I could hear the click of the clock and every passing second as a I proctored the last exam of the semester. I carefully watched each student as I flipped a heavy silver pen around my fingers. I kept my eyes on the young man in the second row, his eyes occasionally fleeting to his neighbor.
Not that it mattered
That particular student drove a nicer car than I did, and that was saying a lot ecspically now.
Then I thought about the student he was taking advantage of. The hard worker, maybe who was alwys competing with the rich, the charing, the good looking.
The timer on my desk dinged and the last few students looked up confused
“That’s it”, I said, “Time to start winter break.”
They filed down placing their papers on the desk, when the last student that students placed his paper down.
“excuse me”, I said
“yeah”, he said innocently
“I’ll see you next year”
“I don’t understand”
“I know you don’t like this class but that is no excuse to cheat.”
He looked ready to fight back but didn’t say anything as I ripped up his test sheat.
“Have a good break”, I said
+++
The house was quiet when I walked in, it had taken me twice as long because I caught myself driving back to Clarice’s that made three times this week.
There was a faint smell of gingerbread wafting down the hall and I found Joy and Rose in the dining room with a sheet of gingerbread.
There were little paint bottles lined up on the counter and I watched the line of happy gingerbread people with paintedon faces and elaborate designs.
“there ornaaments”, Rosalie informed me, “You can’t eat them. ..they are poison”
“Well they look delicious.”
I took the back stairs up to my study throwing the pile of test onto my desk.
Why did I insist open answer test.