The paper pencil case

Walking zeta late at night

At primary school, former pupils were called in to help. I got a taxi and got there half hour early, so I walked back home to get my headphones and came back.

It was rainy, so there was hardly anyone outside. I went in and was directed to sit in a booth with the other adults. I sat next to a cool looking girl with purple streaks in her hair.

Someone asked if we were supposed to bring a pencil case and the teacher said yes. Purple girl asked me “What have you got” and I took out my pencil and said “A pencil.”

I suggested we could fashion a pencil case using the materials on the table and she liked that idea. I got some paper and folded it in half to check a pencil would fit, and found a sheet where it did.

All the paper had drawings on it. I found one that had a drawing I’d done of Frankenstein’s monster. Another girl said she liked my art style, so I relied “Thanks. You’re the only person that does.”

I was about to start trimming the paper when the teacher came over. She started wrapping strips of paper round me and said she was making me something. I pretended I was being attacked and flopped down on the chair groaning, which the others laughed at.

When she’s finished, it was just a thick rope around me. She then stuck two pink heart stickers to my right cheek. The others giggled and laughed. I was tempted to keep them on for the rest of the day, but decided to peel them off and break free of the paper rope.

A guy next to me said it was best, because the stickers might’ve reflected off the light. I said “Like in Bargain Hunt on TV when they put a light flare effect on it like it’s glimmering?” and he said no, he meant something else.