HITMAN, Chapter Two

This is Chapter Two of HITMAN! You can read Chapter Two here: https://vocal.media/chapters/hitman-08l50cbw

The couple you see in the movies, that's Addison and I. You know, the couple that is specific to the movies because the two people have completely different lives they're living. The cliche couple, as they call it.

Or, at least that is how I would like to picture Addison and I.

Addison Shaw is the girl that every female wants to be, and every guy wants to be with. She's absolutely beautiful, and entirely too intelligent.

Then there's me, Hunter Andrews, the social reject. I have a C average in school. I never keep up with the news or social issues, but I always have Addison to keep me informed.

However, she’s with the high school quarterback, Jonah. The only reason she and I are even friends is because we used to have to spend a lot of time together when our parents were business partners.

And back then, I couldn’t stand her. I didn’t want to be around her for almost two years until one day I realized she wasn’t going to go anywhere.

"Can anyone tell me the definition of the word 'syntax'?" Mr. Harris asked as he wrote the word on the board in a black expo marker.

"The structure of a sentence," I mumbled under my breath. Others raised their hands slightly, a couple people were already asleep, and others were chatting lightly amongst themselves while on their phones.

"What was that, Hunter?" He asked, confusion in his voice as he turned around. His eyes were wide as he stared at me, my eyes mirroring his.

I never answered questions in any class, and I liked to keep it that way. I enjoyed my C average, and I enjoyed not having anyone expect a single thing from me. It made my life easier, and it kept me stress free.

"The uh," I started, debating on if I wanted to answer the question correctly, or make something up. A few people turned around to look at me, causing my heart to begin to race. "It's the uh, structure of a sentence."

"Correct," he said, amazement heard throughout his voice.

As he turned around and started writing on the board, he spoke. "Syntax is the structure of a sentence in any given language." He wrote the definition next to the word in green, bright enough to catch someone's attention as they walked in.

"With that being said," he continued, walking over to his desk and grabbing a good sized stack of papers off of his desk. He handed one to each student as he walked around the room. "Your final essay is coming up, and most of you slack when it comes to proper sentence structure, or syntax as we will call it."

"Uh," Elizabeth started. She was the shortest girl in our class, and she isn’t the most intelligent but she sure as hell is not dumb. Quite frankly, she is smarter than me and she lets it show. "This says the essay isn't due until May, why do we have it now?" She stared at the paper with confusion as she read it.

Walking back to the front of the classroom, Mr. Harris turned to look at the class. "Three months is more than enough time to get the perfect essay. It gives you enough time to edit your own essay, and allow your peers to also edit your essays."

"Why won't you be editing our essays?" Anthony asked. "Or will you still be available for editing?" I've never had a conversation with Anthony the entire four years we've gone to school together, but I know he's in the Honors Society with Addison. I also know that he has to be 'Mr. Perfect' or he has panic attacks, quite literally.

"This essay is for your final. Due to that, I will only be available to edit your essays twice in the entire three months you have," Mr. Harris said. "When you choose to have me edit your essay is entirely up to you, but use them wisely."

I sighed as I looked at the paper he handed to me. Thankfully I have Addison, and she is always willing to help educate someone and make sure that they have their facts straight. Especially when it comes to me.

Usually, I wouldn't care about these essays, but due to the fact that it is for our final, I have no choice. I have to graduate on time. I have to graduate with Addison if I want any chance of getting into any of the colleges that she would like me to hopefully go to, and that I would like to go to so that I’m still with her.

Looking at the topics Mr. Harris provided for us to do for our essays, I smiled. Racism, hate crimes, equal pay or the lack thereof, economic issues, public health. That's everything Addison has complete knowledge on. I know for a fact that she will have no issue helping me with my essay.

Rather, I think she would be pretty pleased that I actually want help on a school assignment. Usually I just bullshit my way through them, only half trying. However, this essay is different, I have to actually give it all that I have.