised when he saw Carl Everett enter next.

No that he entered voluntarily, Andrew Wezell had one his arms wrapped around Carl’s neck, and Drew was using his other arm to pin and hold one of Carl’s arms behind his back.

Once Drew man-handled Car through the door, he pushed Carl disgustedly away from himself, as if he couldn’t stand to be near him any longer. Carl stumbled and almost fell from that push, and his face was beet red.

Then Mr. Thamus saw Valerie Wright enter. She closed the door behind her.

“Hi, Mr. Thamus,” she said.

“Hey Val,” he said as he pretended to go back to correcting homework. “Anything new?” he asked.

“Zach!” seethed Drew as he glowered at him.

“We were the ones who egged your house Friday night,” Zach said quickly.

Mr. Thamus couldn’t fake looking blase anymore. He raised his eyes to look at them. He said, “I have to say, I’m very disappointed in the four of you…”

Drew cried, “No! Valerie and I not there!”

Mr. Thamus smiled at this.

And so did Valerie. She said, “Drew, he knows that.”

“Oh,” said Drew, and he smiled a little.

But then he went back to looking mad, really mad. He said, “Say it, Zach!”

Zach said, “I’m sorry.”

“Now you Carl,” said Drew ominously

“Fuck you, Dog-Boy,” said Carl, his face still all red.

“I so sick of you,” said Drew as he went toward Carl.

“Drew,” said Valerie. “Easy…”

“Yeah, down dog,” said Carl smiling. “And I’m not scared.”

Drew said low, “Who you trying to kid? I feel you shaking when I get you. You try look tough now, you look scared to me, I see it in your eyes.”

Carl said nothing to this, but Valerie had to admit, Carl was doing a fairly good job of not looking scared. He had his whole psychopath thing down pretty pat.

Mr. Thamus, she saw, looked riveted by all this.

“Running out of time. Nothing to say to Mr. Thamus?” asked Drew.

Carl shook his head, and then smiled.

“Then we call cops now,” said Drew. “I do it myself!” he added as he motioned that he wanted Valerie to hand her cell phone to him.

“Go ahead,” said Carl. “You still got nothing on me.”

Instantly Valerie’s cell phone played, “We were the ones who egged your house.”

She said as she smiled, “I recorded that confession for posterity purposes. I’m so glad it came out all nice and clear. By the way Carl, Zach’s “we” is the key word there. It places you at the scene and all.”

Drew said, “And if you think Valerie and I not tell what happen Saturday too, you deluded. All that together slam dunk. So say the words. We all know you not mean them when say them. But no matter in way, we watch you do what you no want do, for satisfaction.”

After a moment Carl said sarcastically, “I’m sorry Mr. Thamus.”

Drew stood there seething. Then he growled very deeply.

Everyone went still at this, and even Valerie’s hairs on the back of her neck raised at this.

“I change my mind,” said Drew very threateningly. “I no like that tone. Try again.”

The room was still and quiet. Then Carl said, “I’m sorry Mr. Thamus.” He said it flatley and pretty neutrally now.

Then there was silence in the room again.

Valerie eventually broke it. “Mr. Thamus, what do you want to do for a punishment?”

“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “But I know I don’t really want the cops involved either though.”

Carl smiled at this. He was enjoying the chaos he was creating among those he hated. Mr. Thamus saw this on Carl’s face, and this was a mistake for Carl.

“Val, are you still recording now?” he asked her.

She touched her cell phone. “Not any more,” she said softly.

Mr. Thamus said, “Not so fun fact, I played football too. In college, division A.”

“Cool,” said Drew under his breath.

“Eww,” said Carl as he raised his hands and waved his fingers, not impressed. “Big deal, I mean whatcha doing to do? Take a swing at me?”

Mr. Thamus stood up and that was saying something, because currently, of all those big, tall people in the room, he was the tallest and biggest. He actually made Valerie look like a regular girl when he stood next to her.

Mr. Thamus started walking around his desk as he said, “Yup, and I’m going to connect too…”

Carl’s face finally cracked, and he looked scared as he backed away.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” said Drew as he got scared too. “Mr. Thamus stop! Valerie tell him to stop!”

“It won’t work on him, Drew!” she said. But then she gave it a shot anyway, “Bad career move!” she tried.

“Like I care anymore,” Mr. Thamus said as he rolled up his sleeve, confirming to her she couldn’t tell him what to do. He was now trying to walk around Drew, who was putting himself between him and Carl.

“Carl! Go out the window!” Valerie said, as the door wasn’t a viable exit because of where Mr. Thamus stood.

A terrified Carl immediately fumbled with the window, but it was designed to only open up about six inches. Meanwhile Mr. Thamus was still trying to slowly walk around Drew. Suddenly he went fast to the left and cut behind one of his student desks, burning Drew. He was actually going to get to Carl in a second.

“Mr. Thamus! Please, stop!” begged Valerie. “It’s so scary watching you big guys trying to beat each other up all the time! Don’t you join that club now too!”

Mr. Thamus did now stop at her words. Lucky, for her, she sounded a lot like his wife right now.

He said coldly, “I want to thank you guys for making your egging of our house nice and loud, and good and late. Two am was a nice touch.”

They all went quiet at this

“You scared my wife to tears,“ he said.

They were all quiet at this as well.

Mr. Thamus took his eyes off of Carl for a moment to look at Drew who had now recovered and stood between them. Drew looked very troubled by what he said..

“All right, get him,’ said Drew as he stepped aside. “Better more, I hold him down for you,” he said as he took a step toward Carl.

Meanwhile Carl was comically trying to squeeze himself out of that six inch window’s gap.

But before Drew could take a second step toward Carl, Mr. Thamus put his hand on Drew’s shoulder and stopped him. He looked again at Carl, who could only get one arm and shoulder out the window, looking all panicked and stupid, especially with his bandgaged nose and two black eyes,

Mr. Thamus laughed a little at this, and Valerie blew the biggest sigh of relief ever.

Then he went across his room and back around his desk and sat down.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “What do you want to do?” she asked. She had tried to sound normal when she said all this, but her voice shook despite her efforts to get it together.

Mr. Thamus looked at her. Then he said quietly, “Val, I’m so tired.”

She froze as he said this and she got goosebumps. “Why?” she asked so softly it almost didn’t come out.

“I’m not making any difference here. I can’t reach any of you kids,” he said wearily. “I want to give up. I want to quit.”

She forced herself to say through her fear, “Don’t do that, because you are.”

“Name one kid I’ve reached,” he said.

She smiled a little. “Andrew Wezell,” she said.

He looked at her questioningly, so she said, “He respects you a lot.”

“That true,” said Drew while nodding his head.

“Seven years, I’ve been here. One’s not enough,” he said.

“Valerie Wright,” she said as she cried a little. “I admire you too. I’m a big fan. So that makes two.”

“That also true,” said Drew, nodding his head more.

Mr. Thamus closed his eyes. He just wanted to let this go. But that would be wrong. Somewhere, deep down, he still did care.

He opened his eyes and said, “My wife is the director of a soup kitchen.”

Everyone in the room went still and quiet at this.

Drew finally broke the silence. “What a soup kitchen?” he asked.

Mr. Thamus asked Valerie, “You or me?”

“You explain it, please,” she said. “I’m just focusing on not peeing myself right now…”

“It’s a place where poor, hungry people are fed,” said Mr. Thamus, deciding to keep it brief.

Drew nodded his head.

Mr. Thamus continued as he now looked at Carl and Zach, “Every day of the year, they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Volunteers, and court mandated people; serve the hungry at tables, wash dishes, sweep and mop the floor, and stuff like that. Each meal has a three hour shift. Both of you can do one shift. You can wait until Saturday or Sunday to do your time, so it won’t conflict with football. But I want those shifts done by the end of this weekend. And I don’t want to be chasing you down to do that either. So if you don’t show up this weekend, next Monday I’ll call the cops and report what you did.”

Mr. Thamus was quiet for a bit as he let this sink in. Then he said, “My wife will be there all weekend long. You’re going to apologize to her for what you did. Make it sound sincere,” he said to Carl. “Can you handle that?”

Carl nodded his head.

He reached into one of his desk’s drawers and pulled out a couple of sheets of paper. “These have the directions to it on it, and the address, and the times of the shifts, and all that,” He put those two papers on his desk. “Come up and take one each.”

Zach and Carl came up and each took one.

“You do those things, show up and work a shift, and apologize, and all this mess is history,” he said. “Agreed?”

Carl said, “Yeah,” and then so did Zach.

“That’s it,” said Mr. Thamus as he went back to correcting homework.

Then Carl and Zach left the room.

“That was a sweetheart deal,” said Valerie quietly.

“I know,” said Mr. Thamus as he removed his eyes from his work to look at her. “But I want to keep this neat and doable.”

She nodded her head. “I’m really sorry about all this,” she said. “I didn’t think this would get so messy.”

“Seemed pretty clean to me,” Mr. Thamus said. “Listen, if it makes you feel more settled, my wife will feel a lot better if this goes to plan.”

“And you?” she asked him.

“I still feel defeated,” he said.

She didn’t know what to say to this.

Drew asked, “Can we go soup kitchen sometime, help out too?”

Mr. Thamus looked curiously at Drew and said, “Volunteers can go anytime.”

Drew looked at her. She smiled and said, “Sounds great to me. I’m very in.”

“Can we have a paper too?” Drew asked Mr.Thamus. Valerie smiled more.

Mr. Thamus opened his drawer and retrieved another paper for Drew. He handed it to him.

Drew smiled, and then as he and Valerie left his classroom, he started trying to work out when they could go, and then he asked her to read everything out loud on that paper to him.

Then, as they closed the door behind them, Mr. Thamus smiled a little.